USA Scholarships
Lighting the Way Post-Acute Scholarship 2027
The Lighting the Way Post-Acute Scholarship is the AAPACN Education Foundation's $5,000 award for an LPN or LVN working in post-acute or long-term care and studying for a BSN or a higher nursing degree. You must be a U.S. resident, and past winners of this scholarship cannot apply again. Funds go to the school. The 2027 application is open 1 October through 6 November 2026.
What is the Lighting the Way Post-Acute Scholarship?
The Lighting the Way Post-Acute Scholarship is the $5,000 award the AAPACN Education Foundation gives an LPN or LVN who is still on the floor in post-acute or long-term care and is moving up to a BSN or a higher nursing degree. The full name on the application page is the Lighting the Way for Post-Acute Care Nursing Scholarship. AAPACN is the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing, and the foundation's other checks are aimed at RNs and CNAs, not at this license.
You are inside the 2027 window if you are reading this in October 2026. It opened 1 October and it closes 6 November. The form does not save. That is the practical problem, not the eligibility chart. Write what you want to say about the job and the degree before you click in, and send the recommendation link to your director of nursing early enough that 6 November is not the day they see it.
The school gets the $5,000. You get complimentary registration for the AAPACN 2027 Conference, 6-9 April in New Orleans, which is where the foundation honors the recipient. The association's awards page also describes a three-night hotel stay and a travel stipend for 2027 recipients. Past winners are listed publicly, including Mildred Horn in 2026, so a second application from someone already on that list will not move. If you are an RN rather than an LPN, the matching award is Elevating, at $3,000, with the same deadline.
Eligibility
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✓Lighting the Way license ruleYou must be an LPN or LVN currently working in post-acute care. The opening line of the scholarship also says post-acute or long-term care. An RN applying for a BSN should use the Elevating award instead. A CNA has a separate Frontline Heroes scholarship.
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✓U.S. residentThe recipient must be a resident of the United States. The page does not offer the award to nurses living outside the country.
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✓BSN or a higher nursing degreeThe $5,000 is for an LPN or LVN obtaining a BSN or a higher degree from an accredited nursing school. You can be enrolled or planning to enroll. The payment goes to that school.
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✓Not a previous winnerApplicants may not be a previous winner of this scholarship. A win in 2025 or 2026 closes the door. Mildred Horn, LPN, was the 2026 recipient.
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✓One sitting, plus a supervisorThe form does not save. You finish it in one session and send a recommendation link to your director of nursing services, facility administrator, or a similar supervisor.
Benefits
- Lighting the Way Post-Acute Scholarship $5,000, paid to the school
- Education expenses What the school payment covers
- AAPACN 2027 Conference registration Included
- Full tuition for the degree Not covered
- Wages while you are in school Not part of the award
Document checklist
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✓Online application in one sessionUse the form on the Lighting the Way scholarship page. It does not save. Prepare the answers offline, then submit without closing the tab.
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✓Experience, passion, and goalsAAPACN asks you to share as much detail as you can about your work and what you want the degree to change. No separate word count is printed on the page.
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✓Supervisor recommendationSend the recommendation link on the page to a director of nursing, a facility administrator, or a similar supervisor. Do this early. The deadline is 6 November 2026 for the whole file.
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✓LPN or LVN role in post-acute careBe ready to show you hold the license and that the job is post-acute or long-term care. The page does not publish a GPA minimum.
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✓Nursing school nameName the accredited school where you are enrolled or planning to enroll for the BSN or higher degree. That is where the $5,000 is sent.
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✓U.S. residencyResidency in the United States is a requirement for the recipient. An address abroad does not qualify.
How to apply
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1
Match the license to this award
Apply here if you are an LPN or LVN in post-acute or long-term care. RNs working toward a BSN should use the Elevating Post-Acute Care Scholarship. You also need U.S. residency, and you cannot have won Lighting the Way before.
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2
Name the BSN or higher program
The $5,000 is paid to an accredited nursing school for a BSN or a higher nursing degree. Have the school name before you open the form.
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3
Send the supervisor link first
Your director of nursing, administrator, or a similar supervisor gets a recommendation link from the application page. Ask them before 6 November 2026.
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4
Write the personal section offline
The form does not save. Draft what you want to say about your experience, why this degree, and what you want to do with it. Then paste it in one sitting.
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5
Submit by 6 November 2026
The 2027 window is 1 October through 6 November 2026. The page is https://www.aapacn.org/foundation/lighting-post-acute-care-scholarship/. Phone for the association is 800-768-1880.
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Keep the April conference in view
Winners are honored at the AAPACN annual conference and receive complimentary 2027 registration. That meeting is 6-9 April 2027 in New Orleans. The awards page also lists a three-night hotel stay and a travel stipend for recipients.
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Lighting the Way Post-Acute Scholarship?
It is the Lighting the Way for Post-Acute Care Nursing Scholarship from the AAPACN Education Foundation. It pays $5,000 to an LPN or LVN working in post-acute or long-term care who is earning a BSN or a higher nursing degree. The foundation also offers separate awards for RNs and CNAs.
Who can apply for the Lighting the Way scholarship?
U.S. residents who are LPNs or LVNs currently working in post-acute care, enrolled or planning to enroll in a BSN or higher degree at an accredited nursing school. Previous winners cannot apply. RNs should look at the Elevating Post-Acute Care Scholarship instead.
How much is the Lighting the Way scholarship?
$5,000, paid to the nursing school for education expenses. It does not pay your full tuition or your wages. Complimentary registration for the AAPACN 2027 Conference is included.
When is the Lighting the Way scholarship deadline?
6 November 2026. Applications for the 2027 scholarship opened 1 October 2026. The same dates cover the foundation's other academic scholarships. The form does not save.
Is the Lighting the Way scholarship only for a BSN?
The page says a BSN or a higher degree from an accredited nursing school. A master's in nursing fits that wording. An LPN who is not moving into a nursing degree does not.
What do you submit for the Lighting the Way scholarship?
The online form, completed in one session, plus a recommendation from a director of nursing, a facility administrator, or a similar supervisor. The page asks for detail on your experience, passion, and goals. It does not publish a GPA cutoff.
Can a previous Lighting the Way winner apply again?
No. The scholarship page says applicants may not be a previous winner. The foundation's past-winner list includes Mildred Horn for 2026 and Patricia Schipper for 2025.
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