Becoming a nurse can be a very worthwhile and rewarding endeavor. Nurses are needed everywhere in the world today. In the US in particular, there is a huge shortage of nurses, with nurse positions expected to increase over the next few years as more people are encouraged to get into this role. If you thrive in a busy environment, are good in an emergency and love to help and support other people as much as you can, it makes sense that nursing may be something that you feel called to do with your life. But getting a nursing degree at any level can be a lot of hard work, and it’s also expensive. Whether you’re just starting out with getting an associate’s degree or BSN, or are already working as a registered nurse and want to earn an advanced degree to take your career to the next level, here are some top tips to help you save money on the overall investment in your education.
Ask Your Employer to Pay:
Perhaps the simplest way to save a huge amount of money on your nursing education is to ask your employer to pay. If you’re working for a healthcare employer that hires nurses, but you are currently in a different role, it is always worth speaking to your boss about any opportunities that you may have to become a nurse, funded by your workplace. With the huge shortage of nurses in the US right now, more employers are allocating funding to pay for their employees to either train as nurses or advance their nursing education. If you’re currently working as a registered nurse, are interested in becoming a nurse practitioner and know that your employer is looking to hire these professionals, you could try your luck at asking for funding to get onto Baylor University’s online DNP FNP program, available for advanced nurses. Most of the time, you will need to agree to continue working for the employer a number of years after graduation – after all, no business will want to fund your education only for you to take it elsewhere.
Study Online:
Even if your employer isn’t able to pay or you are not working for a healthcare employer and want to train as a nurse, studying online can have lots of cost-saving benefits. Unfortunately, this isn’t with the tuition costs since the fees for studying nursing online are now around the same as you’d expect to pay when studying on campus. However, studying online can still save you a significant amount of money on the investment that you make in your education. One of the main reasons for this is the sheer flexibility of online nursing degree programs. This allows student nurses to continue working as they study, allowing them to earn consistent income and avoid taking time off work or reducing their hours to study. And, studying from home completely eliminates the cost of regular commuting.
Apply for Scholarships:
Another way to save money on your nursing education is to consider applying for as many scholarships that are available. But remember, you will need to act quickly as scholarships tend to be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis as long as you meet the requirements. Scholarships are given out for a variety of reasons. If you have a high GPA, are from a disadvantaged background, the first person in your family to go to college or are from a certain demographic, you may be able to find a scholarship based on one or more of these factors. It’s important to start searching early so that you have the time to write a convincing application that stands out and ultimately improve your chance of being accepted.
Shop Around for Supplies:
Nursing school doesn’t come cheap. And that’s not just because of the tuition cost – there will be several items that you need such as medical kits, textbooks, scrubs, comfortable shoes, a laptop and more that’s all going to add up. Starting to look early so that you can shop around for the supplies that you need for nursing school is one of the best ways to save money when it comes to this aspect. You can often find textbooks for sale second-hand; ask students in the year above yours if they have any that they no longer need, or shop around on second-hand selling sites like eBay and Craigslist. When it comes to buying the essentials, make sure that you’ve signed up for all the student discounts you can get. You’ll often be able to get a generous student discount when you show your student ID at many stores, including electronics stores where you can find laptops and other essential devices.
Save on Accommodation:
Your accommodation at nursing school is likely going to be the biggest cost aside from tuition fees. Depending on your personal circumstances, it might be worth looking into the options that are available to help you save on your accommodation costs. If you don’t have kids and are free to move, you might want to consider a cheaper option such as living with a family member while you are studying to save as much money as possible. Alternatively, you could consider house or apartment sharing with some other online nursing students; there are plenty of sites and apps you can use to find a suitable roommate and property online, and you may enjoy having somebody around who you have something in common with.
Apply for Financial Aid:
Some nursing students at any level may be eligible for certain types of financial aid. Financial aid comes in the form of student loans and/or grants that you can use towards the cost of getting your nursing degree or for living costs while you are a student. Financial aid grants are available to help students who would otherwise struggle financially throughout college, and these do not have to be repaid, unlike student loans.
Getting a nursing degree can be the first step towards an amazing career, but it’s a big investment. If you want to study nursing, keep these tips in mind for saving money.
