Scholarships for Nursing Students in Louisiana

Nursing scholarships serve multiple purposes. They help individuals realize their college dreams, and they also bring capable workers into the field. Louisiana certainly needs nurses — especially highly trained professional ones. The state has more of a need for professional nurses than licensed practical nurses. In fact, the government projects 10% growth in jobs for LPNs in the 2008 to 2018 decade, but 25% growth in the need for RNs.

There are scholarship opportunities for Louisiana nurses at all levels and entry points; some lucrative opportunities, though, are reserved for nurses at the higher levels of practice. This can actually be good news. If you’re financially disadvantaged, you’ll find various general grants and tax credits available to help you finance the first year or two of your education. Some people incur a lot of debt, though, earning their BSN or MSN. It’s good to know there are scholarships available that can pay a portion of your education for you.

Nursing Scholarship Requirements in Louisiana

Many scholarship opportunities take into account both need and merit. The Louisiana Association of Student Nurses has separate competitions for each. There is a general competition for an average student who needs financial aid; there is an additional competition, the Breakthrough to Nursing Scholarship, for an average student who is not only financially needy, but faces a second obstacle: being a nontraditional student. There LASN also administers a Student Nurse of the Year Scholarship where individual schools may nominate their favored candidates. A fourth competition considers both ability and need.

The Louisiana Long Term Care Foundation Scholarship is a $500 award for prospective RNs who are interested in pursuing a career in long term care nursing. Applicants must write an essay about their long term care nursing aspirations. The application also includes reference forms with questions about maturity, sensitivity, and leadership. Applicants who have worked in a nursing facility (as a CNA or LPN) need to have one of the forms filled out by a representative of the institution.

Individual schools like Louisiana Tech also award scholarships to nursing students. Sometimes these are funded through memorial endowments; others are funded through commercial and noncommercial organizations. Louisiana Tech’s Uniforms for You SNA Scholarship requires participation in the schools nurses’ association; also required is an essay on professionalism in the nursing field. A GPA of 3.0 is preferred, but not required.

Master’s candidates have additional options. The state particularly needs advance practice nurses who can deliver primary care in underserved areas. Students who are in nurse practitioner or nurse-midwife programs may eventually have part of their loans repaid by the government. To be eligible, a practitioner must work at least 32 hours a week in an official HPSA (Health Professional Shortage Area). Certain other guidelines apply. For instance, the facility must serve patients who are uninsured and have low incomes. These scholarships come through the Office of Public Health.

Nursing Scholarship Application Professional Advice – LA

Realize that there are a lot of scholarships out there! You’re not limited to the state of Louisiana. Some endowments will fund you because of your race or ethnicity, your particular field or specialty, or because of all around excellence.

Spend some time assessing your strengths. Don’t apply too widely, but don’t sell yourself short either. If the competition focuses on long term care or respiratory health, make sure that really is your emphasis. On the other hand, don’t worry that your GPA isn’t perfect, or you don’t have unusual life experiences to recount in you essay. A representative of the Mary Mahoney Foundation reminds us that many factors are considered, and that that your strengths may well be rewarded. Some applicants ruin their chances, though, by turning in incomplete application packets.

Contact Information for Nursing Scholarships in Louisiana

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