Admissions
Learn more about our degrees and how to apply.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
UNC and the School of Nursing are committed to making your educational goals affordable. Please find your program below to learn more about the scholarships and financial aid available to you.
University Office of Scholarships and Student Aid
Financial aid, tuition payment plans and all other financial arrangements are made through the Office of the University Cashier or the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid. All students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) as the first step as this offers the greatest opportunity for need-based aid as well as many scholarships. Please explore the links below and visit studentaid.gov to learn more about this process. UNC’s School Code is 002974.
School of Nursing Scholarships and Grants
We are grateful to the donors who generously provide scholarship funding for our students. The selection of scholarship recipients is a thoughtful annual process that involves the School of Nursing’s Office of Student Affairs, Office of Advancement, lead faculty members and the University’s Office of Scholarship and Student Aid. In the academic year 2023-24 more than 250 students received over $1.5 million in donor-funded scholarships and awards.
Contact Us
For more information about how to access emergency funds or short-term support, please contact Sheryca Crossland, Sr. Assistant Director for Scholarship and Student Aid in the School of Nursing.
Additional Funding Opportunities
- NC Nurse Scholars (NSP) provides scholarships to outstanding nurses wishing to pursue a master’s degree in nursing in order to teach in nurse education programs or provide advanced nursing service to citizens of North Carolina. For further information and an application, visit the NC Nurse Scholars Program website.
- College Foundation of North Carolina Scholarship database
- The UNC Promise Program (ABSN only) is a partnership between UNC SON and UNC Medical Center that covers tuition and fees for five ABSN students throughout their program. In turn, a three-year commitment to work as an RN at UNC Med Center on a medical/surgical unit after completing the BSN program. Applications closed for 2024.
- Rural PrOMISE (Providing Opportunities and Mentoring in Scholarship and Education) is a pilot program funded by a $1.19 million grant from The Duke Endowment. Led by UNC Health’s Robert A. Ingram Institute for Equitable Healthcare Access, the program provides support, mentoring, and funding for UNC School of Nursing graduates who commit to working in a rural community for three years after graduation. The program also includes training and support for rural preceptors and a refresher course for RNs with lapsed licenses. Applications have closed for 2025.
- The HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program(NFLP) is a federal program designed to increase the number of nursing students who pursue careers as full-time faculty teaching in schools of nursing. Full-time or part-time graduate students who plan careers as nurse faculty are eligible to apply and may be eligible for up to five years of financial support (contingent upon ongoing federal funding and therefore subject to change).
- The HRSA National Health Service Corp Scholarship Program (Nurse Practitioner students only) may pay tuition for current students or repay student loans for graduates in exchange for commitments to work in an urban or rural under-served area. The program is designed to encourage nurse practitioners to go to areas where their expertise is needed. For further information, visit the National Health Service Corps website.
- UNC Graduate School Funding Opportunities and Funding Database
- Learn more about the financial support available to PhD students at Carolina Nursing here.
Graduate Student Employment
Application information coming soon.
A select number of graduate students are hired each year to support the work of the SON as well as develop their skills as educators and researchers. Opportunities to work for the SON include:
- Teaching Fellows are experienced nurses hired to provide clinical supervision for an undergraduate group or co-teach an undergraduate course; requires considerable responsibility and equates to an average of 12-13 instructional hours/week.
- Teaching Assistants are typically hired to provide support to faculty and students in a specific course for five hours/week; example responsibilities include managing discussion forums, proctoring exams, and assisting with office hours/Q&A sessions.
- Research Assistants are hired to provide support a variety of roles and responsibilities within research projects, as defined by the principle investigator of the project; roles can vary widely in worked hours per week (2-20).
Students may serve in multiple roles in the same semester, however, at no time may a student exceed 20 hours/week of University employment in accordance with the SON Student Employment Policy and Graduate School restrictions. Reasonably competitive hourly rates and student benefits are overseen by the Graduate School.
UNC Employee Tuition Waiver Program
The UNC System provides an opportunity for an eligible employee to have the tuition waived for a course taken at a constituent institution in the UNC System. This waiver authority also applies to state employees of the UNC Health System. A limited number of graduate nursing students admitted to each cycle may use the tuition waiver program. Eligibility to use the tuition waiver program is determined at the time of admission.
Selection is merit-based and applicable only to program pathways for which the tuition rate includes the University rate in combination with the school-based supplement; both may change annually. Students enrolling in the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate program are not eligible for tuition waiver consideration.
