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When considering potential sources of funding for your LPN education and training, don’t forget to consider the American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) as a possible source. The AACN maintains a website, www.aacn.nche.edu that posts information regarding potential fellowships, scholarships, grants, and a variety of other potential funding sources for nursing students.
What is the AACN?
The AACN is catered toward undergraduate and higher nursing degree programs; however, it can still be a valuable resource for LPN students. The list of potential funding sources is constantly changing and some programs will offer scholarships and other awards to all levels of nursing students.
The AACN provides ongoing research that aims at increasing educational standards in nursing. This has the effect of raising the bar for national nursing educational programs. The AACN also provides an online resource for information related to nursing education as well as ongoing career information.
The career link section of the AACN’s webpage provides a list of job announcements. While these vacancies are typically for nursing education and research jobs, it may come in handy should you decide to pursue these avenues later in your nursing career.
The AACN is also an invaluable source for updated news and relevant policies regarding information related to the working nurse as well as nursing students. The site lists over 600 schools by state that are members of the AACN and provides contact information for each school.
LPN Resources through AACN
Financial aid for LPN schools is available to students who take the time to investigate their options. While federal and state funding is often available, you should also look for other sources of potential grants and scholarships. The AACN provides detailed information on some of these prospective sources.
Many of the opportunities on the AACN website are catered to registered nursing programs; however, LPN funding resources can be found on the site. Because the list often changes, you should monitor it frequently.
How to Find Funding Opportunities
After you log onto the AACN homepage, follow the following steps:
- Click on the nursing education tab
- This will take you to the financial aid section; click on it.
- Carefully navigate through this section and make a list of any potential scholarships or grant opportunities.
Types of LPN Financial Aid Programs
The following organizations frequently provide financial aid programs, such as scholarships, cash awards and grants to eligible students:
- Private institutions
- Religious groups
- Private businesses
- Minority student programs
- Single mother programs
This list often changes and is updated on a regular basis. By checking the site regularly, you can stay informed of the possible options.
Examples of Current Programs
This is just a quick sample of some of the programs that are available to nursing students through the AACN website:
The Hurst Review Program
AACN partnered up with the Hurst Review Program to offer a $2,500 scholarship to nursing students. The winners of this award are announced through AACN, and the application can be found at www.hurstreview.com.
Cherokee Uniforms
This national program known as the Inspired Comfort Award honors healthcare professionals with grants and scholarships that will help defray the cost of nursing education. Information regarding this program can be found through the AACN website.