How To Become a Nurse Practitioner for Free

Nurse practitioners, also called advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses who have had additional training and certification. In many states, this allows them to do things like diagnosing medical conditions and prescribing medication.

Because much schooling is required for nurse practitioners, the costs can add up quickly. Still, various types of financial aid and other programs can cover these costs. Keep reading to learn how to become a nurse practitioner for free, or at little cost.

Tips For Becoming a Nurse Practitioner With Little to No Cost

To become a nurse practitioner, you'll need to go through several years of school. First, you'll typically need a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to become a registered nurse, then you'll need to complete a graduate nurse practitioner program, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

All these years of nursing education can cost a pretty penny, though some can go to nursing school online for free with the right combination of financial assistance. Below, we've listed a few tips for becoming a nurse practitioner with little to no cost.

1. Apply for Nurse Practitioner Scholarships

Scholarships are a type of financial aid that does not need to be repaid. They are usually merit-based, meaning they're offered for a specific reason. Many scholarships, including the ones listed below, are available to nurses and nurse practitioners.

The Scrubin Uniforms/AACN Scholarship

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has partnered with Scrubin Unifors to offer a scholarship to nursing students in baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral programs. Scholarship recipients receive $2,500 three times a year.

To qualify, you'll need to be attending an AACN-member school of nursing. A full list of eligible schools is available at AACNNursing.org.

Deborah E. Trautman Future Nurses Leader Scholarship

The AACN also offers the Deborah E. Trautman Future Nurses Leader Scholarship. This scholarship is for graduate nursing students pursuing leadership positions in academic nursing. It awards $3,500, which includes a travel stipend for leadership conferences.

Your school will need to be an AACN member school that is also affiliated with NursingCAS. You'll need to submit an essay and two letters of recommendation.

The NurseThink - AACN Scholarship

Another scholarship offered by the AACN is the Nurse Think scholarship. This scholarship is for students in graduate programs who want to become nurse faculty.

Scholarship winners receive $5,000 twice a year. To apply, you must submit a short essay about your plans to teach nursing after graduation.

2. Discover Loan Forgiveness Programs

Most students try to avoid taking out student loans if possible, but sometimes there's no other choice. However, some programs can help you pay off your student loans after you've completed your nursing degree. We've listed a few of these programs below.

Nurse Corp Loan Repayment Program

The Health Resource and Services Administration offers the Nurse Corp Loan Repayment Program. This program will pay up to 85% of unpaid nursing education debt for RNs, APRNs, and nurse faculty.

To be eligible for this award, you must work for two years either as a nurse in a critical shortage facility or as a faculty member at an eligible nursing school. Critical shortage facilities refer to those that lack enough primary care or mental health professionals.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is a federal program designed to help government and nonprofit employees pay their student loans. This program only pays for federal Direct Loans.

To be eligible, you must work for a government or qualifying nonprofit organization. You must also have made a total of 120 qualifying monthly payments.

State-Specific Loan Forgiveness

Several states offer loan forgiveness programs to nurses. The programs help nurses pay off a certain amount of their tuition, although there are usually some specific requirements.

For example, Alabama offers the Alabama Advanced Practice Loan Repayment Program for advanced practice nurses. Minnesota, meanwhile, offers healthcare loan forgiveness programs for many healthcare jobs, including both registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses.

3. Consider Accelerated or Bridge Programs

Accelerated programs, or bridge programs, allow you to go from being a registered nurse to a nurse practitioner more quickly than usual. This often means fewer credits, which means a lower tuition cost. We've listed a few of these programs below.

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. It offers two BSN to DNP bridge programs.

These programs allow students who have already completed a BSN program and hold their RN license to enter a DNP program without first earning their master's degree. This program is available in two specializations: adult gerontology acute care and family nurse practitioner/emergency nurse practitioner.

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its nursing school offers a BSN to DNP bridge program for nurse anesthesia.

This program is for students with a bachelor's degree in nursing and valid RN licensure. It trains students for careers as nurse anesthetists by covering topics like patient care and offering hands-on clinical training.

University of Nevada

The University of Nevada is a public university system with its flagship university in Reno, Nevada. The Reno campus offers a BSN to DNP track that allows students to bypass a master's degree.

This track is available in multiple specializations, including family nurse practitioner (FNP), psychiatric mental health, adult gerontology, and acute care pediatric. Full-time and part-time plans of study are available.

4. Seek Employer Tuition Reimbursement

Some employers offer tuition assistance programs. This means they pay you back for your tuition costs if you attend a degree program while working for them.

Many large hospital systems offer these types of programs, but some smaller organizations may as well. If you're working there as an RN, you may be able to get a reimbursement for your time at NP school.

5. Research Affordable NP Programs

Not all nurse practitioner programs cost the same. Several things can affect the cost of your tuition, including whether you attend a public or private school and whether you're an in-state or out-of-state student.

Generally, in-state public schools will have the lowest tuition costs, but this isn't always true. Do some research to see tuition rates across multiple nursing schools.

6. Fill out the FAFSA

The Free Application for Student Aid, or FAFSA, is an application that determines your financial aid eligibility based on your financial need. It's required for state and federal grants and loans, as well as many independent financial aid options.

One grant that can significantly reduce your tuition costs is the Pell Grant. This is a need-based grant that can help you pay for your Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), your bachelor's degree, and even some of your graduate degree.

7. Network With Nursing Professionals

Getting to know other nursing professionals and healthcare providers is a great way to help you as you start looking for nurse practitioner jobs. You'll likely network naturally as you gain nursing experience, but can even start turning your clinical experiences in nursing school.

If you want to focus on a particular specialization, it helps to work as a registered nurse in that department. For example, to become a mental health nurse practitioner, you can consider looking for nursing jobs in psychiatric mental health units.

8. Utilize Free Online Study Resources

Online study resources can help you as you work toward your nurse practitioner certification. These can help you study for your courses and certification exams, including the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Check out resources like Study.com, Coursera, edX, and Udemy for free or low-cost courses. You can also do a quick internet search for the specific type of study materials you want.