Nursing school is expensive, and just like everything else, the cost of a nursing education is going up. If you are a nursing student, or plan to attend nursing school in the near future, don’t despair. With a little bit of digging, you can find a treasure trove of nursing scholarships that will help finance your nursing education.

There is good news and bad news when it comes to paying for nursing school. Tuition, nursing books, and nursing uniforms are very expensive. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there is a nursing shortage. Yes, it sounds crazy, but the nursing shortage is making it easier for students to find money for nursing school. That’s because the government and private organizations and agencies are putting up the money to help solve the nursing shortage.

The first step in receiving any sort of scholarship or financial aid for nursing school is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA form. You can obtain an application at your school, or fill one out online. The information that you enter on your FAFSA form is very important because it determines how much money your family is expected to put towards your nursing education. The difference between what your family will have to pay and the amount of tuition at your chosen nursing school can be covered by federally backed grants and loans. Try to avoid taking school loans out from a bank. Some loans allow banks to raise interest rates on what you owe after you graduate, and you can never default on your loan, even if you ever declare bankruptcy.

The next step is to look for nursing scholarships in the private and government sectors, and since individual scholarships rarely pay for an entire nursing education, it’s a good idea to apply for multiple nursing scholarships and grants. Nursing organizations and healthcare companies are always offering nursing scholarships to deserving students who want to enter the nursing profession. For example, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has joined with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to create the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing. The goal of this scholarship program is to help alleviate the nursing shortage and increase the diversity of nursing professionals. The grants will provide nursing scholarships to students who do not have a nursing degree, and who are planning to attend an accelerated baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs. The RWJF funds will support up to 500 scholarships, awarding each $10,000 scholarship to selected schools of nursing annually over a three-year period.

Uncle Sam is also offering nursing scholarships through the arm services. The Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFROTC) is offering three- and four-year undergraduate scholarships to students who want to become Air Force nurses. Applicants must be U.S citizens, high school graduates, and a cadet in the Air Force Reserves.

Don’t let money stop you from becoming a nurse. The money you need for nursing school is just one click away on the Internet.