The United States is in a sustained nursing shortage, and federal grant programs reflect that. Several federal scholarships pay full tuition and fees plus a monthly living stipend to nursing students in exchange for a service commitment after graduation at a high-need facility. Stacked with Pell, FSEOG, and state nursing-faculty programs, these can cover the entire cost of nursing school.
This page lists the real federal nursing grants for 2026, what they pay, and what you owe in service. None of them require a "grant kit" purchase — anyone asking you to pay to apply is running a scam.
Federal need-based grants (start here)
File the FAFSA every year. As a nursing student, you'll be considered for:
- Federal Pell Grant — up to $7,580 for 2026–27.
- FSEOG — $100 to $4,000/year for Pell-eligible students with the lowest SAIs.
- TEACH Grant — if you plan to teach nursing in a high-need field (with service obligation).
- Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans — not grants, but a normal part of nursing-school financing.
- State need-based grants and nurse-faculty programs — file FAFSA and check your state higher-education agency.
NURSE Corps Scholarship Program (HRSA)
The NURSE Corps Scholarship Program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is the largest federal nursing-specific scholarship. It pays:
- Full tuition and required fees
- A monthly stipend (approximately $1,500 per month, adjusted annually) for living expenses
- Other reasonable costs (books, supplies, clinical lab fees)
In exchange, recipients commit to work full time at an eligible Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) for a minimum of two years (longer for more years of scholarship support). Eligible CSFs include public hospitals, federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, nursing homes, and other facilities in designated nursing-shortage areas.
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens enrolled or accepted in an accredited diploma, associate, baccalaureate, or graduate nursing program. Apply at bhw.hrsa.gov.
Annual application window opens in the spring. Funding is competitive.
National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship — for nurse practitioners and CNMs
The NHSC Scholarship Program supports students preparing to become primary-care nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, primary-care physicians, physician assistants, behavioral-health clinicians, and dentists. It pays:
- Full tuition and required fees
- A monthly stipend for living expenses
- A single annual payment for other reasonable costs
In exchange, recipients commit to at least two years of full-time clinical service at an NHSC-approved site in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Apply at nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarships.
HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS)
The SDS program funds participating schools, which then award scholarships to financially needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in eligible health-professions programs, including nursing. Award amounts and eligibility rules vary by school — your school's financial aid office decides who gets SDS funds. See bhw.hrsa.gov and ask your school whether it participates.
Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP)
If you're pursuing a graduate nursing degree to become nursing faculty, the NFLP provides loans of up to $35,500 per year (with higher amounts for doctoral students). If you teach full time as a nurse faculty member at an accredited school of nursing for four consecutive years after graduation, up to 85 percent of the loan is forgiven (20 percent of principal plus interest after each of the first three years, plus 25 percent after the fourth year). See bhw.hrsa.gov.
This is technically a forgivable loan, not a grant, but for nurse-faculty-bound students it functions much like one.
State and professional-association programs
- State nursing-shortage forgivable-loan programs — many states (Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, and others) operate forgivable-loan or service-cancelable-loan programs for nursing students who agree to work at in-state facilities.
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) maintains a national list of nursing scholarships from foundations and professional associations.
- National Black Nurses Association, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association, and similar associations administer their own scholarships.
- Hospital and health-system tuition reimbursement — many large hospital systems pay tuition for nursing students who commit to working at the system after graduation.
How to apply (recommended order)
- File the FAFSA as early as possible after October 1 each year.
- Apply to NURSE Corps and (if applicable) NHSC during the annual spring application window.
- Ask your school's financial aid office about SDS participation.
- Search your state's higher-education agency for state nursing-shortage programs.
- Search hospital tuition-reimbursement programs in your area.
- Apply to nursing-association scholarships through AACN, NBNA, NAHN, and any specialty associations.
Common questions
Can I receive both Pell and NURSE Corps? Yes. Federal nursing scholarships generally stack with Pell and FSEOG.
What if I don't complete the service obligation? NURSE Corps and NHSC scholarship recipients who fail to complete service owe liquidated damages — typically the full amount of scholarship funds received, plus interest and substantial penalties (often three times the amount received minus any service already performed). Read the contract carefully before signing.
Can LPN/LVN students qualify? NURSE Corps requires diploma, associate, baccalaureate, or graduate enrollment — not LPN/LVN programs. Pell and FSEOG do apply to LPN programs at eligible Title-IV institutions.
Are grad students eligible for Pell? No — Pell is undergraduate-only. Graduate nursing students should focus on NURSE Corps, NHSC (for NP/CNM), NFLP, and Graduate PLUS Loans.
Are there scams targeting nursing students? Yes. Any "free grant kit," "guaranteed nursing scholarship," or "application processing fee" service is a scam. HRSA, NHSC, Pell, and FSEOG never charge to apply. Report scams to the FTC.
Layered correctly, federal nursing scholarships can cover full cost of attendance plus a living stipend — in exchange for two to four years of service at a high-need facility. For students committed to underserved care, it's one of the best deals in federal aid.