Nursing Scholarship Program for Continuing Medical Education - BSN and MSN

Each year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers nearly 500 eligible students a full nursing scholarship for completing a Bachelor of Science in nursing or Master of Science in nursing, plus a stipend. The continuing education program requires students to work for two years for HHS in critical shortage areas of nursing. Learn how to apply for this full nursing scholarship and enter into one of the fastest-growing medical fields.

Nursing Continuing Education Grants

The HHS nursing grant program is designed to help with critical nursing shortages in the United States. Students can earn an associate degree in nursing to pursue an RN license, work on an RN to BSN degree, earn a BSN or go on to earn an MSN.

Basic requirements for applying include:

Acceptance into an associate degree, diploma, bachelor's degree, RN to BSN or master's degree program in nursing
No defaults on student loans
U.S. Citizen or legal permanent resident
No federal defaults or judgments
No breach of prior federal government responsibilities

Prospective students who meet these requirements may apply, and you can apply for the scholarship while awaiting acceptance into a nursing degree program. If you receive the grant but do not receive admissions acceptance, you can later forfeit the grant or ask for a one-year deferral.

Nursing Scholarship Program from HHS

Once accepted, students must maintain good academic standing in the associate, bachelor's, master's or RN to BSN program. In addition, students must pursue a nursing license after graduation. Finally, all nursing scholarship program recipients must work for two years in a critical shortage field of nursing.

For each degree nursing students receive under the program, an additional two years of service in a critical shortage field are required. So a student could earn a scholarship for an RN to BSN nursing degree, then an MSN, and owe four years of critical need service.

Continuing Medical Education to Complete BSN or MSN

The Health Resources Service Administration, of HRSA, permits grant recipients to enroll in any nursing degree program that is accredited by NLNAC or CCNE, the two primary nursing school accreditation bodies. Be certain your program - especially online nursing degree and online RN to BSN nursing degree programs - are NLNAC and/or CCNE accredited.

For more information, contact the Nursing Scholarship Program through the Health and Human Services department at their website or by phone at 800-221-9393.