Cost & Financial Aid

Undergraduate and graduate scholarships for nurses

Thanks to the generosity of alumni and donors, the IU School of Nursing is able to administer more than $700,000 in scholarships annually to aid current IUSON undergraduate and graduate students.

Typical scholarships range from $1,000–$2,500 per student for the academic year. Awards are split equally in two payments, distributed for fall and spring semesters, and applied directly to your IU Student Account.

Browse scholarships

Maria Leon, an IU School of Nursing Indianapolis BSN student, always remembers biology and anatomy classes keeping her attention as a child. That could have been thanks to her time spent in hospitals with her dad, who was a well-known and excellent orthopedist in Venezuela.

"I used to have a lot of fun going with him to see patients in clinics and hospitals because he used to teach me exciting things about the human body. With the passing time, the smell of rubbing alcohol and my father's patients' smiles sparked my desire to be more involved in hospitals."

But Venezuela’s socio-economic crisis caused Maria and her family to leave Venezuela and move to the United States. Still, she followed her dreams. She focused on learning English and American culture and worked to save for college.

"Nowadays, I am a full-time nursing student and part-time patient care assistant, and I could not be happier with my job. Every day that I finish my shift, I just feel joy and gratitude. Being able to make somebody feel listened to, cared and respected cannot be priced."

Tuition, financial aid, & fellowships

There are a number of different options to help fund your graduate studies with the IU School of Nursing. Explore these campus, federal, and private resources to learn more. Postdoctoral study opportunities are also available.

Office of Student Financial Services

The IU Indianapolis Office of Student Financial Services assists students in applying for federal financial aid resources, including Federal Direct Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS Loans. The office also offers useful tools to help students estimate their costs, manage their finances, and prepare for loan repayment. Contact nursaid@iu.edu for additional information about federal aid options available to graduate nursing students.

Student Central

You can find information about applying for IU Indianapolis scholarships on Student Central. This site contains comprehensive information on how to apply for campus-wide and school-based scholarships, as well as provides information on how to search for scholarship information elsewhere on the web.

IU Indianapolis Graduate Office

The IU Indianapolis Graduate Office assists with the application and admission processes for students in graduate programs. The office also provides information about funding opportunities for students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees. Visit the Graduate Office website for additional information about available financial support.

Office of International Affairs

Most federal financial aid options are not available for international students. However, there are some options that can be explored that could help cover costs. The IU Indianapolis Office of International Affairs offers information about funding opportunities available to international students. Contact this office for additional details.

Nurse Faculty Loan Program

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) provides funds to assist registered nurses complete a graduate education to become qualified nurse faculty. NFLP loans can cover the cost of tuition, fees, and books. The loan features a low interest rate and deferred payments. Students who complete their program and teach full-time for four years after graduation can have up to 85% of their loan forgiven.

Johnson & Johnson’s DiscoverNursing.com

Johnson & Johnson provides a database of nursing‐specific scholarships available to all levels of graduate studies. Results are filterable by program and focus area. Visit DiscoverNursing.com for more information.

NLN Foundation for Nursing Education

As the leader in advancing the science of nursing education—furthering the scholarship of teaching and promoting evidence-based nursing education—the NLN provides funding to graduate nursing students. You can find information about available grants, scholarships, and research awards on the NLN website.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing Student Scholarships

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing website lists nursing scholarship programs offered by the organization. Visit the AACN website for more information.

American Nurses Association Ethnic Minority Fellowship Program

The Minority Fellowship Program at the American Nurses Association grew as a response to the lack of mental health and substance abuse nurse professionals who could provide culturally competent care to an increasingly diverse population with ever-expanding needs for mental health and substance abuse disorders services, research, advocacy, and policy development. Visit the ANA Minority Fellowship Program page to review eligibility requirements and access an application.

MinorityNurse.com

MinorityNurse.com provides a database of scholarship information for nursing students from minority or underrepresented backgrounds. Awards have various criteria for recipients, which may include financial need, academic achievement, and involvement in community activities. Visit the MinorityNurse website for more information.

Alternative Scholarship Search Engines

Free scholarship search engines also offer information about alternative scholarship options including:

When searching for private scholarships, remember that scholarship searches and information are free to anyone. Do not pay for any searches for financial aid awards.

Pre- and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

Fellowships are available to prepare future nurse scientists to conduct research. Fellows work closely with our internationally recognized faculty, gaining hands-on experience in research, scholarship, or teaching while securing funding to earn their degree. Visit our Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships page for more information.

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