As a single mother, sometimes your dreams can fall by the wayside. You are much too busy providing a safe and comfortable home for your family, and time passes quickly. However, taking care of your family doesn’t mean you have to throw away your aspirations or career goals.
If you have a passion for caring for others and have dreamed of becoming a nurse, there is no better time than now to begin earning your degree. You may not have realized this, but single mothers looking to enter the field of nursing have huge advantages.
There are many different types of nursing scholarships designed specifically for single mothers.
Demand for Nurses
Over the past few decades, the demand for professionals in the health care field has continued to grow, and 2012 is expected to be no exception. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for registered nurses is expected to rise by about 22 percent between now and 2018.
During 2011, almost 315,000 jobs became available in nursing and related health care fields. Because of this, many colleges have decided to expand their nursing programs to accommodate for more students who wish to take advantage of an occupation that produces an average salary of $51,500 to $76,000 a year.
The field of nursing offers many excellent career opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing makes up the largest occupation within the health care sector, boasting an approximate 2.6 million jobs.
If you are a single mother looking for a career in the health industry, becoming a nurse may be the perfect way for you to fulfill your dreams while earning a great salary that will enable you to provide for your children. By taking advantage of a nursing scholarship, your new career may be closer than you think.
Top Nursing Scholarships for Single Mothers
- AACN Educational Advancement Scholarship – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, or AACN, offers this scholarship to its current members who are enrolled in graduate nursing study program. Applicants must currently be working in a critical care unit with a registered nurse license. The application deadline for this scholarship is April 1st, and students can receive as much as $1500.
- Abbott/Pamela Balzer Career Mobility Scholarship – The American Nephrology Nurses’ Association (ANNA) provides qualified members with many different scholarships, including the Abbot/Pamela Balzer Career Mobility Scholarship. Applicants for this scholarship must be members of ANNA for at least two years before applying. They also need to be currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree nursing program. Those awarded with the scholarship will receive $2,500. Find more information about applying.
- AQHF Nursing Scholarship – If you have been accepted into a two or four year technical program or university and are planning on becoming a nurse, you may be able to take advantage of a $10,000 scholarship awarded by the American Quarter Horse Foundation, or AQHF. Applicants must be members of the American Quarter Horse Association, or AQHA, or members of the American Quarter Horse Youth Association, or AQHYA for at least one year. Only one scholarship is awarded each year, and student must submit application by January.
- Chances Scholarship Program – Are you interested in pursuing a nursing career that focuses on children? Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta offers the Chances Scholarship to students who are enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or B.S.N program and intend to become pediatric nurses. Scholarship winners can receive up to $20,000, divided into four semesters. In order to receive this scholarship, applicants must commit to working for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta one year for every academic year they receive scholarship assistance.
- National Nursing Scholarship – Each year, the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation awards the National Nursing Scholarship to students who wish to become nurses. Applying for this scholarship involves a contest that tests students’ knowledge of nursing and core curriculum with two quizzes. The first quiz is given February 7th through February 22nd and the second quiz is given February 14th through February 22nd. Students with the highest scores at the end of the contest are awarded the scholarship. First place prize for the contest is $600. Nursing students can obtain more information at www.cksf.org.
- Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association General Scholarships – The Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association, also known as the FNSNA is dedicated to providing financial opportunities to nursing students who demonstrate financial need. This foundation offers several general scholarships, including career mobility scholarships, breakthrough to nursing scholarships, specialty nursing scholarships, and McKesson scholarships. All applications must be submitted by January 15th each year, and applicants must be full-time students, in good academic standing, and legal U.S. residents. All students must be currently enrolled in a program leading to RN licensure, except when pursuing the specialty nursing scholarships. For these scholarships, the applicants must be interested in specialized areas of practical nursing such as emergency room, operating room, education, or critical care.
As a single mother, you may not feel as if you can afford a college education. However, with nursing scholarships, this doesn’t have to be true.
If becoming a nurse has always been your goal, don’t let a lack of extra cash keep you from pursuing a profitable and in-demand career. Begin the application process today.
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