Features

• The State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana oversees the Nursing Scholarship program, which began in 1990 due to legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly. As of 2010, the award paid a maximum of $5,000 per year toward the cost of tuition. The amount that an individual nursing student receives varies based upon the cost of the program she attends. Any other financial aid she receives like federal and state loans and grants may also reduce the amount for which she is eligible.
  
  

Eligibility

• Beyond being a U.S. citizen and a resident of Indiana, nursing students must meet eligibility requirements to qualify for funding under the Nursing Scholarship program. Applicants must attend an accredited and state-approved nursing program at a private or public college in Indiana or another state. Students must attend the school on at least a part-time basis, which the state defines as taking at least six academic credits per semester. A demonstrated financial need is also necessary. To determine their need, applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
  
  

Work Requirement

• In exchange for receiving funds, winners of Indiana-resident Nursing Scholarships must commit to work in the state of Indiana. To fully satisfy the work obligation, two years of full-time registered nursing is necessary. Nurses may work in hospitals, long-term care and rehabilitation facilities, and mental hospitals or for hospice and home health care services. Alternatively, nurses may perform private duty for a family in an area identified by the state as having a shortage of medical practitioners. Scholarship recipients sign a written contract verifying that they understand and commit to the work requirement. Those that do not fulfill the obligation must repay the amount received from the scholarship plus fees.
  
  

Applications and Renewal

• In addition to completing the FAFSA form, nursing students must complete an application for scholarship consideration. The application is available online from the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana. Once completed, this application should be returned to the students' Office of Financial Aid. Recipients of the Indiana resident Nursing Scholarship can renew their award annually, but must complete their training within six years of beginning it. Each year, scholarship winners must reapply for the awards. To maintain eligibility, nursing students must continue to have a grade point average that is within the scholarship program's minimum requirement.