Scholarships for Nursing Students in Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state experiencing a significant nursing shortage. That’s one reason there are so many programs offering financial assistance to that crucial next generation of nurses. Nursing students are of course eligible for the same scholarship and grant programs that are available to general students. There are additional funding sources specially for nurses, though. Some of these are traditional scholarship programs which pay expenses up front; others are loan scholarships which include a service obligation.

Nursing Scholarship Requirements in Oklahoma

There are several state sponsored nursing scholarships designed to stave off a nursing crisis. One such program is the PMTC Nursing Student Assistance Program. Scholarships start out as loans, but become scholarships once the service obligation has been met. The amount varies according to several factors. One is degree or license sought (LPN, ADN, BSN, MSN). The other is whether the student has located a particular healthcare facility that is willing to offer matching funds in exchange for a work commitment, or if the bill is being footed entirely by the state of Oklahoma. The scholarship can help pay for the last two years leading up to a degree. A BSN or MSN may be worth as much as $5,000 a year if the student has a sponsor. Students can seek sponsors on their own. Even if their funding is for a lesser amount and comes solely from the state, the student will need to fulfill time in an Oklahoma facility. There are certain exclusions. A person can’t work in a doctor’s office, a private practice, or a summer camp, for instance.

Other scholarships are awarded by individual schools, and these generally don’t come with work commitment. The University of Oklahoma has several scholarships at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Most have a November 1st deadline. The Rebecca Anderson Scholarship, named after a nurse who lost her life in the line of duty during the Oklahoma City bombings, is given to a nursing student in the LPN to BSN program. The Deborah Booton-Hiser Alumni Scholarship is awarded to a future nurse practitioner in their second year of the program. Students in the nurse practitioner program are also eligible to apply for the William Randolph Hearst Scholarship.

The Pfeffer Scholarship at East Central University does not require application; it is given to the BSN nursing student who most distinguishes herself or himself through leadership, grades, and clinical work. It is awarded to a student who has completed at least a first semester in the nursing school, and may be renewed for up to eight semesters provided the student continues with the same major and meets expectations. Up to ten nursing students are also awarded a smaller book scholarship by ECU each year.

Nursing Scholarship Professional Advice – OK

Scholarships are of course investments in a person’s ultimate contribution. This is especially true if they are sponsored by a healthcare institution. The PMTC webpage notes that a candidate should present themselves as a future employee.

Those given in honor of a particular person, for example, the Rebecca Anderson scholarship, look for a candidate with a attitude of service that makes her worthy to have an award that bares that person’s name. A contribution to community service is listed among the criteria for that particular award.

What else should a candidate know? Representatives of scholarship committees emphasize that it important to double check work to make sure that it is both neat and complete. A surprising number of students fail to complete this last step.

Contact Information for Nursing Scholarships in Oklahoma

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