Nurse Practitioner Scholarships 2026: Funding Your MSN & DNP

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are high-demand providers. Grants like the NHSC can cover your entire Master’s or Doctorate tuition.

Last Updated: February 2026 | Author: Robert

You have already done the hard part. You survived nursing school, passed the NCLEX, and worked on the floor. Now, you want more. More autonomy, more scope of practice, and yes—a significantly higher salary (average NP salary is $126,000+).

But “leveling up” is expensive. A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) can cost upwards of $60,000.

Unlike your undergraduate years, Pell Grants are gone (they are for first degrees only). However, the funding landscape for NPs is actually better. The government doesn’t just need nurses; they desperately need providers to fix the primary care shortage.

Here is your comprehensive guide to federal, specialty, and private grants for Advanced Practice Nurses (APRNs).

Phase 1: The “Big Gun” – NHSC Scholarship Program

For undergraduate nurses, the Nurse Corps is the main target. But for Nurse Practitioners, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is the gold standard.

What is the Difference? The Nurse Corps focuses on nursing generally. The NHSC focuses strictly on Primary Care Providers. Since NPs are legally providers in many states, this is your designated fund.

The Offer:

• Tuition: 100% Tax-Free payment for tuition and fees.

• Stipend: A monthly living allowance (approx $1,500+) while in school.

• Job Guarantee: Automatic access to the NHSC jobs database.

The “Catch” (Service): You must commit to working at an NHSC-approved site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA).

• Commitment: 1 year of service for every 1 year of support (minimum 2 years).

• Eligible Specialties: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

• Apply Here: NHSC Scholarship Overview (HRSA.gov).

Phase 2: The Faculty Loan Program (NFLP)

The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) cancels 85% of your loans if you become a nursing instructor after graduation.

There is a hidden crisis in nursing: We have no teachers. Schools are turning away thousands of students because they lack qualified faculty with advanced degrees (MSN/DNP).

To fix this, the government created the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP).

How it works:

1. You enroll in a graduate program (MSN/DNP) with an “Education” track (learning how to teach).

2. The school gives you a loan to cover tuition.

3. The Magic: If you work as a full-time faculty member at any nursing school for 4 years after graduation, the government cancels 85% of the loan.

4. Action: You do not apply to the government. You apply through your university’s financial aid office. Ask them: “Do you participate in the HRSA NFLP fund?”

Phase 3: Indian Health Service (IHS) Scholarship

If you have a heart for serving indigenous populations (Native American or Alaska Native), this is one of the least competitive yet most generous grants available.

• The Health Professions Scholarship: Covers tuition + books + monthly stipend.

• Eligibility: You must be a member of a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native tribe.

• Service: 2-year service commitment in an IHS facility.

• Why it’s great for NPs: IHS facilities give NPs massive autonomy. It is one of the best places to practice at the “top of your license.”

• Official Link: IHS Scholarship Program.

Phase 4: The “Elite” Specialties (CRNA & CNM)

High-paying specialties like Anesthesia (CRNA) have specific foundation grants ranging from $3,000 to $10,000.

When you specialize, you stop competing with “general” nurses and start competing in a smaller, richer pool.

1. CRNA (Nurse Anesthetists) This is the highest-paying nursing specialty (Avg. Salary: $203,000).

• The Grant: The AANA Foundation offers over 75 competitive scholarships annually for students enrolled in accredited nurse anesthesia programs.

• Amount: Awards range from $3,000 to $10,000.

• Link: AANA Foundation Scholarships.

2. CNM (Certified Nurse-Midwives) Midwifery is making a massive comeback in the US healthcare system.

• The Grant: The A.C.N.M. Foundation provides scholarships specifically for student midwives.

• Focus: They love candidates committed to reducing maternal mortality rates in minority communities.

• Link: ACNM Foundation Awards.

Phase 5: The Mental Health Boom (PMHNP)

The demand for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) has exploded. Because the shortage is so severe, specific organizations are throwing money at students who choose this path.

1. APNA Board of Directors Student Scholarship

• Donor: American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA).

• Benefit: Provides registration, travel, and lodging to attend the APNA Annual Conference (networking is key here) plus mentorship.

• Link: APNA Awards.

