Graduate
All school based financial aid is determined by several factors including information provided in your application, financial need and merit criteria.
Graduate & DNP Financial Aid
Your first step in applying for Federal Financial aid or alternative loans, is to submit a FAFSA. This will show your eligibility for federal loans (for both full- and part-time tracks).
All full-time students may also be eligible to receive an endowed scholarship or Penn Nursing grant. Our Scholarships and Grants section outlines scholarship and loan forgiveness programs, as well as partnerships and external scholarship opportunities.
We suggest reviewing the resources in the Graduate Student section of the Student Financial Services site as well as looking at our Understanding Your Aid section below for answers to common concerns.
Scholarships and Grants
Eligibility for Penn Nursing grants and endowed scholarships is determined based on merit and need as determined through your admissions application and FAFSA documentation.
This endowed program provides financial aid for exemplary undergraduate and graduate nursing students, supplementing their education with tailored learning to become nurse leaders who deliver exceptional evidence-based care, design research, inform policy, spark innovation, and advocate for social justice, world-wide.
Applicants who are eligible will be notified to apply. Visit this page to learn more.
Full-time graduate students who are US Citizens (or permanent residents) may be eligible to receive a Penn Nursing grant and/or a Donor-Named Endowed Scholarship. Students must be enrolled in 3 CU’s each semester to be eligible for school-based grants and scholarships, and awardees are selected by a scholarship committee based on information provided in their application, financial need, and merit. Please note that if your status changes to part-time, you’ll no longer qualify.
The Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program is dedicated to building a nurse practitioner workforce committed to working in and with underserved communities, both rural and urban, and will recruit and prepare students ready to lead in providing high-quality primary care access for all.
What Makes a Fellow?
For students to become a Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Fellow, they must already be full-time admitted students in Penn Nursing’s primary care programs with a demonstrated commitment to nursing and promoting health equity by working in underserved communities.
The program will cover tuition and fees to all who are selected to become Fellows, plus a stipend for students with greater financial need. Upon graduation, Fellows will be expected to practice or provide service in underserved communities, and Penn Nursing will offer resources and guidance in finding practice sites that fulfill that goal. Learn more on our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Eligible MSN programs:
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse-Midwifery
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health / Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner
Interested in applying to become a Lauder Fellow?
Fill out our interest form and we’ll alert you when information sessions have been added.
RPCVs are considered for a one-time scholarship of up to $8,000 if selected as RPCV Awardees. To be considered for this award, students must be enrolled as full-time students in one of the five eligible MSN programs listed. You must also notify the Global Health Affairs Office that you are a RPCV at the same time that you are completing your application or planning to return from leave. Providing this information any later means that funds are less likely to be available to you. RPCV students are also in an excellent position to seek external support via CURF, including the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship. Penn Nursing’s application fee is waived for RPCVs.
Eligible MSN Programs:
Our graduate students have the opportunity to apply for a variety of scholarships and loan forgiveness programs, with awards ranging from $1,000 to $30,000 for an academic year. Please note that our policy for receiving one of the merit-based scholarships is such that your need-based eligibility for Nursing Grant or Endowed Scholarship funding will be reduced, allowing the school to fund additional students and expand enrollment.
