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An LPN is a licensed practical nurse, and to become such a nurse you will need to go to a nursing school or community college or study on-line to become a licensed practical nurse. Without LPN financial aid many students would never be able to attend a nursing college, simply because all education has become very expensive, and without financial assistance, students will never be able to attend college. The Department of Education as well as the Department of Health and Human Services have money in the form of grants and scholarships which assist nurses to achieve success by providing assistance for higher learning. You must meet the requirements to determine eligibility.
You will need to be a legal resident of the United States, have a valid social security number, provide proof of your current income and three of your most recent payslips. You should have a high school diploma, and in some instance you may be required to take a test to determine competency. Remember to always check with the college you are studying at because they will be able to advise you on scholarships and financial aid and other forms of financial aid available to students.
Start Early With Looking For Financial Aid
There are many types of funding available to help you pay for your nursing education. Start at least 18 months before your degree program to look for funding. Don’t settle on one large amount to pay for everything.. it may not come; accept small amounts from different sources:
- Scholarships – this money doesn’t need to be paid back. The award comes from private sources as well as organizations and the university where you are studying.
- Grants – awarded mainly to needy students and does not need to be repaid.
- Loans – these will need to be repaid. There are different types of education loans like the Perkins Loan, and students can also look at their state’s Department of Health for loans.
There are federal sources of financial aid where you are able to fill out financial aid forms online. LPN Financial aid programs available to nursing students include the State Nursing Scholarship Program as well as the Living Expenses Grant. There are many other grants and scholarships which are available to students based on merit and need.
Most LPNs Will Need Financing To Sit For Exams
All practical nursing programs teach skills that prepare the student to write the National Council of Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). Without this examination, the student won’t be able to become a licensed practical nurse. These nurses perform core nursing tasks. You will be setting aside quite a long time for studying which can go up to 18 months in duration. The question is where are your funds coming from to pay for nearly two years of study? LPN programs in Maryland for instance are taught at community colleges; some of which run the LPN program as part of a registered nursing course. Programs run for an average of 12 to 18 months and sometimes even two years to allow time to gain work experience in real life situations.
All students wishing to attend these colleges will need a basic high school education in subjects like maths, biology and chemistry. Different colleges may also require entrance exams. Courses cater to the needs of students and courses are held during the day as well as evening and over the weekend. Those wishing to graduate as LPNs will first complete all their programs after which they may sit for the NCLEX-PN examination.
Once you have graduated you will need to write a licensing exam in order to practice nursing. This exam is known as the NCLEX-PN or National Counsel Licensure Exam-Practical Nurse. Without LPN financial aid many students would never be able to attend college simply because they don’t have the financial means to pay for their studies. All state boards of nursing require LPN candidates to pass the exam. Nursing students need to make use of every resource they can to prepare for the exam. When prospective LPN students learn about all the preparation required to write those exams to get started, many of them give up because they wonder how they will be able to afford all the textbooks and study material they will need to study, let along write nursing exams.
The Actual Cost Of Nursing School
Nursing schools vary substantially in tuition costs and some of the best schools can be extremely expensive and out of the realm of most average students. Tuition fees can be anything from $1,000-$30,000 per semester, but everything depends on the school. You can also add the state nursing exam costs to these expenses, and these range between $200-$500. Add to these expenses the cost of books, computers, software etc as well as accommodation costs and traveling expenses. You can quickly see that paying for nursing school is impossible for most students. There are many scholarships sponsored by large companies as well as community based organizations and private individuals. There is hope from these sources, and this type of financial aid comes in different forms.
- scholarships – government or private
- grants – federal or state or private
- student loans
- tax credits
There are many scholarships available to help you reach your LPN goals and the state of Alabama is well known for abilities to provide free LPN training when you receive scholarships funds. One of their scholarships is the Tylenol FutureCare Scholarship which is for students who are working to complete degrees in health care fields. There are also programs which are geared towards helping nurses reduce the balance of their student loans, and in exchange for this they will need to work in a specified location in their home state.
No Shortage Of Financial Aid For Students
Nurses are always going to be in high demand and attending a reputable college can pay off in the end when you get a good job and salary. For students interested in nursing, there are organizations who offer nursing scholarships for students to get their degrees. There really is no shortage of financial aid for nursing students. Remember, you are not limited to qualifying for LPN scholarships; there are others that any student, no matter what they are studying, can apply for.
Nursing Scholarships
- Nellie Martin Carman Scholarship Fund – applicants must be a US citizen and be planning to attend a college full time in the state of Washington. Application forms are available through certain high and candidates are nominated by their school each year. Approximately 30 awards are made each year.
- Licensed Vocational Nurse Loan Repayment Program – available to licensed practical nurses in the state of California. The program repays up to $6000 in educational debt that incurred at an accredited vocational nursing program. Students participate in this program must agree to work full-time for at least two years in a needy area of California. For more information you can look at oshpd.ca.gov/HPEF/LVNLRP.htm
- Bethesda Lutheran Communities Scholarships for College Students – they offer two $3,000 scholarships to Lutheran students pursuing undergraduate degrees in any area of service to people with developmental disabilities.
- Nursing Education Scholarship Program – only US citizens or legal resident aliens qualify for the awards. Applicants must answer questions regarding their personal contact and financial information as well as their educational experience and other financial aid they are receiving to cover tuition in their LPN programs.
- The Michigan Nursing Scholarship -they are focused on providing solutions to the shortage of working nurses in the state of Michigan. They provide students with the opportunity of receiving up to $4000 per academic year for their education. In exchange students must work in a Michigan state facility. Each year at the state facility is equal to one year of scholarship assistance. For more information you can look at www.collegescholarships.org
- The American Association of College of Nursing Grants for LPNs – they have a website – www.aacn.nche.edu – where you will have access to information about fellowships, scholarships, grants, as well as other funding for nursing students. They cater to undergraduate and higher nursing degree programs as well as being a useful resource for LPN students.
Conclusion
State grants are readily available for when you are applying to nursing school, and they are available to all LPN students in just about every state. Some grants cover part of your tuition fees, while there are some states that will pay all your tuition if you are eligible. State financial aid programs are different in every state, and you can always consult with your school’s financial aid office to get clarity on how their financial aid programs work.
There mere fact that there is a marked shortage of nurses in America has meant states offering these grants and scholarships as a drawcard to encourage more people to look at nursing as an attractive career. States offer scholarships to nurses in exchange for them working at a state facility for a specific amount of time after graduation.