Real Financial Aid for Nursing Students

by Alex A. Kecskes

If you’re dedicated to pursuing a career in nursing but are low on funds, you’ll need to channel some of your career energies into securing money for your healthcare education. This can take the form of scholarships, grants or even loans (interest rates have never been lower). Here are a few sources you may want to look into:

U.S. Department of Education. Most nursing students who need money start here. The USDE offers a number of different programs that provide financial aid from several sources. To apply for student aid, fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Johnson & Johnson Scholarships. Check out their full range of scholarship opportunities at DiscoverNursing.com. The scholarships cover a wide range of healthcare specialties--everything from Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) programs to holistic nursing. Some scholarships offer support for residents in certain states or various ethnic groups.

NursingScholarship.US. This site is always being updated with the latest public and private scholarships. You can also find research grants for both undergraduate and graduate studies. The have over 100 listings on nursing financial aid and scholarships

FinAid. Another useful site for loans and scholarships, FinAid.org lets you sign up and receive e-mail notifications about scholarships for your desired field. Access to FinAid is free and you pay nothing to link to the site. Unconventional types of aid are also found here—everything from free scholarship lotteries to student profile-based aid.

Flo's Cookie Jar. If you’re in a real bind and you need some immediate cash (less than $2,000), Flo’s Cookie Jar will help tide you over so you can stay in school.

NursesHouse. If you’re a nursing student and you need help with rent/housing payments, food, utilities, telephone and health insurance, give NursesHouse a try.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

$5,000 Scholarships Available to Nurses Interested in Pediatric Lung and Respiratory Diseases

by Alex A. Kecskes



Want to advance your nursing career, but lack the funds to continue school? Why not apply for the Eight and Forty Lung and Respiratory Disease Nursing Scholarship?



The $5,000 scholarships are awarded annually to nurses who want to enhance their training in pediatric lung and respiratory diseases or to prepare for positions in clinical practice and management. Nurses must have prospects for full-time employment related to pediatric lung and respiratory disease nursing to qualify.



The Eight and Forty was organized in June, 1922 and originally founded to provide its members with fun and fellowship. In 1924, the organizational plan was amended to include "such service to be particularly concerned with child welfare.” At that point, the National Child Welfare Committee of the American Legion charged the Eight and Forty with that the task of “Preventive tuberculosis service" along educational lines to provide assistance and care and treatment of children. This assignment was later expanded beyond tuberculosis to “lung and respiratory diseases in children.”

When the need for nurses educated in the special area of lung and respiratory disease patients became evident, the Eight and Forty established a scholarship to help RNs expand their knowledge in lung and respiratory diseases. Since the scholarships began in 1957, over $1.4 million have been awarded.



Applications must be postmarked no later than May 15, and scholarship recipients will be announced July 1. The scholarship's complete requirements are available in .PDF format on the American Legion website.



For an additional perspective, check out this video:



Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.