Scholarships for Nursing Students in Virginia

Virginia is going to need to add a lot of new nurses to the workforce in the coming years! Scholarships are among the methods that the state, and organizations within the state, use to draw qualified people to the profession. As you peruse nursing scholarships in Virginia, you may get some surprises. Some professional organizations offer scholarships to people with particular hardships — for instance, those who are single parents. This is because these are people who have traditionally had a hard time making it through college. In order to meet staffing needs, it is necessary to reach out to traditionally underserved populations. Other scholarship competitions, though, are open to anyone who has good grades, good character, and financial need.

Nursing Scholarship Requirements in Virginia

Virginia’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity offers loan scholarships at just about every level of practice, from LPN to graduate. The application window is May 1 through June 30 for most competitions. For nurse educators, though, the window is June 1 through July 31.

The Mary Marshall Nursing Scholarship Program is the state program for LPNs and RNs. You must submit official records to demonstrate financial need and academic performance. You will need a 3.0 GPA in your required coursework. Later you will be required to do a one month work obligation for each $100 the state gave to finance your education. In other words, a $1,000 scholarship commits you to ten months. During this time, you will receive salary and benefits. You just need to realize that you’ll have a small debt if you move or otherwise can’t fulfill your obligation.

Graduate students in NP programs may apply for the Nurse Practitioner/ Nurse Midwife Scholarship. The terms are a little different for each. The practitioner must work in an underserved area of Virginia one year for each year of funding received. An NP may pre-select a location and get it approved while still a student. This program is competitive. Selections are made on the basis of commitment, character, and academic achievement. Two letters of recommendation are required.

The Commonwealth of Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program is for nurse educators studying at the master’s or doctoral level. This award is $20,000 a year and requires a two year commitment.

The Virginia Nursing Students’ Association also awards several scholarships with December 15 deadlines. There are different competitions, each with their own essay and application requirements. The VNSA Single Parent Scholarship is a $1,000 award for a single parent who has been accepted into an RN program. The essay asks what contributions single parents can make to the nursing profession. A resume or curriculum vitae is optional.

The Ladies Board of Inova Loudoun Hospital awards scholarships to nursing students in Loudon County. The Board is a generous donor, sometimes giving in excess of 80 awards a year. An individual can receive an award two times. Amounts vary. During the 2010 to 2011 school year, they ranged from $700 to $1,600. The postmark deadline for the next application cycle is April 12.

Nursing Scholarship Expert Advice

There are several things to keep in mind as you apply for nursing scholarships. Your odds are of course much better in some competitions than others. Inova awarded 82 scholarships in Loudon county last year. If you’re a generally good candidate, meet the requirements, and are thorough with the application, your chances are pretty good. (Many scholarship contestants fail to turn in important documentation, thus taking themselves out of the running.)

Many competitions include an essay or personal statement. It can be a helpful exercise to take stock of those concrete moments in your life when you knew that the nursing profession was right for you. Even if you’re not a University of Virginia student, you might want to look at the University of Virginia College of Nursing essay competition winners. The anecdotes these nursing students tell are longer than what you’ll probably be able to include on your own essay, but they do vividly portray nursing commitment. They also demonstrate the difference between mentioning an event and taking the reader there.

Contact Information for Nursing Scholarships in Virginia

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