Important Dates:
Applications Open: September 15, 2025
Applications Due: December 1, 2025
Applicants Notified: End of February 2026
Debi Boyle, RN, MSN, AOCN®, FAAN long-time member of ONS and past member of the Oncology Nursing Foundation Board Trustees tragically lost her beloved daughter Ceira Boyle on February 4, 2010. Ceira filled a room with her presence – her smile, outgoing personality, laughter, and compassion. To honor her memory, Ms. Boyle teamed up with the Oncology Nursing Foundation to offer the Ceira Boyle Student Nursing ONS Congress® Scholarship.
Purpose: To support a student nurse who is pursuing a career in oncology nursing by providing the funding to attend ONS Congress®. ONS Congress offers robust learning and networking among the oncology nursing community practicing across the United States and beyond. Preference for this award is given to student nurses who are based within a 30-mile radius of the location where ONS Congress is being held. However, because funding may vary from year to year for this award, the Foundation encourages applications from outside of the 30-mile radius for consideration by our review panel.
Scholarship: Registration to attend the 2026 ONS Congress, May 13-17, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. Reimbursement for meals and transportation expenses during the conference and 1-year membership to the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS). For those outside the 30-mile radius, consideration will be given for reimbursement of meals, transportation, and accommodations during the ONS Congress period.
Selection Criteria:
- BSN students currently enrolled in their junior or senior year and interested in pursuing a career in cancer nursing
- Applicant must be committed to attending the ONS Congress in its entirety, May 13-17, 2026 (this obligation may be fulfilled, in part, through limited virtual and On-Demand sessions).
- Agree to complete a 3-question report after the conference.
Scoring:
You will be scored based on the following criteria: Your ability to clearly describe why you are pursuing becoming an oncology nurse, identifying at least one characteristic of an exemplary cancer nurse, and clearly addressing one event or session you are looking forward to and why.
Points to Consider:
- Do not wait until the last day to start an application as a quality and competitive application will take time to complete.
- We suggest that you use your time wisely by getting a head start and collecting any additional required items such as the name and email address of someone writing your letter of recommendation before you begin.
- Your essay responses should be of good quality, in terms of grammar, punctuation, syntax, conciseness, and ability to answer the question. Ensure you submit a detailed response and use the word count to your advantage.
- To strengthen your application, use free online tools such as Grammarly and have someone read over your application to ensure accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Application Guidelines
- Email grants@onfgivesback.org with any questions.
- All questions must be submitted to the Foundation prior to 4:30 pm Eastern Time on the day of the application due date in order to receive a response prior to the deadline.
- No late applications will be accepted, and all applications must be submitted through the application platform.
- You will need a Letter of Recommendation and Professional, Membership, and Volunteer experience.
Application deadline: Registration is closed
Notify me when registration is open“Receiving this scholarship has greatly impacted my future. I will make connections at this conference that can shape my career. My knowledge of Oncology research will grow immensely. I will also have the ability to connect with nurses from around the country, which is invaluable.”
— Elizabeth Taylor, 2025 Ceira Boyle Student Nursing ONS Congress® Scholarship Recipient
2025 Ceira Boyle Student Nursing ONS Congress Scholarships
Elizabeth Taylor
Marietta, GA