Tuition Available for Nurses

“As we continue to experience the ongoing nursing shortage in the United States, colleges and universities continue to be mindful of the cost of tuition and fees. At Chattanooga State we work with students to expose them to scholarship opportunities to assist them in pursuing their career choice.”

NURSING EDUCATION

It takes between two and four years to finish a nursing degree, Nurse Journal says, and while an associate degree is the minimum requirement, many employers only hire those with at least a bachelor’s degree. Registered nurses must also pass the NCLEX-RN exam and become licensed in their state. You may also want to become board certified, which may mean additional years of clinical experience.

PAYING FOR NURSING SCHOOL

There are many programs to help those interested in becoming a registered nurse pay for their education. Johnson & Johnson provides a search tool to help you find scholarships and other financial assistance to help you pay for nursing school. Pinched by the nursing shortage, health care employers may also foot the bill for qualified candidates. Johns Hopkins University hospitals, for instance, offer an employee nursing grant that will pay $10,000 for students who work at one of their affiliate hospitals and are admitted to the MSN-HSM and MSN/MPH master’s programs.

You may also qualify for federal aid, grants, workstudy programs and other tuition reimbursement programs to help pay your way through school. Talk to your chosen program’s financial aid advisors to learn more about the opportunities that may be open to you.

LOAN FORGIVENESS

If you took out loans to pay for nursing school already, there may also be loan forgiveness programs available to help you get out of debt. Nurses who work for a nonprofit or the government may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, a program through the federal government that forgives loans after so many eligible payments.

The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program will also pay up to 60% of your unpaid nursing student loans in return for two years of full-time employment. Nurses who work a third year may be able to get even more debt forgiven. Another program, the NHSC Loan Repayment Program, will forgive loans for nurses who work for two years in a health professional shortage area.

All of these programs have strict qualifications, however, so make sure you read the fine print before banking on any of them to take care of your tuition.

- Dr. Martina Harris, Chattanooga State Dean of Nursing & Allied Health