X
Your Privacy is Important To Us.

SUNY.edu uses simple cookies to help build a better website experience for our visitors. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.

SUNY Healthcare Educator Scholarship Pilot Program

Supporting Future Nursing Faculty in SUNY Associate-Level Nursing Programs

Apply Today!

Applications due by May 30, 2025.  Letters of Recommendation are due by June 15, 2025.

The SUNY Healthcare Educator Scholarship is a new pilot program designed to cover tuition, fees, and provide a stipend to baccalaureate-prepared nurses pursuing a master's degree in nursing.

In return, recipients will commit to a three-year faculty position at a SUNY associate-level nursing program, helping strengthen the future nursing workforce in New York State.

What the Scholarship Covers:

  • Up to $25,000 per academic year, which includes:
    • ✔ Up to $20,000 to support the cost of tuition and fees for a qualifying SUNY master’s in nursing degree program. This is a “first dollar” scholarship and will be applied to a student bill before any federal or NYS grants or scholarships.
    • ✔ A $5,000 annual stipend per year of qualifying master’s degree enrollment.
Eligibility Requirements:
  • Must be a baccalaureate-prepared nurse already enrolled in, or with proof of acceptance to, a SUNY master’s in nursing degree program.
  • Must be a registered nurse licensed to practice in NYS.
  • Must be a New York State resident.
  • Must not have an outstanding service obligation under another program.
  • Must not be employed as nursing faculty in a SUNY nursing program at time of application.
Academic Requirements:
  • Recipients must complete their master’s degree program within three years of receiving the scholarship.
  • Recipients must maintain good academic standing (GPA of 3.0 or higher).
Faculty Service Commitment:
  • Recipients must secure a faculty position at a SUNY associate-level nursing program within three months of scholarship selection.
  • Recipients will teach a minimum of 18 academic credit hours per year, for three years in the SUNY associate-level nursing program.
  • Courses may be taught in person, in a hybrid format, or online.
  • Recipients must begin teaching by January 2026.

There will be one Kickoff Event (virtual) and one Midpoint Check In (virtual) for all scholarship recipients.

Prior to beginning their faculty service commitment, scholarship recipients will complete faculty training and professional development to gain effective teaching skills and prepare for their faculty roles.

The SUNY Healthcare Educator Scholarship pilot program was created to address the critical shortage of nursing faculty, a significant barrier to expanding nursing programs in New York State. With demand for nursing educators projected to grow over 20% by 2032, this scholarship supports baccalaureate-prepared nurses pursuing nursing master’s degrees to transition into faculty roles at SUNY associate-level nursing programs. By investing in the next generation of nursing educators, this program will expand program capacity, strengthen the healthcare workforce, and help address the projected shortage of 40,000 registered nurses in New York State by 2030.

The SUNY Healthcare Educator Scholarship was first announced in the 2024 State of the University Address, following a recommendation from the SUNY Future of Healthcare Workforce Task Force. This Task Force identified four priority areas for short-term action and investment to address the ongoing healthcare workforce shortage, including enhancing SUNY’s healthcare educator pipeline.