About KCNA Scholarships

2025 SCHOLARSHIPS ARE NOW CLOSED!

The 2025-2026 scholarship application deadline has passed. All applicants will be notifed in early April of their status.


King County Nurses Association (KCNA) is proud to help ensure the future of nursing in our community by offering scholarships to qualified nursing students. Since 1993, KCNA has awarded $797,750 in scholarship funds to support 335 nursing students.


In 2025, KCNA is proud to announce we will be offering 15 scholarships at $4,500 a piece, an increase of $500 from prior years. Find important details and eligibility information below.

Fifteen scholarships of $4,000 each were awarded for the 2024-25 school year. 

You'll be amazed by the diverse experiences and journeys to nursing of our scholarship recipients. Read bios from our 2024 recipients here. 


Scholarships: General Information

King County Nurses Association (KCNA) is proud to help ensure the future of nursing in our community by offering scholarships to qualified nursing students. 

PURPOSE

  1. Provide financial assistance to qualified students who have a permanent address, or are currently enrolled in a nursing program in King County and are preparing for a career as a registered nurse, or to RNs returning for an advanced degree in nursing or a related field.
  2. Encourage and provide for increasing diversity within the nursing profession that reflects the population as a whole.
  3. Support nurses to be change agents in creating a healthier community in King County.

TYPES OF SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Applicants can only receive an award once from KCNA. If you have previously received an award, you are not eligible to apply.

Basic Program: General scholarships will be awarded to students enrolled in associate or baccalaureate degree programs preparing for a career as a registered nurse.

Graduate Entry Program: Scholarships will be awarded to students currently enrolled in a graduate entry program in nursing. The students may be in the pre-licensure or the advanced degree portion of the program. Graduate entry programs are accelerated, short-term programs that accept students with existing degrees.

RN Baccalaureate (RNB) Program: Scholarships will be awarded to a registered nurse in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Advance Degree Program: Valerie Weiss, ARNP, MN, MA, Memorial Scholarship Award is for a current RN working toward an advanced degree in nursing or a related field. The award is given as a lasting legacy to an outstanding nurse whose professional commitment was an inspiration to her colleagues and patients alike. For Master's, DNP and PhD nursing students.

KCNA reserves the right to distribute the scholarships among these categories depending on applications received.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

All Scholarships:

  • Be currently enrolled in nursing program as described in the categories above.
  • Maintain a minimum “B” average (3.0 grade point average).
  • Maintain a permanent address in King County or be enrolled in a nursing program located in King County. NOTE: KCNA members are automatically eligible.

Valerie Weiss Memorial Scholarship: Meet the above criteria and demonstrate an exemplary commitment to the nursing profession through extracurricular professional activities.

AWARD CRITERIA

Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of:

  • Commitment to social justice
  • Commitment to King County community
  • Community/School Involvement

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Do I need to send transcripts from all the schools I have attended?

     You only need to send in current college transcripts that include nursing courses and any prerequisites.

  • Do I need to send official transcripts?

    An official transcript is not needed, an unofficial transcript is sufficient.

  • Do you have a form for my references to complete?

    No, we do not have a form. We prefer to have the reference write a letter of recommendation inspired by their experience with the applicant.

  • Can I have a past instructor write a letter of recommendation?

    Yes, as long as they know you well enough to write a letter of recommendation.

  • Should I send in the reference letters with my application or separate?

    Answer:  We prefer to receive everything together in one packet, but if necessary we will accept a reference letter mailed to us directly - postmarked by the deadline.

  • Are electronic signatures allowed?

    Yes, you can use electronic signatures as needed

  • How can I deliver my application?

    Have your application postmarked by the deadline or you can deliver to our office in the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, #352, Seattle between 8 am and 10 pm (slip it under the door if we aren't there.) Please do not send via certified mail or other services that require a signature as staff may be working off-site and unable to sign. We will email applicants confirming receipt of materials after the deadline.

  • If I received a KCNA scholarship in the past, can I apply again?

    Applicants can only receive an award once from KCNA. If you previously received an award, you are not eligible to apply.

  • Which category of scholarship should I apply for?

     Please review the detailed information on the scholarship application to determine your category. 

  • Can I apply for a scholarship if I haven't completed any prerequisites?

    No, you need to complete the nursing prerequisites and be accepted into a nursing program before you can apply.

  • If I am awarded the scholarship, when can I start using the money?

    The funds will be sent to your school for use beginning with summer 2025 and ending the spring of 2026. Awardees are responsible for working with their school's financial office to establish when during the above timeline the funds will be utilized.

  • Can I apply if I am a KCNA member but do not have a permanent address in King County and am taking an online degree course in another state?

     Yes, KCNA members are automatically eligible to apply for a scholarship.

  • Can I apply if I have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status?

    Yes, if you are either attending school in King County or have a permanent address in King County, you are eligible to apply.

  • When will I hear back about the scholarship?

    We will notify you in early April by email after the Scholarship Committee has made their decisions.

  • Should I send my application by certified mail with a signature required?

    No, staff may be working off-site and unable to sign causing delays with your application.  

  • Is the Statement of Eligibility required?

    The answer is yes, with one exception. For those applicants in a standard program requiring two or more years of study, the Statement of Eligibility must be included. We allow the use of a letter of acceptance in lieu of the Statement of Eligibility only if you have been accepted into an accelerated Grad Entry Program that lasts for less than two years. These are students who: 1.) Have been accepted to an accelerated Grad Entry Program, but do not have a record at their school as of yet. And, 2.) They will graduate before our next round of scholarships.

  • What is a Grad Entry Program?

    A Grad Entry Program is an academic program (can be basic or advanced) that accepts those who have already graduated with an existing degree. These programs are accelerated programs that take existing degrees into account and are therefore completed more quickly.

Special Project

The MentorLink project provides opportunities for new nurses and experienced nurses to connect, share and learn.

MENTORLINK

Nursing Events/Self Care

KCNA offers continuing nursing education and other events. Explore self-nurturing practices.

VIEW DETAILS

Donate to Scholarships

Support the next generation of registered nurses in King County!

DONATE