Nursing Scholarships for First-Generation Students

Being the first in your family to earn a degree opens doors that other students don't have access to. Many foundations and schools set aside funding specifically for first-generation college students, and nursing students qualify for both the general awards and the nursing-specific ones. Awards range from about $1,000 to full tuition, and some carry a GPA minimum or a service commitment. Here are undergraduate and graduate options worth pursuing.

Undergraduate First-Generation Nursing Scholarships

Some of these are open to all majors, but nursing students are eligible to apply.

Gates Scholarship. For students of color planning to attend college in any major; more than half of recipients are first-generation. Requires a 3.3 GPA and demonstrated financial need. Some recipients receive full funding.

Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant. For women 35 and older with incomes below the poverty line, including first-generation students. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents at accredited vocational, technical, or degree-granting schools.

Red Thread Foundation for Women. For women with international backgrounds, including first-generation Americans, entering U.S. colleges. Requires two essays, two recommendation letters, and a phone interview.

Bridging the Dream Scholarship for High School Seniors. Offered by Sallie Mae for students from underserved communities, many of them first-generation, enrolled in accredited vocational, technical, or undergraduate programs.

Completing the Dream Scholarship. Also from Sallie Mae, for minority and underserved students in their final year of postsecondary education who face financial challenges that threaten completion.

Scholarship America Dream Award. For full-time students who have finished one year of an associate or bachelor's program with a 3.0 GPA and demonstrated need. High school seniors aren't eligible.

Kim and Harold Louie Family Foundation Scholarship. For incoming first-year students, with a preference for first-generation applicants and a 3.5 minimum GPA. The foundation awards $100,000 a year total; individual amounts vary.

TIAA First-Generation Scholarship. For students whose parents do not hold a bachelor's degree. Weighs leadership, work experience, and personal or family circumstances.

First Generation College of Nursing Scholarship. From the University of Central Florida, for a first-generation Florida resident in the college of nursing who demonstrates financial need.

Lisa Steffy Montemuro '81 Nursing Scholarship. From West Chester University in Pennsylvania, for first-generation nursing students who are at least rising sophomores. Renewable with a 3.0 minimum GPA.

Graduate First-Generation Nursing Scholarships

Graduate awards rarely list first-generation status as a criterion, but many target underrepresented communities and financial need, so first-generation students often qualify.

Association on American Indian Affairs Scholarship. For enrolled tribal members with a 2.5 GPA pursuing any field who plan to serve their tribes after graduation. Awarded twice a year until graduation.

Indian Health Service Health Professions Scholarship. For tribal members with a 2.0 GPA and demonstrated need who commit to at least two years of postgraduate service in Indian healthcare.

Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship. Covers tuition, costs, and a monthly stipend for graduate nursing students of Native Hawaiian ancestry who commit to two years in underserved areas of Hawaii.

National Black Nurses Association Scholarship. Several awards for NBNA graduate student members with at least one year of school left. Requires an essay.

National Health Service Corps Scholarship. A full year of funding for graduate students in an accredited primary-care program who commit to working in underserved communities.

Nurse Corps Scholarship Program. For graduate nursing students who commit to a critical shortage facility after graduation. Prioritizes financial need.

Nurses Educational Funds. For master's and doctoral students with an RN license, a 3.6 GPA, and demonstrated need at accredited schools.

Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students. From Sallie Mae, for minority and professional students from historically underserved communities, including first-generation students in master's or doctoral programs, who demonstrate financial need.

March of Dimes Nursing Scholarships. For graduate nursing and certified nurse-midwife students dedicated to maternal and infant health.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is "first generation" defined? Most programs require that neither parent holds a bachelor's degree, so you usually still qualify if a parent attended some college or earned an associate degree. Check each program's definition before you apply.

Do first-generation nursing students get extra support? Often, yes. Beyond dedicated scholarships, many schools offer first-generation students additional advising and mentoring.

Can you get a full scholarship for nursing school? Yes. Awards like the HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program cover full tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend in exchange for working at a critical shortage facility after graduation, and you can also stack scholarships from associations, foundations, and schools.

Do hospitals pay for nursing school? Many offer tuition assistance or reimbursement to employees, usually in exchange for staying on after graduation.