The Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students is designed for nursing and health profession students who are financially needy and come from disadvantaged backgrounds, as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The scholarship is offered by individual schools as part of a financial aid package; the total award cannot exceed the cost of attendance. In order to receive this scholarship you must attend a school that participates in the program and receives the funding.
The National Health Service Corps program offers scholarships to students in family nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife programs who work two to four years in an approved site. Each year of funding is "paid back" by a year of services, with a minimum of two years. Approved sites are determined by HRSA to be a "Health Professional Shortage Area of greatest need." The scholarship covers tuition, fees and some other associated costs for up to four years of study. Grantees also receive a taxable monthly stipend to cover living expenses. In order to be eligible you must be a U.S. citizen or national enrolled or accepted for an accredited program in the U.S. After graduation, the NHSC pays for travel to and from interviews. Scholars are paid their negotiated salary and benefits by their employer.
The Nursing Scholarship Loan, like the NHSC scholarship, pays tuition, fees and other reasonable costs as well as a monthly stipend in exchange for post-graduate work in a high-need area. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals or lawful permanent residents. The scholarship is considered taxable income. Preference is given in selection to students with the greatest financial need. Scholarship recipients must accept a position at an approved site by six months after graduation, and start services within nine months of graduation. Failure to do so will lead to the scholarship amount being repaid to the federal government in whole, with interest, within three years.