Discover Online Nursing Schools that Accept Financial Aid and FAFSA

Dallas College

Dallas College offers an associate degree program in nursing with the option to take additional perioperative nursing coursework, a feature unique to Dallas College that opens further career opportunities in the surgical setting.

While Dallas College offers several required courses online, it is still considered a hybrid option. The college notes that most prerequisites and supporting courses are available online, however, there are on-campus requirements. For example, the dosage calculations course must be completed in person.

Dallas College offers several financial aid options, including grants, scholarships, work-study, direct loans, and support services to help offset the costs of tuition, materials, and living. The Dallas College Foundation was also established to help support students through financial emergencies and requires only a simple application. The online nursing school also accepts FAFSA and other types of financial aid.

Excelsior University

Excelsior University offers two online associate degree programs in nursing: the Associate Degree in Nursing and the Associate Degree in Applied Science in Nursing. Both are appropriate for individuals with healthcare backgrounds, including licensed vocational nurses and paramedics.

While there are several similarities between the two programs, they have slight differences in their general education requirements. A key benefit of both programs is the option to complete the coursework online in eight-week courses.

It is important to note that Excelsior University has healthcare experience requirements for admission to the program. Accepted healthcare licenses/backgrounds include licensed vocational nurse (LVN), paramedics, and those with military experience equivalent in scope to an LVN or paramedic certification.

The program is currently offered in a select number of states so, you’ll want to confirm your state is on the list before applying.

Lastly, a key highlight of the nursing program at Excelsior is its wide array of financial aid options. This online nursing school accepts FAFSA and encourages students to seek additional sources of financial aid through scholarships, partner organizations, military discounts, private grants and loans, and payment plans.

Rasmussen University

Rasmussen University’s hybrid ADN program is offered primarily online, coupled with in-person simulations and clinical experiences at one of their 17 campuses. Rasmussen University offers several start times at their various campuses, making it easy to start at a time that suits your schedule and existing obligations. Practicing LPNs can take advantage of the LPN to RN bridge program. Students entering the program without any post-secondary education can complete all necessary pre-nursing coursework as part of the program.

Rasmussen University not only accepts FAFSA but offers several options for financial aid and many ways to save. You can pay significantly less for your program if you or your partner are in the military, you work for a partner corporation that offers discounts through Rasmussen University, or if you transfer credits.

Unique to Rasmussen is its Transfer and Other Knowledge Credit Program™ that allows students to pay a small fee to take assessments demonstrating mastery of, and receiving credit for, a corresponding course. Rasmussen University estimates indicate that students who took self-directed assessments save an average of $1,640 in 2020. You can also get credit for professional certifications and military experience relevant to your degree program.

Herzing University

Herzing University offers several online BSN programs. If this you are just entering the nursing world, you can enroll in their BSN program as a student with no nursing background. Or, if you already have your ADN, you can explore their online RN-BSN completion program. Likewise, if you have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field under your belt, you have the option to enroll in their direct entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). But your options don’t end there. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree but know you want to pursue a graduate nursing degree, you can also earn dual credits towards an MSN through their BSN program.

So, regardless of your career goals, Herzing has you covered! With a flexible, remote-friendly BSN program, you are only required to be on campus during three intensives at either a Herzing location or a partner site. Clinicals are also in-person at various placement sites.

As an online nursing school that accepts FAFSA and offers financial aid, Herzing has several options to help make nursing school affordable regardless of the degree path you choose. Military and veteran discounts, scholarships, and grants are just some of the many funding opportunities available right at your fingertips.

University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) has an innovative and accelerated online BSN program. While the courses are offered online, clinical placements must be completed at partner institutions throughout Texas. One of the goals of the partner institutions is to train graduates who require less orientation and training time at these specific sites. Like Herzing University, UTA also offers an online RN-BSN program for students who hold an active nursing license and want to obtain their BSN.

This program is a great option if you live in Texas, prefer to enroll in online courses, and want to complete your BSN in an accelerated format—students can graduate with their BSN in as few as 15 months!

UTA believes tuition should be affordable and is an online nursing program that accepts several options for financial aid. Additionally, once you enroll in the nursing program at UTA and continue without interruption, your tuition rate is locked in for the duration of your program. UTA is an online nursing school that accepts FAFSA and has other forms of financial aid. These include various scholarships, grants, and a student work-study program.

Western Governors University

Western Governors University’s online RN-BSN program is a strong option for those who have already earned a nursing diploma or associate degree.

Like every nursing program, WGU’s field placement portion must be completed in person, but students have the ability to do so at established facilities in their local community. So, under most circumstances, you can complete the program without ever learning town.

Western Governors’ tuition structure is different from other schools. Instead of charging per credit hour or course, they charge per six-month term. You can advance through courses as quickly as you can complete them, allowing you to earn your degree at your pace—and likely faster than at other schools.

Additionally, several forms of financial aid are available. This online nursing school accepts FAFSA and financial aid through state grants, scholarships, and employer reimbursement, depending on your place of work.

