Nurse Practitioner Scholarships with 2025 Deadlines

Becoming a nurse practitioner (NP) is more than a career choice—it’s a commitment to caring for patients at the most fundamental level. However, with tuition costs rising, finding the right financial aid can be the difference between overwhelming debt and a smoother path to graduation.

Fortunately, nurse practitioner scholarships and additional funding opportunities exist for nursing students enrolled in master's or doctoral programs, whether they specialize in family practice, acute care, or psychiatric nursing.

As a trusted platform in scholarship funding, we specialize in connecting students with exclusive financial aid opportunities. Our team has extensively researched and compiled insights from leading NP organizations and financial aid resources to provide accurate, up-to-date information to support your search for college funding.

Keep reading to uncover high-value scholarships, grants, and loan forgiveness programs for nurse practitioners, along with insider tips to maximize your financial aid.

Want to explore more financial aid opportunities? Create a free applicant profile on Bold.org and unlock exclusive scholarships to pay for your NP program!

Best Nurse Practitioner Scholarships

1. Nursing Scholarships

These nursing scholarships are your best friend. They are specific to students enrolled in an accredited nursing program. If you're already a registered NP and have experience in the field, you'll easily be able to stand out among the pool of applicants.

2. Healthcare Scholarships

Healthcare encompasses many medical professions and academic programs, making these scholarships especially relevant for nurse practitioners. Many of these scholarships have broader application requirements, so you may have a better shot at qualifying for more!

3. Medical School Scholarships

If you're a nurse practitioner looking for scholarships, chances are you're looking for financial aid to cover the cost of medical school. Advanced degrees can help you financially in the long run, but they're also a great way to dive more deeply into the compassionate act of nursing.

4. Scholarships for Minorities

Like many other fields, nursing is full of individuals from financially well-off families. These scholarships for minorities can help make the nursing field more equitable and diverse, allowing those in underrepresented groups to care for patients from all backgrounds.

5. American Association of Nurse Practitioners Scholarship Program

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is a community of more than 385,000 licensed NPs across the US. Applicants must complete at least one college semester and be enrolled in a graduate-level nursing program to apply for their scholarship program. They don't require a personal essay, but you will need to submit two references and a CV alongside educational documents.

Nurse Practitioner Scholarships By Major

Nurse practitioners take many different academic paths to arrive at where they are. The following scholarships encompass some of the common undergraduate and graduate degrees that nursing students may undertake. If you have a degree in any of these majors, you should absolutely apply to help cover your advanced education costs!

1. Public Health Scholarships

Any general nursing students should apply for these public health scholarships. Nursing education will often overlap with the requirements listed here, such as asking for two years of experience in clinical fields.

2. Biology Scholarships

Most nursing scholarships will require at least one semester's worth of biology courses. These courses create a strong foundation in natural sciences, which adds to the context of higher-level nursing courses.

3. Chemistry Scholarships

A more specific degree like chemistry may come in handy if you plan to apply to graduate school or pursue higher forms of education. Chemistry, in addition to an education in nursing, can help you stand out from other students.

4. Psychology Scholarships

Healthcare isn't just about physical needs. Mental health is also a part of nursing, which is why a psychology degree can come in handy depending on where you want to work.

5. STEM Scholarships

You'll be able to find nursing scholarships and other major-specific scholarships you may be eligible for in this list. These scholarships will be especially applicable to students enrolled in an accredited STEM degree program.

Stand-Alone Nurse Practitioner Scholarships

These stand-alone scholarships can be great supplements to the list of scholarships above. Keep in mind that these are not exclusive to Bold.org, so the applicant pool might be much larger.

1. Oncology Nursing Foundation Doctoral Scholarship

As the name implies, this scholarship is only for students pursuing doctoral degrees in nursing, either a research doctoral degree (Ph.D.) or a clinical doctoral degree (DNP). Applicants must be registered nurses with a commitment to oncology nursing.

2. March of Dimes Nursing Scholarships

Supported by Pampers, this scholarship awards applicants with a dedication to improving maternal and infant health. They offer (1) an Undergraduate Scholarship for two undergraduate students and (2) a Graduate Nursing and Certified Nurse Midwife Scholarship for four students in graduate nursing programs.

3. DiversityNursing.com Education Award

Another no-essay scholarship, the DiversityNursing.com Education Award, supports full-time and part-time students at the undergraduate and graduate level. All application steps are quite easy, so we highly recommend you try your luck with this scholarship!

Apply for some of these top no-essay scholarships today!

Stand-Alone Scholarships for Students in Healthcare

1. Tylenol Future Care Scholarship

Provided by the eponymous pain relief medicine brand, the Tylenol Future Care Scholarship awards ten students with $10,000 and twenty-five students with $5,000 to support their education. Students in medical school, nursing, and/or pharmacy are eligible to apply.

2. IHS Scholarship Program

The Indian Health Service awards three scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in preparatory and full-time healthcare courses. Applicants must be qualified American Indians or Alaska Natives with a minimum 2.0 GPA.

3. Students for Healthcare Equity Scholarship

GoodRx Helps is a nonprofit seeking to address health inequities across the United States. Their Students for Healthcare Equity Scholarship supports this goal by targeting students from under-represented groups in the healthcare field.

Discover more scholarships with this list of graduate school scholarships!

