Scholarships and Grants

Graduate Penn Nursing Grant & Named Endowed Scholarships

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.

RPCV Awards for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV)

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 are Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner , Family Nurse Practitioner , Nurse-Midwifery , Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner , and Women’s Health/Gender Related Nurse Practitioner .

 

Academic Practice Partnership Scholarship Available for Employees of Penn Nursing’s Academic Partners

Beginning January 1, 2024, students who are full-time or part-time employees with one of Penn Nursing’s Academic Partners* may be eligible for a 25% discount per CU, regardless of the number of CUs registered in a calendar or fiscal year.

To qualify, students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Employed either full-time or part-time with one of Penn Nursing’s Academic Partners
• Enrolled in either a full-time or part-time MSN or DNP program
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher

Students must complete this form and submit their scholarship application to the Penn Nursing Financial Aid Office.

*Qualifying Academic Partners include: University of Pennsylvania Health System, Chester County Hospital, Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Lancaster General Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Princeton Medical Center, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Wissahickon Hospice – Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Christiana Care Health Network, Veterans Affairs Health Care Network, Nemours Children’s Health, AtlantiCare.

 

Penn Medicine and CHOP Scholarship for Fall 2023:

Students eligible for this scholarship are enrolled in either a full- or part-time MSN or DNP nursing program, employed full- or part-time within Penn Medicine or the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Verification of employment is required at the time of application. You must complete 3 CU’s in a calendar year to be eligible to receive a scholarship for the cost of tuition of the 4th CU in the same calendar year. The scholarship award covers tuition for 1 CU and does not cover associated University fees. NOTE: this scholarship is only valid for Fall 2023. Beginning January 1st, 2024, this will be replaced by the Academic Practice Partnership Scholarship outlined above.

Penn Nursing Scholarship Program - Penn Medicine/ Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Scholarship​ Application Form (PDF)

*Please return your completed scholarship application to the Penn Nursing Financial Aid Office

Partnerships and external scholarship opportunities

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.  

• 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