Nursing Scholarships Around the World. Free nursing schools in Canada

Planning to study nursing and need some additional funding? Luckily there a wide range of scholarships available to help aspiring nurses achieve their ambitions. Check out these nursing scholarships on offer around the world, broken down by region…

Nursing scholarships to study in the US and Canada

United States

• A Nurse I am Scholarship by Cherokee Uniforms – Awards up to 10 scholarships, each worth US$2,000, to nursing students.
• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) – Offers Continuing Professional Development Scholarships to help members acquire knowledge and skills beyond traditional academic nursing education. A limited number of scholarships for specific academic courses will continue to be awarded.
• Cascade Healthcare Solutions Nurses Make a Difference Scholarship - An annual $1,000 scholarship awarded to an aspiring nurse who is currently enrolled in (or accepted for) an undergraduate nursing program. You need to be either a legal resident of the US or hold a valid student visa to apply.  
• Delta State University – A variety of scholarships on offer to study at the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing.
• Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing – Various merit-based funding opportunities are available for MSN and DNP programs at the university, ranging from US$7,500 to full tuition. With the exception of the Fuld Fellowship in Patient Care Quality and Safety, no separate applications are required.
• Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing Scholarships Database – Search and find scholarships in the US by state, study level and requirements with this handy tool, which lists over 340 nursing scholarships.
• National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) – Offers annual scholarships for students who are NBNA members or local chapter members, currently enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program, and have at least one full year of study remaining. Awards range from US$1,000 to $6,000.
• Northern Illinois University – Various scholarships available to study nursing. Only admitted nursing majors are eligible.
• NURSE Corps Scholarship Program – Enables students accepted or enrolled in a diploma, associate, baccalaureate or graduate nursing programs, to receive funding for tuition, fees and other educational costs in exchange for working at an eligible NURSE Corps site upon graduation. Applicants must be US citizens (born or naturalized), nationals or lawful permanent residents.
• University of Washington School of Nursing – Various fellowships and awards are available to study nursing at the University of Washington at all study levels.

Canada

• Canadian Nurses Foundation – A range of awards to support Canadian students of nursing at various study levels, from baccalaureate to doctorate.
• Montfort Hospital – Six Montfort Clinical Excellence Scholarships of CA$6,000 each are available to study nursing in French. You must have an outstanding academic record and be registered in a baccalaureate nursing program at an Ontario university.
• StudentAid BC Nurses’ Education Bursary – Bursary awards of between CA$500 and $2,000 are available for full-time nursing students in British Columbia who demonstrate the greatest financial need.
• University of Alberta – Various scholarships to study nursing at the university are available, including the Ambassador Award, granted based on academic excellence.
• University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) - A variety of nursing scholarships for current and entering students of UPEI’s nursing school, such as the Friends of UPEI Calgary Bill and Denise Andrew Scholarship in Nursing, which awards up to CA$5,000 for students entering their nursing course, with preference given to students from Calgary.
• University of Toronto Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing – Over 75 undergraduate awards and 100 graduate fellowships are available, awarded based on academic excellence and/or financial need.

Nursing scholarships to study in the United Kingdom

• Florence Nightingale Foundation – A range of research, travel and leadership scholarships are available from the foundation.
• Margaret Parkinson Scholarships – Up to £2,500 per annum is available for graduates of a non-nursing degree who wish to begin training to become a nurse. Only open to students based in the UK.
• Queen’s University Belfast Patricia Napier Scholarships – Two postgraduate scholarships covering tuition and registration fees are available to study an MSc or postgraduate diploma at Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.
• The Barbers' Company Clinical Nursing Scholarship – Offers up to £10,000 to a student pursuing a career in clinical nursing by studying a related master’s in an academic department in the UK or at an approved academic department of nursing overseas.
• The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) – If you’re a qualified nurse working in Wales, or are studying to become a qualified nurse at an institution in Wales, you can apply for the June Clark Travel Scholarship, which awards up to £1,000.
• University of Edinburgh Nursing Studies Alumni Scholarship – A £3,500 scholarship open to all applicants, including international students, to study postgraduate taught degrees in nursing.
• University of Surrey Ted Adams Trust Scholarships for Student Nurses – Awards £3,000 a year for a maximum of three years to mature students (aged 25 and above) studying an undergraduate or postgraduate nursing degree at the university.

Nursing scholarships to study in Asia

• International Medical University, Malaysia – Scholarships are available to fully or partially cover the tuition fees for the full duration of a nursing degree at the International Medical University in Kuala Lumpur. They are awarded to both international and domestic students based on academic excellence, extra curriculum participation and leadership qualities.
• National University of Singapore Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (ALCNS) – Scholarships and bursaries are available for nursing students at the university, including bursaries open to students of any nationality.
• University of Hong Kong School of Nursing – Various scholarships to study at the university, including the Academic Elite Scholarship in Nursing, which awards up to HK$231,500 to high-caliber students.

Nursing scholarships to study in Australia or New Zealand

• New Zealand Nurses’ Organization (NZNO) – Various grants and scholarships to study nursing, available for NZNO members only.  
• The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) – ACN runs a number of scholarships funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Department of Social Services. It is not required to be a member of ACN to apply for these scholarships.
• University of South Australia – The School of Nursing and Midwifery offers a range of scholarships.
• University of Sydney, Sydney Nursing School – Various scholarships available to study nursing at the university, ranging in value from AU$2,500 to $87,500.

This article was originally published in November 2015. It was last updated in June 2019.