2. NBCC Foundation Minority Fellowship

• Target: Master’s level addiction/mental health counseling students (often open to Psych NPs).

• Amount: Up to $10,000.

• Goal: To improve mental health care for underserved minority populations.

Phase 6: The Muslim Practitioner Advantage (Cultural Congruence)

At the Master’s and Doctoral level, admissions committees and scholarship judges are looking for “Clinical Leadership.” As a Muslim applicant, you possess a unique asset: the ability to provide Culturally Congruent Care to a growing demographic.

How to Leverage This in Essays:

1. The OB/GYN & Midwifery Angle Many Muslim women delay prenatal care because they are uncomfortable with male providers or non-Muslim staff who do not understand modesty requirements.

• Your Winning Essay: “My goal as a DNP-Midwife is to bridge the healthcare gap for the Muslim community in [Your City], ensuring that religious modesty concerns never prevent a woman from seeking life-saving prenatal care.”

• Why it wins: It solves a public health problem (Health Equity).

2. The Mental Health (Psych) Angle Mental health is often stigmatized in immigrant and Muslim communities.

• Your Winning Essay: “As a culturally competent PMHNP, I can navigate the delicate balance between religious beliefs and psychiatric treatment, reducing the stigma of therapy for thousands of underserved patients.”

3. Networking: Connect with the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA). While their scholarships vary by year, their Mentorship Program is invaluable for connecting with Muslim medical directors who can write you powerful recommendation letters.

Phase 7: The Generalist Grants (AANP)

If you are not specializing in Anesthesia or Midwifery, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is your home base.

• The Program: AANP Grants & Scholarships.

• Awards: Scholarships range from $2,500 to $5,000.

• Eligibility: You must be an AANP member (Student membership is cheap) and enrolled in an MSN or DNP program.

• Tip: They favor applicants with a clear “Research Project” or “Quality Improvement (QI)” proposal.

• Link: AANP Grants & Scholarships.

Phase 8: The Muslim Strategy: Funding Without Riba (Interest)

Organizations like “A Continuous Charity” provide interest-free (0%) educational loans for Muslim students to avoid Riba.

For Muslim applicants, the biggest barrier to a Master’s or Doctorate degree is often not the tuition itself, but the Interest (Riba) attached to federal and private loans.

Standard Grad PLUS loans carry high interest rates. However, in 2026, you have alternatives. You do not have to compromise your faith to advance your career.

1. A Continuous Charity (ACC) This is the most important resource for Muslim students in America.

• What it is: The first and largest Muslim charity in the US dedicated to providing interest-free (0% interest) loans for higher education.

• How it works: It is a “Refinancing” or “Direct Lending” system based on the concept of Qard Hasan (Benevolent Loan). You repay exactly what you borrowed. No inflation adjustment, no hidden fees.

• Competition: It is competitive. They favor students demonstrating community service and high academic potential.

• Link: A Continuous Charity (ACC).

2. The “Cash-Flow” Strategy (The RN Advantage) Unlike medical students who cannot work, you are likely already an RN. You have a license that pays $40-$60/hour.

• The Strategy: Do not study full-time. Switch to a Part-Time MSN/DNP program.

• The Math: If you work 3 shifts a week (36 hours), you can pay your tuition “out of pocket” semester by semester. It takes longer (3-4 years instead of 2), but you graduate Debt-Free and Riba-Free.

3. The “Hospital Contract” Loophole If your hospital pays for your school directly (Tuition Reimbursement), there is no loan involved.

• Tip: Ask your HR department to pay the university directly (Third Party Billing). Do not let them reimburse you later, because you might not have the cash flow to pay upfront.

Phase 9: Corporate Sponsorships (Beyond Hospitals)

Hospitals aren’t the only ones hiring NPs. The rise of “Retail Health” means giants like CVS and UnitedHealth are hungry for providers.

1. CVS MinuteClinic / Walgreens Healthcare These retail clinics are staffed almost entirely by Nurse Practitioners.

• The Deal: Many offer “Tuition Assistance” specifically for FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) students who agree to work in their clinics post-graduation.

• Why apply: The work environment is lower stress than an ER, and the funding is often generous.

