Native American Nursing Scholarships: Paving the Way for Healthcare Leaders

Native Americans aspiring to become nurses often encounter significant hurdles, encompassing both financial constraints and educational disadvantages. Recognizing these challenges, numerous organizations and institutions offer scholarships specifically designed to support Native American nursing students. These scholarships not only alleviate the financial burden of education but also encourage these students to pursue advanced degrees and contribute to the health and well-being of their communities.

The Need for Native American Nurses

Native American communities continue to grapple with persistent challenges that can limit access to education, potentially hindering future employment prospects. College-educated Native American nurses are essential to providing culturally competent healthcare to these communities, yet they remain in short supply. Many students come from homes that lack basic amenities like running water or electricity. Moreover, a significant number of these students provide crucial financial support to their families, making the decision to attend school instead of working a difficult one.

Overcoming Barriers Through Scholarships

Scholarships play a vital role in enabling Native American students to overcome these barriers and pursue their dreams of becoming nurses. By providing financial assistance, these scholarships allow students to focus on their studies and excel in their academic pursuits.

Expanding Horizons in Nursing

The ultimate goal of initiatives like Expanding Horizons in Nursing is to encourage Native American students to pursue advanced degrees and make a tangible difference in the health outcomes of Native Americans.

The Impact of Scholarships: Student Testimonials

The impact of these scholarships is evident in the stories of the students who receive them.

Read also: Investing in Native Education

Fern, a member of the Navajo Nation (clans: Nakaii Dine (Mexican People) born for Kiyannaii (Towering House People)), was a recipient of an ANA scholarship and the Sue Kutenplon awardee for Fall 2020. She also served as president of the SNA at UNM-Gallup.

Jessica, another ANA scholarship recipient, expressed her gratitude, stating, "I am honored to be selected for the ANA scholarship. It is because of this scholarship that I will be able to focus more on my studies. I was born and raised in Gallup, NM." She also highlighted the generous donation from the CTC Foundation, which enabled ANA to offer scholarships for students pursuing further study after receiving their Associates Degree in Nursing at UNM-G.

Kelly Manuelito was awarded the Daisy Award, a prestigious honor for nurses who go above and beyond in providing exceptional patient care. Felicia Adams, Chief Nursing Officer at Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services, noted that “On the day we received our very first COVID patient, Kelly was the nurse who was her admitting nurse."

Types of Nursing Scholarships for Native Americans

Numerous scholarships are available to Native American students pursuing nursing degrees, catering to various academic levels and specific criteria.

Undergraduate Nursing Scholarships

These scholarships are designed to support Native American students pursuing undergraduate nursing degrees.

American Indian College Fund: This scholarship supports full-time undergraduate study for American Indian and Alaska Native students. Applicants must provide transcripts, ACT scores, and documentation of tribal membership.
Association of American Indian Affairs Scholarship: This scholarship assists students enrolled in undergraduate nursing programs. Each applicant must have one-fourth Native American heritage, a high school diploma or equivalent, and a recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or another school official. Recipients can renew the award each semester. The scholarship grants \$1,500 per semester.
Augustana University Diversity Scholarship: Augustana University, located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, offers Diversity Scholarships for full-time students of color. Recipients may renew the award annually depending on financial need and academic standing.
Cherokee Nation Scholarship: This award supports members of the Cherokee Nation working toward their first associate of arts or science, associate of applied science in nursing, or bachelor’s degrees.
Gates Millennium Scholars Program: This highly selective scholarship supports minority high school seniors from low-income households who plan to enroll full-time in accredited four-year schools. The award covers costs not already covered by other financial aid or family contributions.
Hackett Family Scholarship: The Grand Rapids Community Foundation sponsors the Hackett Family Scholarship for seniors or graduates of high schools in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Women of color receive preference in the applicant pool.
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Higher Education Grant: Recipients of this tribal grant should be members of the Menominee community and enrolled as full-time students taking 12 or more credits each semester. Eligibility is determined by financial need and academic merit.
Minnesota Indian Scholarship Program: This program assists students of color, including Native Americans, who face financial and academic barriers to higher education opportunities. Minnesota high school graduates who attend or plan to attend Minnesota postsecondary institutions may apply.
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Higher Education Assistance Program: Members of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians who attend public colleges or universities in Michigan may apply. The scholarship covers unmet financial needs as determined by the school.
Washington State Opportunity Scholarship: Applicants must be enrolled in upper-division undergraduate courses at accredited schools in Washington. The award supports residents of the state with close social and cultural ties to the Washington American Indian community.

Graduate Nursing Scholarships

These scholarships are aimed at supporting Native American students pursuing graduate degrees in nursing.

