Financial Aid & Scholarships

Tuition and Fees for MSN, MN, PMC, & DNP

Tuition and fees are set annually by the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust. Tuition for 2024-2025 is $1,997 per credit hour. To determine your tuition, multiple $1,997 by the number of hours you will take each year, then add the applicable fees.

Fees (per year)

Health Insurance*: $3,918
Student Service Fees: $758
Student Health Fee: $968
Transcript Fee (one time): $100
Books**: $2,500

* Health insurance is required for all students. You will be billed automatically for the university’s student health insurance plan if you do not provide proof of adequate coverage by another insurer. The automatic coverage does not account for spouses or dependents.
** The charge for books is estimated because book prices and where students buy books varies. The charge for books will not appear on your bill; it’s best to purchase your books before classes begin.

Cost of Attendance for MSN, MN, DNP and PMC

Most, if not all, VUSN students receive financial aid. When calculating the financial aid amount offered each student, the school calculates what it calls the cost of attendance budget. The COA is considered sufficient to cover tuition, fees and moderate living expenses for a single student. The COA is the budget Vanderbilt uses to determine the financial aid amount offered each year.

Aid for All Full-time Students

A hallmark of our program is that every full-time Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice student receives a scholarship unless their tuition is paid in full by another scholarship source.

Financial aid for graduate-level students is considered non-need-based aid and includes scholarships and loans. Students are encouraged to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list Vanderbilt University's Title IV code, 003535. FAFSA is available in October.

Questions? Contact the VUSN Student Financial Services Office at 615-322-8986 or 1-800-288-2186.

Notification of Financial Aid Award

Financial aid awards are made after an individual has been accepted to the School of Nursing and has paid their deposit.

For first-year students, the School of Nursing Student Financial Services Office extends financial aid awards beginning in late April/early May for individuals who plan to begin school in the fall semester.

For second year/returning students, financial aid awards are available to view online beginning in late June before the next academic year begins in the fall.

For spring-start MN students, financial aid packets are emailed once admission has been offered for the upcoming spring semester start date.

For summer-start Nurse Anesthetist DNP* students, financial aid information packets are emailed once admission has been offered for the upcoming summer semester start date.

*Vanderbilt’s nurse anesthesia DNP program is currently pending review for initial accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). No students may be enrolled in the program until initial accreditation has been awarded.

Internal Scholarships & Degree-specific Opportunities

You must be enrolled full time (12 hours per semester) to be considered for a scholarship award. Eligible students will only receive one scholarship from the School of Nursing per academic year.

Master of Nursing (MN)

Full-time MN students receive a scholarship that ranges between $3,000-$15,000 for the program unless their tuition is paid in full by another scholarship source. To continue to receive internal scholarships, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Each full-time MSN student receives a partial scholarship that ranges between $3,000-$15,000 for the program unless their tuition is paid in full by another scholarship source. To continue to receive internal scholarships, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
- The average partial scholarship award for MSN students is approximately $6,300 a year, which typically covers the cost of books for the academic year.
- VUSN awards three full-tuition one-year scholarships to incoming students. Recipients are selected based on holistic evaluation of their applications by the VUSN Scholarship Task Force.
- VUSN also awards three full-tuition scholarships to second-year MN Prespecialty students. Recipients are selected based on GPA.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Vanderbilt Scholarships
All full-time DNP students receive a partial scholarship of $1,000 per semester unless their tuition is paid in full by another scholarship source. Students must be enrolled in at least two credit hours a semester to receive the scholarship.
Nurse Faculty Loan Program
- Vanderbilt School of Nursing participates in the Nurse Faculty Loan Program of the Department of Health and Human Services. It provides financial support in the form of a loan to full or part-time students who plan to become nursing faculty.
- Loan recipients who complete the nursing education program may cancel up to 85 percent of their loans in exchange for four years of service as full-time nurse faculty at any accredited school of nursing in the United States. DNP students will be required to take two education electives if they borrow the Nurse Faculty Loan.
- Funding for this program is determined on a year-by-year basis by the Department of Health and Human Services. There is a designated amount that can be awarded to students each year and it is based on a first come, first serve basis. 
- Students do not need to complete the FAFSA to receive the Nurse Faculty Loan.
- Students are required to enroll in N8066 and N8067 if they borrow a Nurse Faculty Loan.
- Contact Kristie Futrell, VUSN Director of Financial Aid, at 615-322-8986 or by email to: k.smith1@vanderbilt.edu
PhD in Nursing Science
- Vanderbilt provides tuition, awards, stipends and fellowship funds to attract the best and brightest doctoral scholars. PhD in Nursing Science students receive full tuition support and a stipend. They are also considered for merit-based scholarships.
- Grant Support for Scholarship & Dissertation Project
  - Competitive small grants are available for supporting activities related to the PhD students’ area of scholarship (e.g. attendance at boot camps or seminars) and to support dissertation research.
- Contact heidi.hart@vanderbilt.edu for additional information.

