Notre Dame College (NDC) has announced a new benefit for its online RN to BSN degree students: tuition deferment. With many students receiving tuition reimbursement from their employers, the program is being offered in an effort to eliminate the need for students to pay out of pocket and wait to be reimbursed. Under the new deferment program, NDC will provide students taking advantage of employer-provided tuition assistance up to eight weeks to pay for a previous semester’s courses.
“Many top hospitals are now requiring nurses to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and Notre Dame College understands the need for flexibility both in course delivery and payment,” said Beth Ford, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at NDC. “While tuition for our online RN to BSN degree is the lowest of any Ohio institution, we recognize that for many students, waiting to be reimbursed for school costs by their employer is still a financial burden. This enables students to complete the training they need without taking out loans or pinching pennies to pay in advance for what will ultimately be covered by their tuition benefits.”
Current and prospective students interested in enrolling in the tuition deferment program should contact Adult Admissions at 216.373.5250 for more information.
“The flexibility that tuition deferment provides is incredibly helpful,” said Carmen Whatley, RN, and an online RN to BSN student at Notre Dame College. “I’m working full time as a nurse and taking care of my family, so the option to earn my BSN entirely online and wait to pay tuition until I’ve been reimbursed by my employer was important. However, what has impressed me the most has been the amazing support my instructors have provided and the sense of community even though I’m learning online.”
Tuition deferment is not the only new enhancement to NDC’s RN to BSN program. Notre Dame College recently revised its transfer credit policies related to the program. NDC will now consider more types of transfer credits in an effort to remove barriers for students who have graduated with an associate’s degree in nursing, but who would like to advance their education and pursue their BSN. Additionally, NDC is also one of the few schools to offer a completely online RN to BSN program. Because RN to BSN students have already passed a state licensing exam and have demonstrated proficiency in a clinical environment, NDC does not require students to complete additional in-hospital clinical training during the program.
“Our all-online format is a nod to our students’ skill level,” said Beth Ford. “For students like ours that already have significant clinical experience, requiring more clinical training would be a redundant exercise and an unnecessary expense. Instead we prefer to devote time to the courses that develop the leadership, management and critical thinking skills students need to advance in their career.”
For more information about Notre Dame College or its online degree programs, visit online.notredamecollege.edu. In addition to the online RN to BSN degree, NDC offers several other online programs as well, including a Master of Education degree (M.Ed.), a Master of Arts in Security Policy and Teacher Education Evening Licensure (TEEL).