The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) have announced the creation of the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program, designed to help more students graduate from accelerated nursing programs.

Many potential students for accelerated nursing programs are ineligible for some financial aid because they already have college degrees. Through this program, scholarships worth $10,000 each will be awarded to 1,500 entry-level nursing students over the next three years, according to the AACN's Web site. Preference will be given to disadvantaged students or those from groups that are underrepresented in nursing. Funding will be available to nursing schools with entry-level accelerated baccalaureate or master's programs.