Ask a Michigan Works representative if you are eligible for the Dislocated Worker program. This program pays for displaced workers over age 18 to attend a retraining program, including nursing. You must meet eligibility as a displaced worker, such as being fired or laid off, a displaced homemaker, or self-employed but can no longer find enough work due to economic conditions.
Complete a FAFSA, the federal form for financial aid. If your income falls below certain limits, which vary based on your family size and income, you may be eligible for federal Pell grants that pay for all or most of your nursing school tuition if you attend a community college. In the 2010-11 academic year, the maximum Pell grant was $5,550, which is enough to cover tuition at many community colleges.
Meet with a financial aid counselor at the college you plan to attend. Scholarships are often available for all types of students in nursing programs. Apply for all possible scholarships. You may be eligible for scholarships such as the Michigan Merit Scholarship if you got good grades in high school. However, good grades are not required for eligibility for all scholarships; some are based on other criteria, such as ethnic background, church membership or family status. Some scholarships pay 100 percent of your tuition.
Use veterans benefits if you have a history of military service. The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays for 100 percent of college tuition after three years of military service. The Army Reserve Officers Training Corps, or ROTC, may offer military benefits even if you are not a veteran. The army needs nurses and offers full scholarships to students who qualify. Upon completing your training and education, you will be expected to complete a period of military service as a reservist or active-duty army nurse.