Financial Aid for the Master’s Program

The School of Nursing offers a comprehensive financial aid program to support students pursuing their nursing education. For students who demonstrate financial need, YSN offers need-based institutional aid in the form of program scholarships, which are awarded based on factors such as need, income, assets, and expected third-party funding. Additionally, a limited amount of merit-based institutional aid is available, which is awarded to exceptional applicants based on their academic achievements and potential contributions to the nursing field. In addition to institutional aid such as scholarships, the School of Nursing facilitates access for eligible students to federal forms of financial aid such as federal Federal Direct and/or Grad Plus loans, which can further assist students in financing their education. With a commitment to ensuring affordability and accessibility, the YSN Office of Financial Aid strives to empower students to pursue their nursing career aspirations without undue financial strain.  

All YSN applicants are evaluated for admission without consideration of their need or ability to pay.  

institutional aid

Need Based 

Consideration for any need-based program scholarship requires adequate documentation of need. In order to be considered, U.S. citizens and permanent residents must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available online at https://fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA must be filed by the published deadline in order to allow YSN to process it in a timely way. Failure to file the FAFSA by the applicable published deadline may result in no award being made, or an award being reduced. International students must file a declaration of assets form provided by YSN during the application process in order to be considered for need-based institutional aid. Because need-based funding is limited, not every YSN student will be selected to receive need-based program scholarships.

Both full-time and part-time students are eligible to be considered for need-based institutional aid. Award of need-based program scholarships is made at the time of admission to the program. Applicants who choose to accept need-based institutional aid upon enrollment must agree to adhere to the terms and conditions described in the offer in order to receive and maintain the award. Receiving a need-based scholarship does not preclude a student from receiving additional merit-based scholarship funding.

Merit Based

YSN offers a range of merit-based scholarships to recognize and support outstanding students pursuing nursing education. These scholarships are awarded based on exceptional academic achievements and leadership potential. The specific criteria and amounts of scholarships vary, but they typically cover a portion of the tuition costs and can significantly reduce the financial burden for recipients. Applicants do not have to file a separate application or provide additional documentation beyond a complete application to be considered for most forms of merit-based scholarships. A limited number of scholarships, such as the fully funded Community Scholars program, require submission of additional short essays for consideration. Applicants should consult the financial aid section of the YSN website for details on specific merit-based scholarship programs available, including any unique requirements and/or application instructions. Because merit-based funding is limited, not every YSN student will be selected to receive merit-based program scholarships. Students whose merit-based scholarships are funded by private donations may be required to participate in associated activities and/or provide additional biographic information in order to maintain the funding.

Both full-time and part-time students are eligible to be considered for merit-based scholarships. Domestic and international students are equally eligible for consideration. Award of merit-based program scholarships is made at the time of admission to the program. Applicants who choose to accept merit-based institutional aid upon enrollment must agree to adhere to the terms and conditions described in the offer in order to receive and maintain the award. Receiving a merit-based scholarship does not preclude a student from also receiving need-based scholarship funding, although it may reduce eligibility for need-based funding such as scholarships and/or loans.

Loans

YSN facilitates access for eligible students to federal aid programs including the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, and Nursing Student Loan. These loans are need-based forms of financial aid requiring timely filing of a FAFSA application. Upon admission or shortly thereafter, eligible students who have filed a FAFSA and completed any other requirements will be issued a financial aid letter outlining forms of federal aid they qualify for to help finance their educations.

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for graduate students is available to qualified students up to a limit of $20,500 per year. Students are responsible for the interest payments on the loan while in school (the interest may be paid monthly or it may be capitalized, adding the accrued interest to the principal loan amount). The unsubsidized Direct Loan has a fixed interest rate and an origination fee. Borrowers receive a six-month grace period, which means that they do not have to begin repayment until six months after they graduate or when their enrollment drops below half-time status. There are no payments due while enrolled in school, during the grace period, and during any approved deferments (e.g., attendance at graduate school). The standard repayment term is 120 months with a $50 minimum monthly payment.

The Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is a federal student loan with a fixed interest rate and an origination fee. A credit check is performed, but denial is only for adverse credit such as bankruptcy or default. Graduate students are eligible for any amount up to the cost of education minus other financial aid. Repayment can be deferred while the student is enrolled, but interest accrues from the date of disbursal.

Nursing Student Loans are awarded after Federal Direct loans to a limited number of students with demonstrated need. The loan is subsidized, interest rate is five percent, and students have ten years to repay.  

The YSN financial aid office provides support and guidance throughout the loan application process, helping students navigate the requirements and understand their obligations as borrowers.  

alternative sources of support

Military Benefits

The U.S. government offers a variety of education benefits for veterans and active service members. The YSN financial aid office assists veterans in navigating the benefit certification process during their time at the University. Veterans who intend to utilize such benefits should visit the Military Benefit and Financial aid webpage for more information: https://finaid.yale.edu/costs-affordability/types-aid/military-benefits-and-financial-aid

Campus Employment 

Campus employment may be available to students working on faculty research and administrative support. Additional employment is available throughout the University campus. Interested students can visit the student employment website for on-campus job listings: https://www.yalestudentjobs.org

External Scholarships

Students seeking additional support are encouraged to research outside scholarships from their employer or alma mater, from organizations with which they are affiliated, or from the many organizations and institutions that offer support to those seeking nursing education. A list of opportunities is available in the financial aid section of the School’s website, along with links to other curated databases of opportunities. Students are required to inform the YSN financial aid office of any outside support received or awarded. Receiving external support may result in adjustments to previous aid awarded, in accordance with federal and institutional policy.