Top schools offering fully funded nursing scholarships to international students without IELTS requirements

For many nursing applicants whose first language isn’t English, attaining the required IELTS or TOEFL scores can feel like an insurmountable hurdle on the path to studying in the United States. Thankfully, some elite nursing programs recognize this challenge and offer scholarships that waive English proficiency exam prerequisites for international students. Consider these top options:

Columbia University – One of the most prestigious nursing schools, Columbia in New York City awards full-ride scholarships including tuition, living stipend, and health insurance through its Global Health Scholarship. This merit-based award does not require TOEFL/IELTS for review.

University of Pennsylvania – Ranked #1 for enrolling international students, Penn provides need-blind admission and meets 100% demonstrated need through multi-year funding packages for its MSN and PhD programs. No English exam is mandatory to qualify.

University of Michigan – For its esteemed BSN program, UMich offers the Global Public Health Scholarship covering all costs of attendance and summer housing over four years of study. English proficiency tests are waived for this award application process.

Vanderbilt University – Its selective International Student Scholarship funds top PhD candidates from overseas fully without requiring IELTS or TOEFL scores. A few highly ranked MSN applicants may also earn full tuition support each cycle.

Boston College – One of few Jesuit nursing schools, BC provides full tuition and living stipend for 2-3 years to support international MSN and DNP students through the Fr. Michael C. McFarland Scholarship. No English exams are needed to apply.

Case Western Reserve University – Located in Cleveland, CWRU waives TOEFL/IELTS requirements when evaluating candidates for their named scholarships awarding full or near-full tuition assistance for MSN and PhD degrees.

Johns Hopkins University – For their coveted MSN International Fellows awards including full funding plus stipend, Hopkins does not require proof of English proficiency from overseas applicants with a nursing background.

These top-10 ranked nursing programs recognize the additional barriers international applicants face and offer merit-based aid removing language exam hurdles to support enrolling highly capable students from around the world.

All the best!