West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Development

Scholarships

Financial Needs of Nursing Students

No doubt, you have heard about America’s nursing shortage and the dire consquences of allowing this deficit to increase. Current projections anticipate a US shortage of 260,000 RNs by 2025, yet nationwide enrollment in nursing baccalaureate programs has only increased by 2.2% in 2008.

While lack of faculty and educational facilities is largely responsible for the slow increase, nursing students also face increasingly high tuitions that stand in the way of this exciting and important career. While undergaduate students can qualify for federal student aid, many who already hold bachelor’s degrees and wish to return to start a nursing career find themselves with few options to continue school.

Scholarships can make a huge difference for nursing students at all levels, both undergraduate and graduate, and ultimately help increase the number nurses nationwide. (facts from AACN)

For the 2009-2010 academic year, tuition and fees for an in-state nursing ungraduate were $6496 per semester and $20020 per semester for out-of-state students. Graduate student fees were even higher, at $7164 per semester in-state and $20846 for out-of-state. Tuition at WVU has increased 99% between 1997 and 2008.

If you would like to sponsor a scholarship for Nursing students, please contact Christine Meredith, Director of Development for Nursing at 304-293-1448, cmeredith@hsc.wvu.edu.

West Virginia University