American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Albert W. Dent Graduate Student Scholarship: This award, sponsored by the American College of Healthcare Executives, provides financial assistance to racially/ethnically diverse students pursuing graduate degrees in healthcare management. Candidates must demonstrate financial need.
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Higher Education Grant Program: The Bureau of Indian Education administers this program for students pursuing graduate degrees. Candidates must be members of federally recognized tribes and maintain full-time enrollment in master’s or doctoral programs.
Catching the Dream Scholarship: The Catching the Dream Program delivers scholarships three times a year to students seeking bachelor’s or graduate degrees. Each applicant must demonstrate one-fourth or more Native American ancestry and membership in a federally recognized tribe.
Chickasaw Nation Higher Education Grant: The Higher Education Grant, intended for students who hold Chickasaw Nation citizenship or citizenship confirmation, provides support for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral study. Recipients must maintain a GPA of 2.0 each semester.
Cobell Scholarship: This competitive need-based scholarship for enrolled members of federally recognized tribes helps cover tuition and other costs for undergraduate, graduate, or professional programs. Recipients must enroll in full-time study at accredited public or private institutions.
American Indian Graduate Center: The American Indian Graduate Center assists American Indian and Alaska Native students to offset the cost of graduate entrance exams, including the GRE, GMAT, and LSAT. Each applicant must provide a copy of their undergraduate transcripts and indicate which test they intend to take. The award is \$200-\$320, depending on the exam fee.
Indian Health Service Scholarship: This award provides financial aid to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students in eligible health professional degree programs. Each recipient must fulfill a service commitment in clinical practice upon completion of their degree.
Minnesota Indian Scholarship Program: Minnesota residents with one-fourth or more Indian ancestry may apply for up to five years of assistance for graduate study. Recipients must maintain at least half-time enrollment in Minnesota colleges or universities.
Osage Nation Higher Education Scholarship: This award, for enrolled members of the Osage Nation, supports undergraduate and graduate study through the doctoral degree. A recipient must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA each semester.
American Indian Nurse Graduate Fellowship Program: The American Indian Graduate Center administers this fellowship for American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students pursuing nursing careers. Each recipient must possess one-fourth Indian heritage from a federally recognized tribe.

Other Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities

New Mexico Native American Indian Nurses Association Nursing Student Scholarship: This scholarship provides financial assistance for undergraduate or graduate study of nursing to Native Americans who reside and attend school in New Mexico.
The Banyan Scholarship for Clinical Education and Healthcare Professions: This scholarship offers \$1,000 to support working students in healthcare fields.
EduMed Medical and Healthcare Scholarships: This resource lists 50 of the top available scholarships across 7 different healthcare fields, including dental, nursing, medical assisting, and healthcare leadership.
FHE Health Hope for Healing Scholarship: This annual scholarship awards \$5,000 to one graduate and one undergraduate student in the fields of mental and behavioral health, psychology, nursing, and/or addiction medicine.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF): This fund assists students of Hispanic heritage in obtaining a college degree.
NURSE Corps Scholarship Program (NCSP): This program helps students complete their nursing education by paying tuition, fees, and other education costs, while also providing a monthly living stipend.
Tillman Military Scholars Program: This program supports active and veteran service members and their spouses by removing financial barriers to completing a degree program of choice.
Senior Care Scholarship (A Place for Mom): This scholarship is available to students enrolled in a bachelor's degree or graduate level program in nursing at an accredited four-year university.
American Cancer Society Scholarships in Cancer Nursing: These scholarships provide support for study in a doctoral degree program in nursing or a related area that will prepare the graduate for a career as a cancer nurse scientist.
Federal Student Aid: This resource provides grants, loans, and work-study funds for college or career school.
Campaign for Action: This national nursing organization focuses on implementing the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing report.
PhDs.me Scholarships & Resources for Black Students: This resource provides funding options for PhD students.
Department of Health and Human Services’ Rural Initiative: This initiative serves as a rural health and human services information portal.
NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program: This program helps alleviate the shortage of nurses across the country by offering loan repayment assistance to registered nurses and advance practice nurses working at Critical Shortage facilities and nurse faculty employed at accredited schools of nursing.
Kaiser Permanente Student Financial Aid Program: This program awards need-based nursing financial aid to students in California.
American Indian Medical Scholarship (AIMS): Officially adopted by the NSCDA as a national project in the 1930s, the American Indian Medical Scholarship (AIMS) gives students of American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Hawaiian Native descent the opportunity to pursue careers in nursing, healthcare, and health education. The scholarship recipient will be granted \$1,500 each semester, so long as they remain in good academic standing. Applicants must be enrolled in a tribe or village and be a high school graduate, in the last semester of high school, or have equivalent education.
Washington, D.C. Award: Eligible students receive \$1,500 per semester to be used strictly for tuition, books, or fees applicable to the student’s approved program.

Eligibility Requirements

While specific eligibility requirements vary depending on the scholarship, some common criteria include:

Enrollment in a federally recognized tribe or village
Minimum GPA requirements
Demonstrated financial need
U.S. citizenship or permanent residency
Acceptance into an accredited nursing program

Proving Native American Heritage

Student members of the 562 federally recognized Native American tribes significantly increase their chances of receiving funding. Each enrolled member of a tribe recognized by the federal government and the National Congress of American Indians receives a certificate of Indian blood card to use as proof of membership for scholarship applications. The Bureau of Indian Affairs generally awards scholarships to students who can demonstrate at least one-fourth American Indian ancestry. Many Indigenous American scholarships, including those administered by the Office of Indian Educator Programs, restrict awards to members of federally recognized Native American tribes.

When to Apply

A high school student should generally begin their scholarship search in the summer before their senior year. Learners who intend to apply for graduate school should explore grant and scholarship prospects at least a year before their intended start dates.

Loan Forgiveness Programs

In addition to scholarships, Native Americans may also qualify for student loan forgiveness plans. The Indian Health Services Loan Repayment Program reduces loan payments for healthcare professionals who commit two years of service in Native American or Alaska Native communities.

Read also: Tuition-Free at NAU

The Importance of Giving Back

Many scholarship programs emphasize the importance of recipients returning to their communities to provide healthcare services. Some students work on reservations, while others find employment in hospitals in areas largely populated by American Indians. The goal is to improve healthcare access and outcomes for Native American populations.

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