Fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the first step for anybody studying at any institution of higher education, regardless of course of study. Once you submit this form to your school, you'll find out how much federal aid you are eligible for. Federal aid can include grants you'll never have to pay back as well as government loans you do have to pay back (but at a better rate than private loans). Find the form online at www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Contact your prospective college or university's financial aid department. Your school's financial aid department can help you find the money you need for school and can help you fill out your FAFSA, explain the aid you receive from that process, and also help you find alternative sources of funding if you don't qualify for government programs.
Contact the human resources department at the hospital or clinic where you already work. Because good nurses are so hard to find, many hospitals and other health care facilities include a continuing education allowance in most nurses' benefits care package. Ask your boss or HR representative if you qualify.
Search for scholarship programs. One place to start searching is through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, which has a good listing of nursing-specific scholarships on its site, including state-funded scholarships, scholarships for minority students and professional grants.
Compare private loans. If after all your searching, you have no other choice, one last option is private loans. Private loans have many disadvantages compared to government loans; for instance, you may have to begin paying them back while you are in school, and the interest rates will be higher. Still, they can be a good option provided you search around for the best terms.
Check into loan forgiveness programs. Loan forgiveness programs are typically state-run programs that forgive certain (usually federal) loans, provided you spend a certain number of years nursing in public institutions. While many students put off looking into these programs until after graduation, the time to look is before you start school, so that as you complete your education and search for a job, you can be sure you qualify for this (usually substantial) benefit.