Nursing Scholarship Search Engines
Nursing students have access to a variety of scholarship search engines they can use to locate multiple scholarship and grant opportunities to help pay for their college education. These search tools may be specific to nursing or other eligibility characteristics such as ethnicity or residency. You can visit each search engine by typing its name in your web browser.
Nursing Search Engines
These search engines are specific to the nursing industry and are often searchable by degree or area of expertise such as pediatric nursing. These are always the best place to begin your web search for nursing scholarships and grants. Many search engines allow users to search using criteria that includes state and whether you are seeking financial aid for undergraduate or graduate study. Following are examples of leading search engines that students can use to find financial assistance exclusively for nursing students.
CampusRN
Visitors to this site can learn about scholarships that are available to undergraduate and graduate nursing students. There is no traditional search tool but they provide a comprehensive listing of scholarships. Scholarships are listed in alphabetical order so students will need to review the entire listing to find opportunities that match their particular situation. Each scholarship profile includes details on eligibility, award amounts, deadlines for submission, and contact information.
DiscoverNursing
This site is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson and allows for detailed searches of nursing scholarship opportunities based primarily upon scholarship eligibility requirements. Students can conduct state searches to learn about financial assistance for residents and students attending nursing programs in a particular state. If students are concerned about their academic scores, this site permits searches based on minimum GPA requirements. Searches can be conducted using the student’s ethnicity or student status including high school student, undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, and research. Students can also enter a search term, perhaps for a specialty area of study such as pediatrics.
MinorityNurse
Minority nursing students seeking financial assistance for nursing school can use the search tool available on this site to locate scholarships. Students must create an account to use the search engine. Search results are intended to be “best fit” matches to student backgrounds. If you do not want to register to use the search tool, you can review a short listing of minority nursing scholarships that is on the same page. The list is a sample for opportunities from their database.
General Search Engines
The other option nursing students have when seeking scholarships is general search engines that contain databases for all majors, including nursing. In addition to nursing scholarships, these sites may be used to locate scholarships for a particular college or other eligibility criteria. These scholarships can supplement your nursing scholarships. Following are examples of the top general search engines that nursing students can use to locate additional financial assistance.
CareerOneStop
This is a government-sponsored site that contains a database of more than 5,000 financial assistance opportunities. Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, it has current information on scholarships, grants, and loans that nursing students can apply for to help cover their nursing school expenses. Searches can be conducted based on type of assistance, student’s state of residency, level of study, and affiliations. Unfortunately, this site does not allow for field of study searches so students will need to review matches to determine applicability. Search results provide summary information including the application process, number of awards, award amounts, and eligibility requirements.
FastWeb
FastWeb is one of the best known online scholarship search engines. Students do have to register to use this site but it is free. The site uses information you provide during the registration process to find scholarship matches for you. Information you are required to provide includes your current GPA, the college you are interested in or currently attending, and whether you are an undergraduate or graduate level student. Students can select multiple areas of study within nursing. Matches include scholarships, contests, and other ways students can receive money for their education. Award amounts vary depending upon the scholarship opportunity or contest. FastWeb tracks deadlines so you know when to submit applications.
Sallie Mae
This long-standing scholarship site offers free searches for financial assistance after registration. Nursing students can locate financial assistance programs that help pay for nursing school by completing a brief profile. Students will receive a list of matches that include scholarships, loans, and contests. Searches can be conducted using different criteria and search terms, allowing students to locate multiple opportunities.
College Board
Nursing students can use College Board’s search tool to locate scholarships. Students can search by various key terms including nursing, state of school or residency, or educational level of study among others. By registering for an account, students can receive detailed search matches based on their profile. Their database is updated annually.
FindTuition
Students are required to register to use this scholarship search engine. By completing a detailed personal and professional profile, nursing students can learn about various scholarships and contests that best match their particular backgrounds. Unlike some of the other search engines, summaries of the scholarship opportunities are not provided so students will need to review each match individually.
The Foundation Center
To learn about local and national foundations as well as corporations that offer nursing scholarship, students can use resources from the Foundation Center. The Center publishes annual directories on corporate giving and foundation giving to individuals. This information is available through their online database. Students will need to purchase a subscription to the database for individuals but should only need a one-month subscription which is typically $20. As an alternative, students can visit their local libraries to review the directories. Some libraries subscribe to the online directories for patron use.
Scholarship sites may require a small registration fee from students to access their database. When researching nursing scholarships online, you should be cautious about possible scams. If sites require registration fees to be used, verify the legitimacy of the site before giving them your credit card information. It is equally important that the information you get is current and accurate if you are paying for it.
Scholarship search engines are incredibly useful in helping nursing students locate financial aid opportunities. Resources typically include scholarships, grants, and federal programs. Students are not limited on the number of scholarships and grants they can apply for to help pay for college.