Drexel University

If you are interested in pursuing a leadership role in nursing, consider one of the several online nursing programs from Drexel University. Drexel University’s Online Master of Nursing program offers four concentrations: Clinical Nurse Leader, Leadership in Health Systems Management, Nursing Education, and Quality, Safety, and Risk Management in Healthcare. These concentrations prepare students for various leadership positions, and are each eligible for financial aid. This online nursing program also accepts FAFSA. Additional savings are available for Drexel University alums, those in the military, and those involved with one of their partner organizations.

Walden University

Walden University offers several master’s programs with concentrations for leadership roles, including the master’s concentration as a nurse executive as well as several nurse practitioner certifications.

Walden is unique in offering two learning formats — Tempo Learning® and course-based. While not all programs are available in Tempo Learning®, the benefit of this option is that it allows you to complete courses at your own, often accelerated pace.

There are options for traditional financial aid at Walden, too since Walden is another online nursing school that accepts FAFSA. The an online nursing program also accepts other forms of financial aid, such as grants and scholarships, depending on your program, to reduce the cost of graduate school.

Western Governors University

Western Governors University offers several online master’s programs, including an RN-MSN pathway for students who don’t have a BSN. You can complete classes at your own pace, move through courses as you complete them. For example, students in WGU’s leadership and management MSN program can complete the degree in as little as one year. This program is entirely online, and is supplemented by WGU’s innovative immersive virtual reality training to simulate real-life scenarios as well as traditional clinical practice experience.. If leadership and management aren’t your focus, there are several other MSN tracks, such as education, informatics, and nurse practitioner options.

Financial aid is available for all master’s degrees. As an online nursing school that accepts FAFSA and offers other forms of financial aid, WGU can help students graduate with little to no debt. Additionally, students’ ability to complete courses as quickly as they can master the material, allows them to save money they would otherwise have spent on classes whose material they already knew. This is possible because of WGU’s payment model, which charges students per six-month term instead of per credit.

WGU also offers several scholarships. And students don’t just save on tuition since you can have transcripts from several schools sent to them for free. With the waived application fee, you can also save money during the application process.

Duquesne University

Duquesne University, a leader in online nursing education, has offered online PhDs for decades. They offer two traditional online nursing PhDs, the general PhD and the PhD in nursing ethics. Duquesne also provides an online DNP to PhD program option for those who already hold a DNP and are interested in moving into a more research-centric position. While an MSN is a preferred prerequisite, applicants with a BSN are still considered, however, additional coursework will likely be required.

If a DNP is what you’re more interested in, they also offer an online DNP program with two concentrations: clinical leadership or executive nurse leadership and health care management.

As an online nursing program that accepts financial aid, including the FAFSA, Duquesne University prides itself on their options for financial aid. Tuition discounts exist at various partner organizations and for students who belong to specific nursing organizations, such as the Transcultural Nursing Society. Duquesne University also offers graduate assistantships to decrease costs further and receives funding from the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP).

Those who apply for and accept NFLP funding and go on to teach full-time at a nursing school for four years can have the majority of their loans forgiven. NFLP funding is an excellent option for those who want to enter teaching and academia after graduating.

The University of Texas at Tyler

The University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) offers both a BSN-PhD and MSN-PhD program. This nursing program is nearly entirely online, however, new and returning students are required to attend in-person workshops in the spring.

UT Tyler also offers a primarily online DNP program whose online coursework is supplemented by required in-person clinicals. However, these can typically be completed where the student resides. There may also be occasional on-campus visits required of DNP students. However, UT Tyler notes that students are notified of these visits well in advance.

UT Tyler offers a robust financial aid program and, as an online nursing school that accepts FAFSA, extends funding opportunities to fully, provisionally, or conditionally admitted degree-seeking students. The nursing school also accepts other forms of financial aid, including grants, loans, scholarships, work study, veteran benefits, fellowships, stipends, and graduate assistantships.

UT Tyler also offers the NFLP loan for those interested in teaching, although students must submit an additional application to be considered.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee) offers online and in-person PhD programs. Their online PhD program is available to both bachelor’s and master’s-prepared students. While students’ bachelor’s or master’s do not have to be in nursing, they must be in a health-related field.

For those with a bachelor’s degree, a sequence of courses is required before fully matriculating into the online PhD program. For more information on this path, you can meet with one of the school’s academic advisors who can help you plan a course of study suited to your situation.

While the in-person program admits students annually, the online PhD program only admits students in the summer term of odd years. The coursework is intended to be completed within three years in a cohort format. While the coursework itself is entirely online, two on-campus visits are required. On-campus visits take place at the beginning of the program for one week and again in the summer before the third year for two weeks.

UW-Milwaukee’s an online nursing program accepts not only FAFSA but other financial aid, including scholarships, grants, student employment, fellowships, military benefits, and more.

Like Duquesne University, UW-Milwaukee receives NFLP funding. This is an attractive option for those planning to pursue a career in teaching nursing since most of the loan is forgiven after four years of full-time employment.

If you’re more interested in a DNP program, UW-Milwaukee also offers an online DNP program for students with a master’s in nursing. For students with a bachelor’s, they also offer an in-person BSN-DNP program.