Residents of Arizona who wish to pursue a nursing degree or enrolled in one are offered scholarships to support the cost of their education and to increase the number of nurses in the state. This blog post presents a list of scholarships for nursing students in Arizona and how you can apply for them.
According to statistics, there is a shortage of nurses in Arizona which has led to a growing need for nursing professionals to tackle the state’s aging and diverse demographics. By 2030, Arizona is expected to have a shortage of 50,000 nurses. This nurse shortage is a challenge across the United States and not just in Arizona alone.
The high demand for nurses in Arizona means that there will be attractive compensation to attract its residents to pursue nursing degrees and find employment in the state. These compensations come in the form of scholarships and good salaries. RNs in Arizona earn an average of $81,600 per year or an average of $39.23 per hour.
Even with the shortage of nurses in Arizona, the cost of nursing programs across Arizona colleges and universities is still high making it impossible for residents to afford the cost. This is not the fault of the institutions because nursing, just like every other medical profession, is an expensive degree program.
The cost of nursing school in Arizona ranges from $775 to $1,045 per credit hour or between $93,000 and $125,000 for the total cost of tuition. Many residents of Arizona who are passionate about pursuing a nursing degree are unable to follow their passion due to this high cost which further contributes to the shortage of nurses.
To address the critical need for quality professional nurses in Arizona, many scholarships are made available by private donors, government, nursing associations and organizations, and colleges and universities in Arizona. Scholarships are one of the compensations I mentioned earlier to attract individuals to study and work as nurses in Arizona.
The belief is that with the financial barrier to nursing education in Arizona removed, more individuals will be encouraged to go to nursing school since they now have the financial support that can pay full or part of their tuition. So, if you are a resident of Arizona who wish to study nursing you can apply for scholarships for nursing students in Arizona as well as for other nursing scholarships that are non-location specific.
Aside from nursing scholarships in Arizona, there are also other means to go to nursing school for free and these options are not location-specific either.
The scholarships for nursing students in Arizona vary by award amount, that is, the dollar value, as do the requirements for each scholarship, which are based on the criteria established by the donor of the scholarship. Usually, they are awarded based on merit, financial need, and/or specific academic criteria. Unlike student loans, awards and scholarships do not have to be repaid.
Searching for nursing scholarships can be time-consuming. To help speed up the process, we’ve compiled a list of scholarships specifically for nursing students in Arizona, as well as other financial aid resources to help make nursing school more affordable for students.
Table of Contents
Scholarships for Nursing Students in Arizona
The scholarships for nursing students in Arizona are as follows:
- Arizona Foundation for the Future of Nursing Scholarships
- Accelerated Masters Scholarships for Nursing (AiMS4Nursing) Program
- Arizona College of Nursing BSN Scholarships
- Northern Arizona University School of Nursing Scholarships
- Health First Nursing Scholarships
- Touchmark Foundation Nursing Scholarships
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation Scholarships
- Kary Christensen RN Scholarships
1. Arizona Foundation for the Future of Nursing Scholarships
The Arizona Foundation for the Future of Nursing is the charitable and philanthropic arm of the Arizona Nurses Association, so technically, the scholarship is offered by the association through the foundation. Anyways, the scholarship is offered annually to students enrolled in part-time or half-time nursing programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The scholarship aims to ensure that Arizona has a sustainable nursing workforce to continuously enhance and strengthen Arizona nurses’ ability to deliver safe, quality care and assure health and wellness for all.
2. Accelerated Masters Scholarships for Nursing (AiMS4Nursing) Program
The AiMS4Nursing Program is offered by the University of Arizona College of Nursing, so if you wish to apply for the scholarship, you must have been accepted or enrolled in the accelerated master nursing program at the college. The 15-month-long scholarship program is funded by the Arizona Department of Health Services to address the state’s nursing shortage.
Funds from this program will only cover tuition and fees. Recipients must agree to practice nursing in Arizona for at least 4 years upon completion of their degree.
3. Arizona College of Nursing BSN Scholarships
Students enrolled or accepted in the BSN program at Arizona College of Nursing are eligible for several scholarships. There is the Achievement Scholarship awarded based on merit to a student with a CGPA of 3.0 or higher, the Advancement Scholarship offered to those who completed a previous post-secondary certificate or degree program, the Futures Scholarship offered to students whose parents have not completed a bachelor’s degree program, and many more.
You can only receive one of these scholarships and the funding is directed only for tuition and fees of your BSN program at Arizona College of Nursing.
4. Northern Arizona University School of Nursing Scholarships
If you are looking for a reputable nursing school in Arizona also offering nursing scholarships then you should add NAU School of Nursing at the top of your list because there are lots of nursing scholarships for you here. The scholarships are offered based on race, gender, and ethnicity so you have to review the requirements and eligibility criteria carefully before applying.
5. Health First Nursing Scholarships
Health First Foundation of Northern Arizona offers the above-named scholarship to qualifying students enrolled in one of these three programs: Northern Arizona University’s concurrent nursing program with Coconino Community College, NAU’s American Indian Program for Nursing, or NAU’s Flagstaff campus nursing program. Proof of enrollment is required.
The scholarship fund is three $5,000 for each applicant. The fund is used only for tuition, books, and other academic expenses. The scholarship is non-refundable and you can only receive one scholarship per year from the foundation.
6. Touchmark Foundation Nursing Scholarships
Every year, Touchmark Foundation provides scholarships to students pursuing nursing degrees as a special effort to increase the number of nurses available to teach tomorrow’s nurses. The scholarship is not specifically for nursing students in Arizona but for also other states and provinces including Oregon, Idaho, Wisconsin, Washington, and others.
7. Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation Scholarships
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation is the nursing school of Arizona State University offering a wide range of nursing and other allied health professional courses. The nursing school offers more than 50 different scholarships annually to students in the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.
The scholarships are made available by private donations. You only need to fill out a single application to be considered for a majority of the different scholarships. It is available to undergraduate and graduate applicants.
8. Kary Christensen RN Scholarships
The Kary Christensen RN Scholarship is made available by Health First Foundation Northern Arizona to employees of Northern Arizona Healthcare enrolled in an accredited nursing degree program at Northern Arizona. Proof of employment and enrollment is required upon application as part of the scholarship application. The scholarship value is $1,000 awarded to five people.
These are nursing scholarships specifically for nursing students in Arizona. Go through the recommendations below to find more nursing scholarships in the US that are not location-specific that you can apply for irrespective of your location.
Recommendations
- 17 Best Catholic Nursing Scholarships
. - 10 Scholarships for Nursing Students in New York
. - 12 Best Undergraduate Nursing Scholarships
. - 10 Nursing Scholarships in Australia for International Students
. - 10 Nursing School Scholarships For Older Students