Getting an advanced degree can be expensive. However, with a PhD in nursing, you’ll qualify for higher-paying job with more responsibilities. Some nurse practitioners with PhDs even go on to open their own practices! Grants are one of the best ways to pay for the upfront costs of college, so that you can get your degree as quickly as possible without breaking the bank.

Unlike student loans, you don’t have to repay grants after you graduate. Essentially, this is free money for school. However, just because the money is “free,” doesn’t mean that you don’t have to work for it. Grant applications are typically very detailed and require you to show the grant committee how you plan to use every dollar you’re given. Some grants fund specific educational projects, while others can be used as you see fit to pay for your tuition and other cost of education. In either case, be prepared for an in-depth application.

Grants are available from three different sources. First, you can look to the government for available funds, and many departments at the state and local level have money set aside for students in medical fields. As an undergraduate, you may have applied for the Federal Pell Grant, and although this money isn’t available to you at the PhD level, there are a number of government grants for which you do qualify.

In addition, many outside organizations offer grants for nurses. Unlike scholarships, where the focus is merit, with grants, the focus is on your financial need. Organizations, companies, and other groups offer grants to projects and students they most want to fund, so your job when applying is to convince the committee that you deserve and need the money the most. Here are some organizations that offer grants to nurses or general students pursing a medical degree:

• AAOHN Foundation
• Alpha Tau Delta
• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
• American Association of Critical Care Nurses
• American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• American Association of University Women
• American Lung Association
• American Parkinson Disease Association
• Gerontological Society of America
• IHC Foundation
• Pfizer
• Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society

Lastly, you can turn to your program of choice for educational grants. Many colleges, both online and off, have grants specifically for their students. These come in the form of general grants, which are available to all students who apply and qualify, and in the form of grants for students in a specific department. In addition, you should talk to the head of the nursing department at your school to find out about alumni and businesses that offer grants to students at your school. These grants aren’t always highly publicized, but combined with other grants and scholarships you receive, they can help significantly lower the cost of your education.