NESP Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Illinois Colleges

In order to qualify for the Nurse Educator Scholarship Program (NESP), applicants must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen;
• Be an Illinois resident;
• Be a recipient of at least a bachelor’s degree;
• Be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, on at least a half-time basis in an approved program of professional or practical nursing education at the graduate level at an eligible Illinois college;
• Apply for federal student financial aid to determine the expected family contribution (EFC); 
• Comply with federal Selective Service registration requirements;
• Not be in default on any student loan nor owe a refund or repayment on any state or federal grant(s); and
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the college.

Eligible Illinois Colleges

The following is the current list of participating colleges.  This list will be updated as new colleges are approved to participate in the program.

001767 001676 009145 001692 001707 001710 001722 001724 001735 001737 001741 009800 009987 006240 001768 001759 001776 001664 022141

Benedictine University Elmhurst College Governors State University Illinois State University Lewis University Loyola University McKendree University Millikin University North Park University Northern Illinois University Olivet Nazarene University Rush University Medical Center Saint Anthony College of Nursing Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing Saint Xavier University Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville University of Illinois at Chicago University of St. Francis West Suburban College of Nursing

Teaching Commitment

To qualify to receive an NESP award, the student must sign a commitment to teach in Illinois for five years as an educator in an approved program of professional nursing education or an approved program of practical nursing education. The student must begin teaching within one year following the termination of the program for which the NESP funds were awarded, and must teach continuously until the teaching requirement is fulfilled. If the student is unable or unwilling to fulfill the teaching commitment, the award converts to a loan, payable in full, plus interest at 5% and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees.