Nursing degrees are probably one of the most expensive college degrees all over the world. Medical books, nursing equipment, internships or residency payments, and even the uniform are just some of the necessary expenses for a nursing student. For some, a nursing degree may be a bit challenging to finance but thankfully there are forms of financial assistance available like nursing grants and scholarships. Scholarships can go a long way in terms of getting quality education and saving a lot of money.

Tips to help you apply for nursing scholarships 

While scholarships are generally easy to come across, it takes a bit of effort and hard work to be awarded one. In order for you to maximize your time and effort, here are some important tips and resources to help you apply for scholarships successfully:

1.)        Complete a FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid form

Completing a FAFSA form will help the US Department of Education in your scholarship hunt by providing a report on the type and amount of financial aid available to your needs. A FAFSA form must be submitted every year if you want to continue with your nursing scholarships; take note that your financial situation may adjust every year so you may progress to other financial programs.

2.)        Research, research and do more research

 Research is the best way to look for scholarships. While they are available all year round, you may need to do a bit of research on your part to figure out the best scholarships for nursing available in a particular time frame. This also helps you to avoid application deadlines. One of the best places to start looking for scholarships and grants is the AACN or the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

3.)        Complete your requirements

You should be able to complete the requirements of a particular scholarship before sending out your application. Remember that no two scholarships will have the same sets of requirements so it’s best to pay attention to what you want to apply for and what you’re sending in otherwise you’re just wasting your time.

4.)        Keeping your options open

While it may take months before your application gets approved, you may need to apply for more than one scholarship. In case your previous application gets denied, you will always have a backup plan.

5.)        Create a flawless essay

It’s important for you to create a compelling application essay in case the scholarships require you to make one.  A lot of people make or break their applications with the essays they submit. You get a better chance of landing a scholarship when you’ve got a very good essay to back you up. If you don’t feel confident about your writing skills, you can always go with writing companies like . They will be able to provide you with high quality essays that will get you into these scholarships.

If you’re able to follow these 5 steps, you’ll be able to apply for nursing scholarships with complete success in no time.