Nurse Scholars Program
Created by the 1989 General Assembly, this program was
designed to address the shortage of trained nurses practicing in North Carolina.
NSP is administered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA).
The Nurse Scholars Program (NSP) is a competitive, merit-based scholarship/loan program available to students who have chosen to enter the nursing profession. Financial need is not a criterion. An 11-member Nurse Scholars Commission selects recipients for the award on the basis of superior academics, leadership potential, and desire to practice nursing on a full-time basis in North Carolina. Recipients must be NC residents. Students must plan to enter a nursing program at a participating college or university in the state of North Carolina or hospitals that offer nurse education programs which prepare students for licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN).
The annual value of the award is based upon the type of nurse education sought. Enrolled on a full-time, 12 credit hour per semester basis, candidates for the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) will receive $3,000; for the (Hospital) Diploma in Nursing, $3,000; and for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), $5,000 per year. Also, a $2,500 per year scholarship/loan is available for a RN seeking a BSN degree. One half of the award is made available to recipients in the fall semester and the remainder in the spring semester. The NSP scholarship/loan is renewable. Subject to legislative funding, up to 400 NSP scholarships/loans will be awarded annually.
The application is available at www.cfnc.org. The application deadline for the 2007-2008 academic year for students seeking a baccalaureate degree is February 28, 2007. Please click on the Participating Schools - Baccalaureate Degree link to ensure that your institution is eligible to participate in the Nurse Scholars Program.
All supporting documentation to the application (Transcripts, reference forms, etc.) must be postmarked by the respective date listed above. The application data will be submitted electronically through the scholarship wizard. As a reminder, funding is not available for summer sessions. For further information regarding the application process or this scholarship/loan please contact the NCSEAA at (800) 700-1775, select option "1".
The NSP scholarship/loan recipient enters into a contract with the State of North Carolina to work full time as a Registered Nurse in North Carolina. Twelve months of service as a full-time nurse cancels one year of NSP funding support received. A minimum of six months consecutive full-time employment with one employer is required to qualify for service cancellation. Service repayment must be completed within seven years from graduation. The interest rate for cash repayment is 10% and cash repayment must be repaid within ten years from graduation.