15 Graduate Nursing Scholarships for Texas RNs

• Texas RNs interested in (or actively working toward) a graduate nursing degree, might already meet the qualifications to apply for scholarships. 
• Scholarships could be of interest because Texas tuition for an advanced nursing degree can cost up to $40,000 at public institutions. 
• Check out these 15 scholarships for Texas RNs who want to expand their knowledge and career opportunities. 

We often hear about the nursing shortage, but the U.S. also has a major physician shortage and Texas is among the top states. This places many Texas RNs in an advantageous position. Becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in Texas can help fill the provider shortage, expanding access to care for many Texas residents. However, going back to school for a graduate nursing degree can be costly.  

Yes, your workplace might offer a tuition assistance program, but why stop there? Many organizations offer scholarships to RNs pursuing graduate degrees. This applies to RNs with an Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) who want to go back for a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP), Ph.D., or other nursing-related graduate degree.  

If you’re an RN pursuing an advanced degree, learn about APRN salary and job outlook in Texas, tuition costs, and scholarships. 

Texas APRN Salary and Job Outlook 

Attending graduate school in Texas may be a great move for your career. As of 2023, 85% of APRNs in Texas are nurse practitioners (NPs), 12% are nurse anesthetists, 2% are clinical nurse specialists, and 1% are nurse midwives.  

Currently, Texas has a surplus of NPs, and this trend is expected to remain until 2032. If you’re pursuing an NP role and are open to traveling to another state to help relieve the NP shortage outside of Texas, you don’t necessarily have to lose your Texas residency. As of October 2024, travel NPs can make up to $144,000 per year. 

The average APRN salaries in the U.S. include $126,000 for NPs, $130,000 for nurse midwives, and $213,000 for nurse anesthetists. APRN jobs nationwide are expected to grow 40% by 2033, which is much faster than the average growth rate of most jobs. 

But rememNot every graduate nursing degree is an APRN degree. APRNs serve in advanced clinical roles and diagnose patients. Nurse educators, administrators, informaticists, researchers, clinical nurse leaders, and public health nurses may also hold graduate nursing degrees but are not considered APRNs. Scholarships are available to Texas RNs interested in these roles as well. 

Texas APRN Tuition Costs

Texas tuition for graduate nursing programs can cost up to $10,000 per year at public institutions. Should you choose to attend a public school out of state as a Texas resident, tuition costs can more than double. These numbers do not reflect tuition costs at private institutions. Neither does it include costs for books, uniforms, or clinical training equipment like stethoscopes, second-hand watches, and pen lights. 

While these numbers can be intimidating, scholarships can cover some, if not all, costs of returning to school, especially if you apply for several. Keep in mind that some scholarship sponsors may require you to be a member of a particular nursing organization before you can even apply. Fortunately, some membership dues are as low as $150 per year, and you’ll have access to benefits like free continuing education credits, job boards, discounts on retailers, and more.

15 Scholarships for Texas RNs 

Of all graduate nursing specialty programs, nurse anesthetist and nurse informaticist programs are growing in popularity among Texas RNs. If you’re interested in (or already enrolled in) these programs or other graduate nursing programs and want to save on tuition costs, explore these 15 scholarships for Texas RNs. Visit each sponsor’s website to confirm deadlines, eligibility, and monetary awards. Many scholarships are offered annually.

Texas Panhandle General Scholarship 

• Sponsor: Amarillo Area Foundation 
• Award: $2,000 minimum 
• Deadline: March  
• Eligibility: For Texas residents pursuing any college degree, including doctoral. Must be located (and attend college) in one of the 26 counties of the Texas panhandle (northwestern region of Texas). Must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA. Must submit two letters of recommendation.  
• Details: https://amarilloareafoundation.org/college-scholarships/ 

Scott Riola Memorial Scholarship Fund 

• Sponsor: Amarillo Area Foundation 
• Award: $2,000 minimum 
• Deadline: March  
• Eligibility: For flight nurses who are Texas residents pursuing any college degree, including doctoral. Must be located (and attend college) in one of the 26 counties of the Texas panhandle. Must have at least a 3.0 GPA to apply and maintain a 3.5 GPA. Must hold a nursing certification, including certified emergency nurse (CEN), critical care RN (CCRN), or certified flight RN (CFRN). Must submit two letters of recommendation.  
• Details: https://amarilloareafoundation.org/college-scholarships/ 

Texas Nurses Association District 4 Scholarship 

• Sponsor: Texas Nurses Association (TNA) District 4 
• Award: $500 (multiple) 
• Deadline: May 
• Eligibility: For applicants enrolled in at least one semester of an MSN program (nursing education, management, or leadership). Must have a 3.0 GPA and be a member of the school’s student nurses’ association or a member of the TNA District 4 (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall counties). Other TNA districts might also offer scholarships. 
• Details: https://tnad4.nursingnetwork.com/nursing-news/197189-district-4-texas-nurses-association-scholarship-announcement 

Texas Nurse Practitioners General Scholarship 

• Sponsor: Texas Nurse Practitioners (TNP) 
• Award: $1,500 (multiple) 
• Deadline: May 31 
• Eligibility: For RNs who are residents of Texas. Must be a full- or part-time student with a 3.0 GPA and have completed at least 25% of an accredited NP Program. May also be a licensed NP who has completed at least 25% of a doctoral nursing program. Must be TNP member. 
• Details:  https://texasnp.org/scholarships/ 