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Kass Scholarship in Gerontology
A $30,000 scholarship and loan forgiveness program that involves committing to a year of work at the NewCourtland Center. -
Nurse Faculty Loan Program
Available to MSN, Post-Master’s, and PhD students who are interested in pursuing a career as a nursing educator, this loan forgiveness program is funded by HRSA – up to 85% forgivable. Awards may vary and can be awarded as high as $35,500, and require a 4-year work commitment as a full-time faculty member at any school of nursing. -
George and Estelle Sands Nursing Scholars Program
An exciting scholarship opportunity to offer students in the Psychiatric Mental Health APN Program offering a $32,500 Scholarship/loan forgiveness program in exchange for a for two year work commitment to work at the Princeton Medical Center post-graduation. -
Independence Blue Cross Nurses for Tomorrow Scholarship
This is available to graduate students enrolled in their final year of a master’s degree in an advanced practice nursing program and pursuing a career as a Nurse Educator or an Advanced Practice Nurse. Recipients will be chosen by committee and awards may vary, minimum award amount will be $2500. To qualify, you must be able to provide proof of residency (RN license, driver’s license, car registration, or voter registration) in one of the following areas:
- Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware, Chester or Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania
- New Castle County in Delaware
- Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem and Mercer Counties in New Jersey
Understanding Your Aid
Your program costs will depend on how many course units (CU) you take per semester. The average course offered at Penn is worth 1 CU, and it is equal to 4 semester hours. Individual academic program pages outline estimated costs for each program.
Federal Perkins and Direct Plus Loans are available for students who are attending at least half time (2 CUs). You can request $20,500 of unsubsidized funds as a direct loan each academic year, but please keep in mind that you must make a progression of 6 CUs to reach each new level of borrowing.
Is there a gap in your aid and expected tuition cost? Grad Plus loans can be used to cover your expected contribution and any difference between your need and the combination of your grants, scholarships, and loans.
Financial aid at Penn Nursing is need-based, and is calculated with regard to your assets and FAFSA. Specifically, your financial need is your total student budget minus expected student contribution. The student budget includes your tuition, fees, living expenses, books, and other personal expenses.
All you need to do to be eligible for these is to fill out a FAFSA. If you are eligible, the award will be automatically posted to your student billing account. These awards are calculated based on your financial need, number of CU’s you are taking, and your expected student contribution. In 2017-2018, they ranged between $100 and $3300 per semester.
If there’s sufficient need, you may be offered a School of Nursing Grant or a Nursing Endowed Scholarship for the academic year. You may also be eligible to borrow a Direct Loan, a Grad Plus loan, or a Nursing Student Loan if necessary.
Your current student loan debt has no bearing on your graduate financial aid as long as you have not defaulted on a previous loan. Those who have previously defaulted on an educational loan should begin Defaulted Loans Rehabilitation, which involves contacting your loan servicer and starting to make payments. We suggest that you should try to make at least 12 consecutive payments.
There are alternative loans available for students who take 1 CU per semester during the academic year. These can all be found at www.finaid.org.
You can have your student budget adjusted for educational costs that exceed your existing budget by submitting a Graduate Budget Increase Request form (PDF). You should do this for expenses like clinical travel costs, a one time computer purchase, or a financial need in any other area mentioned on the form in which you expect to exceed the University’s projected budget in that area.
For example, with clinical travel expenses, calculate the mileage to and from the clinical location and be sure to include tolls. We suggest submitting the total cost of clinical travel per semester to ensure your student budget is adjusted accordingly.
Follow the instructions on the Penn Student Financial Services website to report an outside scholarship.
Both the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) offer tuition benefits. Get in touch with their respective Human Resources Offices for specifics and eligibility.
There is also additional information about an available Academic Practice Partner Scholarship on this section of the main Financial Aid page.
Unfortunately, Penn Nursing has a limited budget for financial aid and our international students typically have to rely on personal funds, though some of our students find a sponsor from their home country. Please review this information for the University of Pennsylvania’s policies and information for international students regarding financial aid.
Students who are using the GI Bill® to fund their schooling can find some general information on the yellow ribbon program on the Veterans at Penn page.
“GI Bill” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
The Student Financial Services (SFS) website is a wealth of information, and can help you find out what you need to know about federal loans, give you tips on consolidation, and help you navigate the Penn Loan System. This system can be used to request new Direct or Grad Plus loans, as well as update, decrease, or cancel existing loans.
At the top of every page of the SFS website is ASK BEN, a great tool for finding solutions to general questions. When possible, you should try to use this to quickly find what you’re looking for.
We are here to help
Don’t see what you need here?
Please get in touch with any specific questions you have about your financial situation.