WSOS Graduate Scholarship (GRD) Grant

The WSOS Graduate Scholarship (GRD) is designed to support Washington students pursuing careers in high-demand nursing specialties, including Adult-Gerontology and Family Nurse Practitioner roles. Offering up to $25,000 over three years, this scholarship covers tuition, fees, and living expenses. It emphasizes serving medically underserved areas, ensuring that recipients commit to practicing in these communities post-graduation. WSOS aims to enhance the local healthcare workforce while addressing financial needs and educational access for diverse populations.

WSOS is the first public-private scholarship program dedicated to building lasting pathways to post-secondary education and high-demand STEM and trade careers for all Washington students. We accelerate equitable change for historically excluded students and increase the local talent pool for Washington businesses.
GRD is one of three pathways to high-demand careers in Washington State offered by WSOS. This program aims to increase the number of nurse practitioners providing health care in medically underserved areas of the state. Funding can be used for eligible Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs at one of five nursing schools in Washington state for students who are pursuing a specialty in Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP- primary care), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Psychiatric Mental Health (PMHNP) or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP – primary care).
The scholarship provides up to $25,000, up to Cost of Attendance (COA), and after other financial aid has been applied, over three years and can cover tuition, fees, housing, transportation, and more. Recipients can also receive a travel stipend when training at a remote site. The scholarship is divided evenly across the remaining academic terms, starting with the fall term after a Scholar is selected. Funding does not exceed $6,250 per term.
Stipends
To help Scholars serve Washington’s Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) and Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), WSOS provides two stipends. Recipients can receive a travel stipend of $500 per term if training at a remote MUA or HPSA. Practicum sites in MUA or HPSAs can also receive a stipend of $3,600 per 120 clinical hours if they host a GRD Scholar.

Eligibility

Applicants for the scholarship must meet all of the following criteria:
Residency:Be a Washington state resident. In most cases, a Washington state resident lives in the state for one year immediately before starting a college program. Note that WSOS accepts undocumented applicants.Financial need:Submit and have your FAFSA or WASFA processed by the GRD application deadline.Apply for Federal Education Tax Credits if eligible.Either have a family income at or below 125% of Washington state median family income based on family size -OR- provide information on the application about current and expected student loan debt, past reliance on income-based programs, and current financial situation. Education plan:Currently pursuing a specialty in Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP- primary care), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Psychiatric Mental Health (PMHNP), or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP – primary care) in a DNP or MSN program at one of the following eligible universities:Gonzaga University, Pacific Lutheran University, Seattle University, UW Seattle, or Washington State University (WSU Spokane, WSU Tri-Cities, WSU Vancouver, or WSU Yakima).Must have completed at least one semester or two quarters in your DNP or MSN program.Must have at least 75% of your program’s required clinical hours left to complete.Be enrolled full-time as defined by your DNP program or part-time as defined by your MSN programBe in good academic standing as defined by your DNP or MSN program. Post-degree plan:Intend to practice in a Washington state MUA or HPSA for at least two years after program completion.Commit to sharing job attainment data post-degree completion with WSOS.