Katie Russell Memorial Scholarship 

• Sponsor: Texas Nurse Practitioners (TNP) 
• Award: $500  
• Deadline: May 31 
• Eligibility: For RNs who are residents of Texas. Must be a full- or part-time student with a 3.0 GPA and have completed at least 25% of a pediatric NP Program. Must be TNP member. 
• Details: https://texasnp.org/scholarships/ 

Texas Emergency Nurses Association 

• Sponsor: Texas Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) 
• Award: (unspecified amount) 
• Deadline: May 
• Eligibility: For RNs who are Texas residents enrolled in a graduate nursing program pursuing an MSN, DNP, or nursing-related PhD/EdD. Must have at least a 3.0 GPA and submit two letters of recommendations (one from a current ENA member). Must be an ENA member with a Texas chapter assignment. 
• Details: https://txena.org/scholarships/  

Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership Educational Scholarship 

• Sponsor: Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership (TONL) 
• Award: Unspecified amount 
• Deadline: October  
• Eligibility: For TONL members enrolled in a graduate nursing program pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree who has completed at least one semester of schooling. Must show community service involvement and submit one letter of recommendation. 
• Details: https://tonl.org/page/scholarships  

American College of Nurse Midwives Scholarship

• Sponsor: American College of Nurse Midwives Foundation 
•  Award: $2,500 (multiple) 
• Deadline: January 
• Eligibility: For nurse midwives enrolled in practice- and research-oriented doctoral or postdoctoral programs. Must be an ACNM member either at time of application or after being offered the scholarship but prior to receiving the award. 
• Details: https://acnmfoundation.submittable.com/submit 

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Ed. District #4 Scholarship 

• Sponsor: American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Foundation 
• Award: $3,000 
• Deadline: (unspecified) 
• Eligibility: For students enrolled in an accredited nurse anesthesia program in Texas. Most award recipients are selected based on merit and financial need. Additional scholarships are available.  
• Details: https://www.aana.com/resident-hub/education-grants-and-scholarships/foundation-scholarship/  

National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration in Long Term Care Memorial Nursing Scholarshi

• Sponsor: National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration in Long Term Care (NADONALTC), PharMerica 
• Award: (amount unspecified) 
• Deadline: April 
• Eligibility: For applicants enrolled in (or accepted into) a nursing program (includes graduate nursing programs). Must commit to working in long term care and/or post-acute care for at least two years after graduation. Great for RNs pursuing nursing home administrator roles. 
• Details: https://nadona.org/nadona-memorial-scholarships-applications/ 

Edmund J.Y. Pajarillo Health Informatics and Innovation Scholarship

• Sponsor: National League for Nursing (NLN) 
• Award: up to $5,000 
• Deadline: annually in May 
• Eligibility: For nurses and nurse educators enrolled in an accredited graduate program focused on health informatics and innovation in research in nursing education. This scholarship is public, but preference will be given to members of the NLN and of marginalized communities interested in transitioning from clinical practice to full-time teaching.  
• https://www.nln.org/nln-foundation/foundationoverviewfoundation-for-nursing-education-scholarship-awards/nln-edmund-j-y-pajarillo-health-informatics-and-innovation-collaborative-endowment-fund  

American Association of Nurse Practitioners Scholarship Program 

• Sponsor: American Association of Nurse Practitioners 
• Award: $2,500 to $5,000 
• Deadline: March 
• Eligibility: For RNs enrolled in an accredited NP program pursuing an MSN, DNP, or PhD in nursing or a related field. Must have completed at least one semester of schooling at time of application. Must send two recommendation letters. 
• Details: https://www.aanp.org/education/professional-funding-support/scholarships

National Health Services Corp Scholarship Program 

• Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration 
• Award: Varied amount (multiple awards) 
• Deadline: April 
• Eligibility: For full-time NP and nurse midwife students enrolled in an accredited school. NP students must specialize in adult medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, primary care pediatrics, psychiatric mental health, or women’s health. All applicants must commit to working at least two years in rural, urban, and tribal communities (those with limited access to care) after graduation. 
• Details: https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarships/eligibility-requirements  

National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists Scholarships 

• Sponsors: National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) and the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Institute 
• Award: up to $2,000 (multiple) 
• Deadline: June 
• Eligibility: For NACNS members enrolled in either a CNS graduate program or a critical care CNS graduate program. Applicants enrolled in a CNS program must have a passion for quality, safety, and clinical excellence. Applicants enrolled in a critical care CNS program must have a background in critical care, preferably holding CCRN certification. Must submit two letters of recommendations. 
• Details: https://nacns.org/career-education/awards/ 

National League for Nursing Education Scholarship Award 

• Sponsor: National League for Nursing (NLN) 
• Award: up to $8,000 (multiple awards) 
• Deadline: May 
• Eligibility: For NLN members pursuing a graduate degree who have completed at least one year of study at time of application. Must submit two letters of recommendation. Must commit to working full-time as a nurse educator after graduation.  
• Details: https://www.nln.org/nln-foundation/foundationoverview/nursing-education-scholarship-awards 

The Bottom Line

As a Texas RN, advancing your career is an excellent career move, as the nursing industry has many areas of need. If finances are a determining factor for returning to school, consider applying for multiple scholarships. If lack of time is an issue, many nursing schools offer online or part-time programs, many of which are more affordable than traditional full-time programs. 

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