Nursing is a high-demand field, and job opportunities in this career are excellent; that’s why it is so appealing for students in the USA. On the other hand, nursing education may be very expensive. A number of nursing schools scholarships are available in the USA to help overcome such financial barriers for the 2025-2026 academic session. Application deadlines, eligibility criteria, levels of study, scholarship value, requirements of nursing school-everything will be discussed in detail in this guide.
Best Nursing Scholarships in the USA for 2025-2026
Following are some popular Scholarships especially availed to nursing students in the USA provided by various organizations/institutions. These include;
a) Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing Scholarships
- Description: Johnson & Johnson offers hundreds of scholarships through its Discover Nursing program. The program connects students with over 300 scholarships across the USA, grants usually donated by health care organizations, universities, and other sources in promoting nursing students.
b) American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Scholarships
- Description: Through the collaboration of AACN and the National League for Nursing, scholarship opportunities are available to both undergraduate and graduate nursing students. This is in an effort to increase workforce diversity while concurrently providing quality nursing education.
c) Nurse Corps Scholarship Program
- Description: This program pays the tuition, fees, and other educational expenses of nursing students in exchange for their service to work in underserved areas upon graduation. It is a service-based scholarship in order to help improve healthcare disparities in the USA.
d) Tylenol Future Care Scholarship
- Description: The said scholarship is sponsored by Tylenol, and it supports healthcare students, which include nursing students, who genuinely want to make changes in the health and wellness of every community.
e) Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association Scholarships
- Description: FNSNA offers scholarships at the undergraduate and graduate level. These are typically merit-based and may target students from backgrounds considered underrepresented in nursing.
Application Deadlines for Nursing Scholarships, 2025-2026
All these scholarships have different dates of deadlines, and early application is encouraged to raise your potential of selection. Below is a comparison of typical deadlines which are shared by nursing scholarships:
- Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing: Deadlines vary by scholarship, but the majority of the deadlines are from February to June.
- AACN Scholarships: Most applications start on or before January and run up through April of every year.
- Nurse Corps Scholarship Program: The close date is usually late April.
- Tylenol Future Care Scholarship: Most of these deadlines fall in the month of June.
- FNSNA Scholarships: Most fall in January.
For exact dates, it is always advisable to check with the official scholarship provider to avoid missing any application deadlines.
Student Type Eligible for Nursing Scholarships
Most nursing scholarships target a variety of student types. The breakdown goes this way:
- Undergraduate Nursing Students: They are students studying toward the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They are usually qualified for most general nursing scholarships, especially those touching on nursing shortages.
- Graduate Nursing Students: Most of the students who have advanced degrees such as the Master of Science in Nursing or the Doctor of Nursing Practice will also have a specific scholarship to aim at. For most graduate students, the categories for student awards include leadership and research awards, as well as specialized practice areas.
- Non-Traditional and Diverse Students: A large number of scholarships aim at increasing diversity in the nursing field by providing financial aid to students hailing from underrepresented communities, older students returning to school, or the first in their families to attend college.
Levels of Study
Nursing scholarships in the USA are targeted at different levels of study:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): A limited number of scholarships are available to students studying in two-year ADN programs. Most of these scholarships are targeted at entry-level nursing positions.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Most nursing scholarships are targeted toward this area of study since a BSN is often the minimum requirement for most positions within nursing.
- Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice: Scholarship opportunities available to graduate students in these degree areas are often targeted toward achieving an advanced practice nursing role, leadership, or education role.
- Nursing Bridge Programs: Most of the scholarships are also for bridge program students, like RN-to-BSN or BSN-to-DNP, and extend the needed financial support during the course of their educational advancement.
Areas of Study in Nursing
Although the majority of nursing scholarships do not specify that applicants study a particular nursing specialty, there are some awards given based on preference to focus on specific areas of the nursing field. Some of the most targeted areas of study in the field of nursing include:
- Primary Care Nursing: Most nursing scholarships target primary care nursing because of the high demand for health professionals in underserved areas.
- Pediatric and Family Nursing: Other scholarships focus on building a workforce that will meet the health needs in pediatric or family nursing.
- Gerontological Nursing: Due to the increased aging population, some scholarships encourage students to concentrate on providing geriatric care.
- Mental Health Nursing: These scholarships aim at improving mental health nursing due to the shortage of mental health providers in the USA.
- Nursing Education and Leadership: This scholarship area prepares students for leadership careers in academia, research, or healthcare management.
Scholarship Value
The worth of a nursing scholarship often greatly differs with the provider and level that one is pursuing. Here’s a general view of what students can expect:
- Partial Scholarships: Professional nursing associations and foundations dole out awards ranging from $500 to $5,000. Most of these scholarships cover only part of the tuition and other expenses.
- Full Tuition Scholarships: A few scholarships, such as the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program, cover all tuition, fees, and other expenses. In return, they usually require recipients to commit to working in medically underserved areas after graduation.
- Additional Benefits: Besides tuition, some other scholarships may also fund additional costs such as books, supplies, and even living expenses.
Nursing School Requirements USA 2025 – 2026
The eligibility criteria to study nursing usually include some academic, professional, and personal prerequisites. Following is the general eligibility criteria for studying nursing:
a) Academic Background
- For ADN and BSN Programs: high school diploma or its equivalent is necessary with course work in such subjects as biology, chemistry, and math. Some programs offer entrance exams such as the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills).
- For MSN and DNP Programs: one needs a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, valid RN licensure in the current state, and GPA of at least 3.0
b) Entrance Exams
- TEAS Exam: Most undergraduate programs require this test to check students’ core academic skills.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Very few graduate programs list the GRE as a requirement – for many graduate programs, this has become a thing of the past.
c) GPA Requirements
Many of the nursing programs have a minimum requirement GPA for admission, normally falling between 2.5 to 3.0. However, the more competitive the program, the higher the GPA requirement.
d) Prerequisite Coursework
These programs require the student to complete some required coursework – for example, classes in anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. These courses provide a base curriculum for higher learning in nursing.
e) Letters of Recommendation
Letters from teachers, employers, or healthcare professionals attesting to a student’s good character, academic potential, and interest in the nursing profession are usually required.
f) Clinical Experience
Graduate programs may seek an applicant with clinical experience as an RN prior to admission. BSN programs may prefer applicants with experiences in volunteer or shadowing within hospital facilities
g) Background Check and Vaccination
Due to the health career nature, nursing students are mandated to undergo criminal background checks as well as provide evidence of immunization against Hepatitis B, MMR, and Varicella.
Conclusion
These nursing scholarships, within the session 2025-2026 in the USA, come in quite handy for students to pursue their dreams of becoming healthcare professionals. Many options start from partial awards and go up to full-tuition programs; this is really helping to diminish the financial burden associated with studying nursing.
Being aware of the different types of scholarships available, their deadlines, eligibility requirements, and the requirements set by each nursing school will provide students with an informed basis for decision-making and increase their likelihood of securing funding.