2. UnitedHealth Group / Optum As one of the largest employers of APRNs in the country, Optum has robust internal scholarship programs for employees looking to upskill.

• Link: UnitedHealth Group Careers.

Phase 10: The “Tax Hack” (Lifetime Learning Credit)

Don’t leave money on the table. The IRS wants to help you pay for Grad School.

The Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC)

• Value: You can claim up to $2,000 per year as a tax credit (not just a deduction) for qualified tuition expenses.

• Eligibility: Unlike the American Opportunity Credit (which is for undergrads), the LLC is available for Graduate Students and has no limit on the number of years you can claim it.

• Use Case: If you are paying out-of-pocket (The Halal Strategy), this credit effectively gives you a $2,000 discount every year.

Phase 11: DNP vs. MSN Funding (The Degree Debate)

Investing in a DNP (Doctorate) often opens doors to more federal funding and higher long-term career growth.

A common question: “Should I get my MSN (Master’s) or go straight to DNP (Doctorate)?”

From a funding perspective, the DNP is often the smarter choice.

Why?

1. The Faculty Shortage: The government (NFLP program discussed in Part 1) specifically targets Doctoral students because they need professors. It is much harder to get “Faculty Loan Forgiveness” with just an MSN.

2. Length of Funding: Scholarship committees prefer investing in students reaching the “Terminal Degree” (highest level) because they are seen as future leaders/executives.

3. The “Grandfather” Clause: The industry is moving toward DNP as the entry-level standard by 2030. Getting funded for a DNP now saves you from having to go back to school later on your own dime.

Phase 12: How to Write a “Clinical Leadership” Essay

For Undergraduate scholarships, you wrote about “Compassion.” For Graduate scholarships (NP), you must write about “Outcomes.”

The Shift:

• Don’t say: “I want to help more patients.”

• Do say: “I plan to implement evidence-based protocols to reduce diabetic readmission rates in rural clinics.”

The “Project” Proposal: Many DNP scholarships require a “Scholarly Project” proposal.

• Tip: Find a gap in your current workplace. (e.g., “We have too many infections in post-op.”).

• Pitch: Propose that your DNP education will give you the skills to solve that specific metric. Donors love funding Solutions, not just students.

Conclusion – The Future is Provider Status

Becoming a Nurse Practitioner is not just a promotion; it is a transformation. You are moving from “caregiver” to “provider.”

The cost of this education is high, but the resources are massive.

• If you are willing to serve in a rural area, NHSC will pay for everything.

• If you want to teach, NFLP will cancel your debt.

• If you are avoiding interest/riba, A Continuous Charity and part-time work strategies make it possible.

Do not let the sticker price scare you. The return on investment (ROI) for an NP degree—both in salary and impact—is unmatched in healthcare.

Your Next Step: Update your CV. Talk to your Hospital’s Medical Director about a Letter of Recommendation. And start your NHSC application the moment the cycle opens.

Looking for the basics? If you are still working on your BSN or RN license, you need the undergraduate guide.

• Read Back: Nursing School Grants: The BSN & RN Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I work full-time while getting my NP degree? A: It depends. For MSN programs, yes, many nurses work full-time. For DNP or CRNA (Anesthesia) programs, it is nearly impossible due to the intense clinical hours. Most CRNA schools explicitly forbid working during the program.

Q: Does the GI Bill cover NP school? A: Yes! If you are a veteran, the Post-9/11 GI Bill can cover 100% of tuition for public universities and a significant portion of private ones (via the Yellow Ribbon Program).

Q: Is “A Continuous Charity” open to non-Muslims? A: Their primary mission is to serve students seeking interest-free loans to comply with Islamic principles, but they review applications holistically. However, for non-Muslims, general interest-free organizations like the Bill Raskob Foundation might be a better fit.

Q: What is the difference between a Scholarship and a Fellowship? A: In Grad school, a Scholarship is usually just money. A Fellowship (like the NBCC Minority Fellowship) usually involves money plus mentorship, conference access, and specialized training. Fellowships are more prestigious on a resume.

Important Disclaimer: StartGrants.com is an independent information portal. We are not a government agency and do not provide direct grants or products. Always verify the current status of programs with the providing organization.