Scholarships for Nursing Students in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is in need of qualified nurses. The demand for LPNs is expected to increase by 23% in the years 2008 to 2018; the demand for professional nurses, meanwhile, is expected to increase by fully 25%. Both these figures are a little higher than those for the nation as a whole.

Scholarships have traditionally been used to attract very able students to the nursing profession. New Hampshire is no exception. As a small state, it does not have as many competitions of its own. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that there aren’t options available. There are additional competitions open to nursing students who live in any of the states in the New England region.

Nursing Scholarship Requirements in New Hampshire

Memorial scholarships can be generous indeed. The Alice M. Yarnold and Samuel Yarnold Scholarship is open to nursing students as well as to students of medicine or social work. Both need and merit are taken into account in determining awards. Special consideration is given to students who might struggle to make it through the program otherwise. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000, and applications are due in May.

CampusRN has a $2,500 scholarship competition open to nursing students from New Hampshire and other states in the New England and North Atlantic region. Applications are due the 1st of April. Be prepared to write an essay on your goals, aspirations, and financial need — and to see it published as a blog post.

African American students may also apply for scholarships through the New England Regional Black Nurses Association. There are scholarships available for nurses at various points in their careers. The Frances W. Harris scholarship is open to those enrolled in programs from the diploma level on up through the baccalaureate level. The Robin Gaines Memorial, meanwhile, is for registered nurses pursuing master’s level training. Applications are due March 26. You will need to turn in an essay as part of your application packet. You will write about three different things: your contributions to the community, your financial hardships, and some experience that has made you who you are.

Additional competitions are offered through New Hampshire schools. Nursing students at Keene State College, for instance, may apply for the David B. Staples Family Endowed Scholarship. They may also apply for general scholarships available through the Keene Endowment Association. The purpose of the KEA? To help struggling students pull together enough resources to make it through school.

Nursing Scholarship Professional Advice

Some committees, like NERBA or Exceptional Nurses (a national competition for nursing students with illnesses and disabilities) ask for essays that address several different questions. A representative of Exceptional Nurses notes that it is important to address all questions, and that it can be good to weave personal stories into context.

There are models out there to refer to. Some competitions post winning essays online. You can see that the 2009 CampusRN winner weaves in not only a personal story, but a dominant image and quote. She ties her experience growing up in an immigrant family to her current goal of becoming a public health nurse, coming back, more than once, to that old maxim, “It takes a village.”

What if writing simply isn’t your strong point? True commitment has a way of shining through. Remember, too, that there are a lot of competitions out there, and they emphasize different things. You’ll be ahead of many just by making sure your applicant packet is complete. Other things to keep in mind? Many competitions note that neatness and presentation count.

Contact Information for Nursing Scholarships in New Hampshire

Back to Top