Are you a college student who seeks a master’s degree in nursing? If so, you may feel the financial pressure of paying for that degree. Although most master’s degrees are obtained within two years, those two years can easily put you deep into debt upon graduation.

The easiest and most efficient way to pay for your master’s in nursing degree is through applications for grants. Grants and scholarships vary little in their requirements and in their origins: you can find both funding methods through national or state government programs, through colleges, and through organizations, groups and associations. And, grants and scholarships have another thing in common: neither funding method needs to be repaid.

Grants differ from scholarships in that once you receive the grant monies, you usually do not need to fulfill any other requirements. The graduate-degree grant process is very similar to that required by undergraduates, as you seek monies for your schooling, discover if you are eligible for the grant, fulfill the application process and wait for approval or denial.

However, in pursuing a master’s degree in nursing, you may discover that many opportunities are available to you that are not available to other graduate students. Many medical facility and/or corporate grants may be available to individuals who wish to pursue an advanced nursing degree.

The AACN (American Association of Colleges of Nursing) provides information about funds earmarked specifically for those who seek an advanced degree in nursing. The HRSA , or Health Resources and Services Administration, also offers information on basic, advanced and nurse faculty programs designed for education. Thousands of other nursing scholarships and grants, ranging from local community-based programs to college nursing scholarships and federal nursing funds, are available to students who seek an advanced nursing degree.

Most graduate students, however, begin with the FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This application, which is the same one that you filled out for your undergraduate studies, will help you learn what you need to apply for many other grants and scholarships. Additionally, this application’s result may help you determine exactly how many grants and scholarships you need to complete your college education with little debt upon graduation.

Still, the FAFSA will not tell you where to look for grants or scholarships. In many cases, you can find funding for college through sites such as Students.gov. Ask, also, to speak to a financial adviser at your chosen school to learn more about what that college may offer. State Web sites, also, may carry information about educational grants.

While you may focus on nursing, remember that many grants are student-specific, rather than degree-specific. Search for funds for minority and nontraditional students, for women and for disabled individuals. For instance, the American Association of University Women offers an amazing variety of grants to minority and disadvantaged women who want to pursue degrees. And, your grade point average (GPA) will help in your grant searches. If you have good grades, then join a nursing honor society such as Sigma Theta Tau International to earn their awards for further education.

MSN - Adult Nursing MSN - Clinical Nursing MSN - Nurse Midwifery MSN - Women's Health More...	University of Cincinnati — The University of Cincinnati's online nursing programs knows no geographic bounds. Cinci offers several online master's degree programs in nursing, including MSN in clinical nursing, MSN in adult nursing, MSN in nurse midwifery, MSN in nursing administration, MSN in psychiatric health nursing, and MSN in women's health. Students of these programs are required to be BSN holders with some nursing experience.
RN to MS in Nursing MSN - Informatics MSN - Education MSN - Leadership BSN to MS in Nursing	Walden University — Walden University provides nurses with the unique opportunity to advance their careers through master's programs for registered nurses. Specialties include informatics, education, leadership and a general course to help you acquire the knowledge to educate nursing students, staff and patients-and prepare for current and future career opportunities. Walden also offers several BSN to MSN programs.
MS in Nursing MSN - Health Education MSN - Informatics MSN - Health Administration MSN - Healthcare Mgmt	University of Phoenix — The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of registered nurses with baccalaureate-degree preparation. Coursework covers advanced nursing content and process, as well as leadership skills, teaching experience and the ability to manage health care systems. Areas of specialty within their MSN program include health education, informatics, health administration, and healthcare management.
Dual Degree: MSN/MBA MSN - Nurse Education MSN - Nurse Leadership	Grand Canyon University — Earn your dual master's degree in business and nursing, along with specialties in clinical care, education, family nurse practitioner, or nursing leadership at Grand Canyon University's college of nursing and health sciences. Each course can provide you with the skills and techniques you need to become the best in your field.
RN to BSN to MSN MSN - Psychiatric Nurse MSN - Clinical Trials MSN - Adult Acute Care More...	Drexel University — The RN to BSN to MSN track offered by Drexel University is a cutting-edge program that allows students to work on their bachelor's degree while simultaneously pursuing their master's. Students enrolling in this program must be a licensed registered nurse with some prior college experience, perhaps an associate's degree. MSN programs offered: adult acute care, adult psychiatric and mental health, clinical trials research, contemporary nursing faculty, innovation and intra/entrepreneurship in advanced nursing practice, and nursing leadership in health systems management.
MSN - Nurse Education	Graceland University — The 40-credit MSN nurse educator program from Graceland University is CCNE accredited, with online courses lasting eight weeks per session. The curriculum, which includes courses in advanced health assessment, education technology, and issues in nursing education, is designed with the working RN in mind, as students are able to complete the degree from home after hours.
MS in Nursing	Liberty University — Learn how to provide expert clinical care and related health care services to individuals, families and groups of people across the lifespan in a variety of acute care and community settings through Liberty University's Master of Science in Nursing program. Liberty University incorporates core Christian values into all of their degree offerings in order to provide all students a thorough academic and spiritually enriching program of study.
MS in Nursing	Saint Xavier University — For nurses looking for a more advanced role in the workplace, consider the online MSN degree program from Saint Xavier University, which offers a Clinical Nurse Leader focus. Graduates of this program will be prepared to critically assess patient data and treatment options as well as coordinate with doctors and other nurses.
RN to MSN MSN - Informatics MSN - Case Management MSN - Leadership MSN - Infection Prevention	American Sentinel University — For registered nurses looking for further advancement in their careers, the RN to MSN degree programs offered by American Sentinel University offer the learning experience required to advance in nursing informatics, case management, organizational leadership, infection prevention, and more. Students of this program complete 21 undergraduate credits plus 36 graduate-level credits to obtain their degrees.
MS in Nursing MSN - Nurse Administration MSN - Nurse Education	Kaplan University — Earn your M.S. in Nursing with a specialty in nurse administration or nurse education with an online degree from Kaplan University. The Master of Science in Nursing is also a foundation for future doctoral studies, and these online programs makes it easy for you to keep working while you study.
MSN - Nurse Educator MSN - Nurse Educator Bridge	Capella University — The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs from Capella University Online are geared toward BSN graduates currently working as registered nurses (RNs). They offer MSN - Nurse Educator and MSN - Nurse Educator Bridge programs. For those wishing for a flexible and affordable plan to take their nursing careers to the next level, Capella is a very sound choice.
MSN - Nurse Administration MSN - Nurse Education	Norwich University — Norwich University offers master's in nursing degree programs in nurse administration and nursing education. Graduates of each of these programs will be well skilled in healthcare communication, critical thinking, and nursing leadership. Both programs consist of 36 credit hours of online coursework divided into six online seminars.
MS in Nursing	Benedictine University — Benedictine offers an MS in Nursing program that prepares students with the expert nursing knowledge and skill they will need to become specialized nurse practitioners in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinical care units, and doctors' offices.
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