How to Apply for Nurse Practitioner Scholarships

Applying for a Nurse Practitioner (NP) scholarship requires careful planning, research, and attention to detail. Follow this step-by-step guide to increase your chances of securing financial aid for your NP education.

Step 1: Research Available Scholarships

Start by looking for scholarships offered by NP programs and professional organizations like the Nurses Association. You'll have the most luck if you identify scholarships based on demographics (e.g., minority, veteran, or first-generation students), specialization (e.g., family NP, psychiatric NP), school affiliation, or geographic location.

Make sure to use online databases like Bold.org to expand your search. Bold.org's scholarship search engine can make it much easier to filter for nursing and healthcare scholarships.

Browse Bold.org's full list of scholarships to find the best financial aid opportunities for you!

Step 2: Review Eligibility Requirements

Each scholarship has unique requirements regarding GPA, enrollment status, specialization, and professional experience. Make sure you're keeping track of deadlines, required documents, and any additional selection criteria. Look into your school's policy to determine whether you can apply for multiple scholarships at once to maximize your funding opportunities.

Step 3: Gather Required Documents

1. Transcripts – Ensure your GPA meets the minimum requirement. Request official transcripts if needed.
2. Letters of Recommendation – Ask professors, clinical supervisors, or employers who can vouch for your skills and commitment to nursing. Request letters early to give your recommenders enough time.
3. Personal Statement – Write a compelling essay detailing your career goals, passion for nursing, and how the scholarship will help you achieve your objectives. Tailor your statement to each scholarship.
4. Resume or CV – Highlight your nursing experience, clinical hours, volunteer work, certifications, and leadership roles.
5. Proof of Enrollment or Acceptance – Some scholarships require proof that you have been accepted into an NP program.

Think you've got strong grades and extracurricular involvement? Try your hand at these merit-based scholarships with big awards!

Step 4: Write and Edit Your Personal Statement

It's important to clearly explain your motivation for becoming an NP and how the scholarship will support your career goals. Consider addressing any unique challenges you've overcome or contributions you plan to make in the nursing field.

In terms of language, keep your essay concise, well-organized, and tailored to the specific scholarship’s mission. It may be a good idea to research the scholarship provider to appeal directly to their values.

Read our guide on how to write a personal statement for scholarships to make sure you're submitting the best essay possible!

Step 5: Complete and Submit Applications

It is essential that you double-check application deadlines and submit early to avoid last-minute issues. Additionally, ensure all documents are properly formatted and uploaded according to the scholarship’s requirements. Do they want 12-pt, double-spaced, Times New Roman in a PDF, or are the specifications more lax?

Follow up with recommenders to confirm their letters have been submitted on time. You don't want to go through all that work just to be ineligible because of other people. Remember to save copies of your applications for reference.

Step 6: Follow Up and Prepare for Interviews (if required)

Some scholarships may require an interview. Although this can feel intimidating, you can increase your confidence with ample preparation. Review your application and practice common scholarship interview questions with a friend. Follow up with the scholarship provider to confirm receipt of your application if necessary.

Step 7: Stay Persistent and Keep Applying

If you don’t win a scholarship on your first try, don’t get discouraged! Apply for new opportunities as they arise, cycling back to step one's research as necessary. Continue maintaining a strong GPA and gaining relevant clinical experience to strengthen future applications.

Supplement NP scholarships with these top nursing student scholarships!

Tips for Applying to Nurse Practitioner Scholarships

So you've read through our step-by-step guide, but you're still feeling uncertain. We've got you covered with some additional bonus tips to enhance your scholarship search and make those applications shine!

1. Look for Employer-Sponsored Scholarships – Many hospitals, clinics, and healthcare organizations offer scholarships to employees pursuing advanced nursing degrees. Check with your workplace’s HR or professional development office.
2. Check for Local and Lesser-Known Scholarships – State nursing boards, local clinics, and regional health initiatives often offer NP scholarships with fewer applicants, increasing your chances of winning.
3. Leverage Professional Networking – Join NP associations, LinkedIn groups, and nursing forums to discover scholarship opportunities that aren’t widely advertised.
4. Reach Out to Past Recipients – Contact previous scholarship winners through alumni networks or social media to get insights on what made their application stand out.
5. Repackage Your Essays – Modify strong personal statements from previous applications instead of writing new ones from scratch, saving time while maintaining quality.
6. Ask Your School's Financial Aid Office: Check with your NP program’s financial aid office for school-specific scholarships. These will be tailored exactly for students like you.

Additional Resources

1. Nurses Educational Funds (NEF) Scholarships

This organization provides scholarships exclusively for nursing students. With just one application, students can be considered for dozens of potential scholarships. However, since these scholarships are targeted towards advanced degrees, applicants must already have an RN license/registration. If you qualify, you'll want to keep the month of October in mind since that's when the application opens up.

2. Free and Low-Cost NP Study Resources

Websites like NurseJournal.org, Medscape, and Coursera offer free or affordable NP courses, continuing education units (CEUs), and certification prep materials to help you stay competitive in the field. These can often help you graduate earlier with a bachelor's degree and support your progress through graduate-level nursing programs.

3. National Nurse Practitioner History Grant

Awarded by the AANP, applicants can receive up to $10,000 in grant money for a research or scholarly project investigating the origins of the NP movement. Projects must contribute to the existing body of knowledge in a new way.

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