AM I ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
Good Samaritan Scholars applicants must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- Be a resident of Texas;
- Be accepted into, or have an application pending to, a nursing education program approved by the Texas Board of Nursing. Your program of study may be classroom or online.
- Be pursuing education at one of the following levels:
- LVN – Licensed Vocational Nurse
- Diploma – Diploma Certificate
- ADN – Associate Degree in Nursing
- BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- MSN – Master of Science in Nursing
- PhD – Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing Concentration)
- DSN – Doctor of Science in Nursing
- DNP – Doctor of Nurse Practice
- Be currently working or planning to work following graduation in the Texas healthcare system;
- Be a U.S. citizen or have a current, valid work permit.
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
Please complete the Application form and return it by email or by regular mail. If you submit your application by email, you must send all required supporting documents listed in the instruction sheet as soon as possible by regular mail. The Foundation will consider ONLY applications complete with all supporting documents.
TIMING OF APPLICATION / DEADLINES
Scholarship applications are accepted three times each year. The beginning and ending dates of each semester's application period are outlined in the chart below. "Semester" refers to the first academic period you wish your application to be considered for funding.
| Semester |
Beginning Date
|
Deadline |
Spring |
January 1
|
February 15
|
Summer |
May 15
|
June 30
|
Fall |
August 1
|
September 15
|
Applications received after each semester's deadline date
will not be considered that semester. Students
may apply for a scholarship prior to their acceptance into a qualified nursing school. However, their scholarship will not begin until they submit documentation of their acceptance and commencement of classes (i.e., via class and fee schedules).
ACCEPTANCE AND NOTIFICATION
Applications are reviewed three times year. Following this review (usually on March 31st, July 31st, and October 31st), the Foundation will promptly notify all applicants of its decision by email. The Foundation does not provide status reports during the review process. Please do not request interim updates.
EXPECTED USE
Good Samaritan scholarship grants are to be used for qualified education expenses (e.g., tuition and fees, books, supplies, and equipment). Any part of the grant used for any other purpose will represent taxable income to the recipient.
TAXATION OF SCHOLARSHIP
According to
IRS Publication 970, Good Samaritan scholarships are
tax-free to recipients
IF they are candidates for a degree at an eligible educational institution
and they use the scholarship to pay qualified education expenses. Please refer to
IRS Publication 970 or consult your tax advisor for further assistance.
GRANT AMOUNT
Each semester a Good Samaritan Scholar is eligible, she/he will be reimbursed for qualifying expenses:
- LVN, ADN, and Diploma students - $500
- BSN and post-baccalaureate students - $1,000
For example, a
Scholar pursuing an MSN who is attending school three semesters in 2011, and who has proved her/his eligibility in each, will receive a total grant of $3,000.
TIMING OF GRANT PAYMENTS
Grant awards are distributed as a reimbursement for qualifying expenses, at the end of each eligible semester.
DURATION OF SCHOLARSHIPS
The Foundation's goal is to fund each Good Samaritan Scholar until graduation. However, ALL scholarships (new and continuing) are approved on a semester-by-semester basis. No guarantee of funding is made or implied. Scholars must maintain eligibility throughout the term of their scholarship. If a Scholar completes an initial Good Samaritan scholarship and desires to pursue a higher degree or certification, she/he must submit a new application to the Foundation.
APPLICATIONS BY FORMER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
The Foundation is delighted to consider applications from former Good Samaritan Scholars who've completed an initial Good Samaritan scholarship and desire to pursue a higher degree or certification. But in order to update information in the Foundation's scholarship system, all returning Scholars must submit a new application, transcript and W-2.