External Scholarships

Students are encouraged to explore all avenues of financial support, including scholarships, grants and pre-doctoral funding through various external agencies, specialty organizations and foundations. The following sites carry information on a variety of grants and scholarships.

You are also encouraged to check with professional associations related to individual nursing specialties.

Military and Veterans

Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefits and the Yellow Ribbon Program

We recommend that students who are eligible for  Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefits review the criteria for the Yellow Ribbon Program to determine whether or not they are eligible for this benefit. Questions regarding veterans’ educational benefits should be directed to our VA- school certifying officials at  VASCO@vanderbilt.edu.

Bass Military Scholars Program

The Bass Military Scholars Program, established by a gift from the Lee and Ramona Bass Foundation, honors the leadership traits and commitment to service embodied by U.S. military veterans. It awards $30,000 scholarships annually to veterans in five of Vanderbilt’s schools. Students pursuing Master of Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing degrees (MN Prespecialty and Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse-Midwifery/FNP specialties) are eligible.

Student Loans

Most students pay their tuition and living expenses through a combination of savings, scholarships, earnings and education loans. If you decide to borrow, the first step is to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list Vanderbilt University's Title IV code, 003535.

Eligibility
- Both full-time and part-time students are eligible for federal loans.
- MN, MSN and PMC students must be enrolled at least 5 hours a semester.
- DNP students must be enrolled at least  2 hours a semester.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans
The Direct Unsubsidized Loan is the main source of funds borrowed. It is non-need based and has a 6-month grace period prior to repayment. The maximum available is $20,500 per academic year.
- Must meet federal eligibility requirements for federal student aid
- Login to www.studentaid.gov using your FSA ID to apply
- Effective July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025, interest rate is 8.083%
- Repayment begins 6 months (grace period) after you drop below half-time enrollment status.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
The credit-based Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan enables graduate/professional students with good credit histories to borrow to pay education expenses for at least half-time enrollment.
- Must meet federal eligibility requirements for federal student aid
- Student must pass the credit check
- Login to www.studentaid.gov using your FSA ID to apply
- Effective July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025, interest rate is 9.083%
- Repayment begins 6 months (grace period) after you drop below half-time enrollment status.
Private Alternative Loans

You may find a credit-based private loan is a viable option. We believe however that students should borrow only private alternative loans when absolutely necessary, and then only to the extent needed. We encourage you to give serious and deliberate consideration to borrowing decisions. We recommend that you examine all other options, as private loans may be more expensive than other options. They may also have variable interest rates and require a co-signer.

Options for alternative loan lenders

External Student Loan Repayment Programs

Nursing education repayment programs can help address the national nursing shortage by making education possible for many. They also provide opportunities for nurses seeking to become nursing faculty and help alleviate the shortage of instructors to teach nursing. Length of commitment and requirements vary, but most programs offer the opportunity to have a portion of your student loan debt forgiven after fulfilling specific service criteria.

Contact

Kristie Futrell, Director, Financial Aid

Address: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

180 School of Nursing

Nashville, TN 37240

Phone: 615-322-8986

Toll Free: 800-211-2186