UoR ABSN 12 Month Program
Hi All!
I got accepted recently to the Fall 2026 12 month ABSN program with the UR Nursing Scholars scholarship (Full tuition coverage in exchange for 3 year work commitment). I've gone through every thread about this program and still had some questions/wanted to get input from people who have gone through it.
For background on myself, I graduated with my BS in Biochemistry in 2023, and have been working full time in research/clinical research for the past ~3 years, and part time (~15 hr/week) as a pharm tech at a retail pharmacy for ~2 years. These aren't the highest paying jobs, but I've always seen them as stepping stones for my career. I currently have no student loans and did not need federal aid because I was able to pay for my in-state undergrad tuition by working an insane amount and being a resident advisor to cover housing.
I am reaching out to the admissions/financial aid folks but also wanted to get some first hand experiences
1.) Has anyone deferred admission for a semester and did it affect the Nursing Scholars offer?
I saw one post of a person saying they were able to defer admission but they deleted their posts and I don't know if they were in the scholars program.
I'm from CA and am quickly realizing how fast the start date will come up. I'd have to quit my jobs, finish my last pre-req class, uproot my life, find housing, and move to NY. I'm definitely open to the move, which is why I applied in the first place, but it just feels very rushed and I have a bunch of personal things to wrap up here before I can take off. It would also help to make a bit more money before losing my income for a year. I have some savings but do still have a car loan and not a ton of money because I currently live in a very HCOL area.
2.) Besides federal loans, have people taken out other loans for living expenses, program costs, etc. and where from?
I qualified for federal direct loans up to 12.5k at a 6.39% fixed interest rate, but would likely need a bit more to be able to attend. I'm applying for other various nursing scholarships, but won't know if I get any of them before I commit to this program.
3.) I'm still a bit unclear about the Nursing Scholars work agreement. With the unit job fair at the end of the program, if you match better with a unit at a different hospital are you able to switch? Also, are you locked in to that unit or if an opportunity opens during the 3 year work commitment are you able to change?
4.) On the website, there are tuition discounts and SON tuition grants for hospital employees/UR nurses for programs like MSNs in clinical nurse leader, nursing ed, leadership in healthcare systems. Are you eligible for these during your 3 year work agreement?
5.) Lastly, I guess I'm just curious for those who have gone through it - was it worth it? Especially people who came from out of state/from far away. I'd essentially be committing the rest of my 20s to Rochester so it just feels like a big decision LOL
I only have 2 weeks to fully commit to the program and have been very stressed so any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance!