Nursing Scholarships for International Students

International students come to the United States for strong nursing programs and steady work in a large healthcare system, but tuition adds up fast and federal aid is off the table for most non-citizens, who do not meet Federal Student Aid eligibility rules. Scholarships fill the gap. Funding comes from nonprofits, private corporations, and the nursing schools themselves. Below are 10 awards for international students at the associate, bachelor's, and master's levels.

Key Takeaways

• Most non-citizens cannot get federal student aid, so scholarships and school awards do the heavy lifting.
• Funding comes from nonprofits, private companies, and the nursing schools themselves.
• DACA recipients and students with in-state eligibility have extra options, including TheDream.US.
• Awards below span associate, bachelor's, and master's study, from a few hundred dollars to $33,000.

East Tennessee State University International Merit Scholarship. For any international student with a record comparable to a 3.0 GPA pursuing a degree at ETSU. Recipients must hold an F-1 or J-1 visa. Amount: up to $9,000.

March of Dimes Undergraduate Nursing Diversity Scholarship. For an undergraduate from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group at an accredited nursing school who plans to work in maternal and infant health. Amount: $10,000.

Slippery Rock University International Student Tuition Waiver. Pennsylvania's Slippery Rock University offers aid to all new international undergraduates, including nursing students, regardless of need, with more for those who maintain a 3.0 GPA. Amount: about $3,500, plus up to $1,500 for academic achievement.

University of Illinois Chicago Laurette Kirstein Scholarship. For current international UIC students in a full-time undergraduate, graduate, or professional program, including nursing, with a 3.5 minimum cumulative GPA at UIC. Amount: $5,000.

University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing Bobby Joe Waggoner Memorial Scholarship. For graduate students at the school, with first preference to non-traditional students who demonstrate financial need. Amount: undisclosed.

Emergency Nursing Diverse Voices Research Fellowship. From the Emergency Nurses Association, for first-time nurse researchers focused on emergency healthcare who are members of underrepresented populations. Amount: funding for research and related travel.

Epsilon Sigma Alpha Alice/Jeanne Wagner Memorial Scholarship. For U.S. and international students entering undergraduate or graduate nursing programs in the U.S. who show academic achievement, leadership, service, and financial need. Epsilon Sigma Alpha is an international service nonprofit. Amount: $900.

University of California San Francisco School of Nursing Styles International Student Scholarship. Named for former dean Margretta Styles, for international master's and doctoral nursing students at UCSF. Amount: undisclosed.

TheDream.US National Scholarship. For immigrant students who arrived in the U.S. before age 16 and qualify for in-state tuition at a partner college. A separate award exists for students who can't qualify for in-state tuition. Amount: up to $16,500 for an associate degree, $33,000 for a bachelor's degree.

Esperanza Education Fund Scholarship. For graduating high school seniors in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or those who earned a high school equivalency there within the past four years, where the applicant or both parents were born outside the United States. Amount: up to $10,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can international students get financial aid for nursing school in the U.S.? Rarely from the federal government. Most non-citizens do not qualify for federal student aid under Federal Student Aid rules, so scholarships from nonprofits, private companies, and schools are the main route.

Do international nursing students need a specific visa? Most campus-based awards require an F-1 or J-1 student visa, and some, like the ETSU International Merit Scholarship, name it directly. Confirm visa status with each program before applying.

Are DACA recipients eligible for these scholarships? Often yes. TheDream.US National Scholarship is built for students who arrived before age 16, and several heritage-based awards accept DACA status, though DACA recipients still cannot get most federal aid.

How much can an international student win? It ranges widely. Some awards run a few hundred dollars; TheDream.US pays up to $16,500 for an associate degree and $33,000 for a bachelor's.

Where should international students look first? Start with your own school's international student office, since institutional waivers and merit awards are the most reliable, then add national nonprofit and heritage-based scholarships.