Due to high college fees, students turn to financial aid including scholarships to cover some tuition expenses. A nursing scholarship essay is an essential part of the application process but one of the most difficult to write. The application process is highly competitive and you should aim to write a winning piece that stands out from other applicants.

Continue reading this blog to know how to write a winning scholarship essay for nursing and a unique nursing scholarship essay example.

What is a scholarship essay?

A scholarship essay is an essay that students submit jointly with their scholarship applications. The essay shows the committee who you are, your goals, and what makes you stand out from other applicants. Students must fill in an application which includes an essay on a given prompt to be considered eligible for the scholarship.

The scholarship usually comes from organizations that support education and your essay should fit their interest. You must narrate a story about your experience, accomplishments, hobby, and interest.

How to write a scholarship essay for nursing?

You must write an outstanding essay to land a scholarship. The format of a nursing scholarship contains the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

1. Introduction

Start the introduction with a hook statement to grab your reader’s attention and introduce the main point. Summarize reasons why you need the scholarship and what your essay covers. Make it concise and convince your reader to continue reading.

2. Body

Explain the reasons for studying nursing and what makes you the best candidate. Explain the skills and experiences required and support them with real-life examples and facts. You should also explain how you got to where you are, your inspiration, your interest in attending a nursing college, and how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals.

While writing the body, avoid generalization and ensure your content resonates with the scholarship provider’s interest.

3. Conclusion

Finish by explaining why the institution is right for you, restate your passion for nursing, and end with an impactful line. Also, explain how winning the scholarship will help you achieve your goals or impact the community. End the conclusion by showing gratitude to the committee for reading your essay.

Nursing scholarship essay writing tips

A scholarship essay can be challenging to write and allows you to reflect on yourself and your accomplishments in life. The paper helps you to show your personality and what you are proud of in life showing the committee why you deserve to win. Your aim is to stand out from others and persuade the committee.

Below are tips that will help you succeed while writing a scholarship essay;

1. Plan in advance

Give yourself enough time to prepare your work to avoid the last-minute rush. You only have one chance to submit the essay hence spending enough time preparing and researching is essential. Start writing early to have enough time to focus on quality and avoid pressure.

2. Know the scholarship providers.

Research the organization offering the scholarship to know what qualities they might be looking for in the essay. Find their ideal candidate and try to fit into that picture which will help you tailor your piece to meet your audience’s requirements.

3. Review other essay examples from past scholarship winners.

Some companies post essays from previous years and you can know the tone and quality they expect from applicants. You can also search for essay samples online to see how to approach different prompts.

4. Brainstorm ideas

Take time to develop a list of ideas for your essay and remember to answer the essay’s question. Brainstorm ideas that make good topics and select one once you know the prompt. Ensure your topic resonates with your passion and interest to motivate you while writing and engage the reader. 

5. Follow the instructions

Once prepared to write an essay, you can start the writing process. The first step is to understand the instructions in the application and follow them. Some instructions to note include the words count, the writing format, the prompt, etc. It would be best to review the application noting down the skills, experience, and qualifications required to know your focus.

6. Maintain a good structure

Create your essay’s outline including the introduction, body, and conclusion. For the body, write down the heading, subheadings, and brief points of what you will write in each section. An outline helps you organize your thoughts and enhance the flow of ideas from one paragraph to the next. Also, ensure your essay is concise to fit the required word limits.

7. Integrate stories from your life

The scholarship committee aims to know more about you. Writing about your personal experience shows them who you are and your qualities. Depending on the essay’s question, you might write a story about why you deserve the scholarship, your contributions to the local community, or why you stand out from other applicants.

8. Show your emotions

Your essay allows you to show your personality and emotions through your writing which helps your content to be authentic. The committee doesn’t expect you to be perfect but to see how you handle obstacles that come your way.

9. Maintain professionalism

Being professional is essential since it shows that you have maturity. It’s crucial to balance professionalism and showing emotions when writing your essay. Do not include too many emotions or humor, but you should moderate them.

10. Be confident

The scholarship committee looks for confidence in essays. It would be best to be confident while writing but not arrogant. For example, if you are giving an example of managing a project, don’t sound like you did all the work but instead show how you encouraged others to be involved.

11. Don’t use a boring and dreamy conclusion

Many people use the conclusion section to summarize the entire essay. Think about something innovative, surprising, and attention-grabbing from beginning to end. You can consider leaving your reader with an interesting question to think about.

12. Proofread your work

 Once you have finished composing, proofread your work and correct errors that may interfere with readability. You can have a friend review your task to help identify mistakes and give feedback.

13. Reuse your essay for numerous scholarship application

If you plan to apply for many scholarships, you don’t have to write from scratch every time. You can use your piece and make revisions depending on the prompt to save you time from writing again.

Template for nursing scholarship essays

1. Introduction

• Your name
• A hook to grab your reader’s attention
• Thesis statement as to why you deserve the scholarship

2. Body
3. Education Objectives and Goals

• State why you choose that particular college
• What do you intend to do with a degree in this field?
• State your career path and why you chose it

1. Brief background

• Who are you in terms of kids, family, etc?
• A crucial challenge in your life and how you overcome
• How you got to where you are today
• Explain your academic accomplishments
• State extra-curricular activities e.g. volunteer work

1. Need

• Reasons why you need the scholarship
• How will this help you

3. Conclusion

• How has your education impacted your life?
• State how winning the scholarship will change your life or impact the community.
• End with a thank you statement to the committee for reading your essay

Nursing scholarship essay sample

My nursing dream

I was twelve years when I first realized my passion for becoming a nurse. I admired nurses caring for newborns as I accompanied my mum at work. I felt excited and I knew that is where I belong.

I have been a school nurse for three years and I have been caring for children, families, and the entire community. I viewed the family aspect in a school setting and collaborated with other staff to provide medical care and find other pertinent resources. At the school, I realized that I need to offer more services to low-income families. That is why I decided to enroll in a family nurse practitioner program.

I wish to work as a nurse practitioner in a low-income community clinic to offer services to people who don’t have the resources to access medical care. I want to teach families how to live healthily and manage illness. I am very passionate about nursing and want to give back to the underserved community because it’s where I grew up.

I aspire to open a free health clinic for the uninsured community after completing the family nurse practitioner program. I also dream of taking mission work in the entire world. I want to participate in changing the world, and I believe I can positively influence today’s healthcare crises.

Bottom line

A nursing scholarship essay allows you to reflect on your accomplishment and personality which shows the committee why you deserve to win. Your aim is to make your essay stand out from other applicants and persuade the committee why you are worth winning the scholarship. Use the guide provided in this blog to write a winning essay for a nursing scholarship.