Tuition-Free Nursing Academy

Compete for Your Spot

Space in the Nursing Academy is limited. Every year, our applicant pool is very competitive and is filled with many well-qualified candidates from across the country. Our selected students earn their status as a top applicant and embrace their entry into our tuition-free Nursing Academy, which leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Mary, followed by guaranteed nursing employment after graduation. In addition, our Nursing Academy graduates earn special access to clinical opportunities and highly sought-after networking opportunities with leaders in health care.

Application Deadline: January 26, 2025

What Makes Us Great

The University of Mary’s tuition-free Nursing Academy represents a bright new beginning for our nation’s aspiring nurses. If chosen as a Nursing Academy scholar, you will: 

• Earn Your Bachelor's in Less Than Three Years
  Nursing Academy students will complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2.6 years, taking advantage of the University of Mary’s one-of-a-kind Year-Round Campus model.
• Tour Europe
  Students will enjoy an all-expense paid service-learning trip and pilgrimage made possible through the support of generous donors. Nursing Academy students will visit Italy, Germany, and France, spending time at the University of Mary’s Rome campus, taking in the colorful sights of Munich, and experiencing the breathtaking French mountain village of Lourdes.
• Gain Program Admission as a Freshman
  Students accepted to the Nursing Academy will be directly admitted to the nursing program as incoming freshmen. This will give you a step up as you progress toward graduation and prepare to embark on your nursing career.
• Discover Exclusive Employment Opportunities
  Nursing Academy students will benefit from personalized mentorship experiences and gain access to sought-after career opportunities with world-class health care systems. 

Our tuition-free Nursing Academy was developed through a groundbreaking partnership with Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, with 47 medical centers in large and small cities throughout the Midwest. Valued support of the Nursing Academy is also provided by CHI St. Alexius Health. CHI is the third-largest nonprofit health care network in the nation, operating 101 facilities in 18 states.

Nursing at Mary

For over 60 years, the University of Mary has been training outstanding nursing professionals proficient in direct care, health education, and administration.

The University of Mary’s nursing program – within the Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences – integrates in-class instruction, hands-on experience, and cutting-edge simulation techniques to cultivate professional competence, intellectual depth, and moral courage. This is all fulfilled within our Christian, Catholic, and Benedictine identity and mission.

Scholarship Opportunities for Traditional Nursing Students

All our nursing students qualify for generous funding. Our scholarship opportunities include:

• CHI Nursing Scholarship – Students in our traditional nursing program can receive their senior year tuition-free.
• Sanford Scholarship – Freshmen and junior nursing majors are eligible for additional benefits offered through our partnership with Sanford Health.
• Undergraduate Scholarships – Explore a full range of undergraduate scholarship opportunities offered by the nation's most affordable, serious Catholic university!