Scholarships for Nursing Students in Montana

Montana should see a 20% increase in jobs for registered nurses in the decade leading up to 2018. Many students want to rise to the challenge and become nurses. For some, though, the cost of nursing school is more daunting than the curriculum. As a Montana nursing student, you are eligible to apply for nursing scholarships from around the nation. In addition, you can apply for awards that are specific to the Treasure State. Some of these are endowments or memorial scholarships that allow Montana’s finest nurses to live on.

Nursing Scholarship Requirements in Montana

The Darcy Lynn Dendel Nursing Scholarship is open to ADN, BSN, and graduate nursing students. Preference is given to students from particular high schools; these include Manhattan Christian as well as several local public schools. The scholarship is worth $2,000 for one year, and can be renewed (up to a total value of $3,000 for an undergraduate student or $5,000 for a graduate). There are two essay questions; the deadline for submitting applications is June 15.

The Millie and Ken Hom Nursing Scholarship Endowment is a $2,500 scholarship administered by Holy Rosary Healthcare. To be considered, you must have ties to Eastern Montana. This doesn’t necessarily mean you are committed to pursuing a nursing career in that part of the state, though; if you grew up there or currently live there, you meet the requirement. There is a relatively simple four page application that asks for personal and educational information. The minimum GPA is 2.75, and the process includes an interview of the top five candidates. Applications should be postmarked by April 15.

Students planning on pursuing careers in home health care nursing can apply for scholarship assistance from the Advanced HomeCare Institute. One of the requirements is that you live within one of the service areas of Home Care Services; this currently includes most eastern and southern communities, including Missoula and Lake Counties. In most cases, a person must have a 3.0 GPA; a student with a lower GPA may apply with a letter that explains any extenuating circumstances. The committee make as many as ten awards, up to $3,000 each.

The Donald E. Pizzini Memorial Nurse Scholarship is a $1,000 award specifically for students pursuing careers in longterm care nursing. The committee considers college students who will be entering the healthcare field as well as those already employed in longterm care.

Expert Tips

Your quest for scholarships begins long before you fill out the application. If you look at the application for the Millie and Ken Hom Nursing Scholarship, you see that one of the questions is about job shadowing and other career exploration; if you have participated in these types of activities, it indicates that you know the field well and that your dedication will continue.

If you are applying for a scholarship that includes a work commitment, expect an interview. You’ll feel more prepared if you spend some time anticipating potential interview questions and talking through them. Interviewers often give a candidate a chance to ask questions; they may be favorably impressed if your questions indicate knowledge of, and genuine interest in, the organization.

In the case of a memorial scholarship, there is some legacy that is being preserved by family or friends. You can often read about the person’s life right there on your computer screen. While you shouldn’t feel that you need to become them, you can get a sense of what inspired them and what traditions they might want to see continued.

Some competitions, like the Donald E. Pizzini award, publish profiles of past winners. Reading them can, at the least, keep you from staring at a blank page.

Contact Information for Nursing Scholarships in Montana

Back to Top