What is a Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students?

It is a program that provides financial assistance without a service or financial obligation to disadvantaged health professions and nursing students to enable them to pursue a degree in medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, and nursing (Associate, Diploma, Baccalaureate, and Graduate degree), by providing financial support to help pay for their costs of education.

Who selects the Scholarship recipients?

Federal funds for this program are allocated to participating accredited health professions and nursing schools located in the United States and Puerto Rico . These schools are responsible for selecting the recipients of such assistance.

Am I eligible for this program?

You are eligible to apply if you are a citizen, national or lawful permanent resident of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated State of Micronesia; are accepted for enrollment or are enrolled in participation health professions or nursing school as a full-time student; and are determined by your school's Financial Aid Director to meet “financial need” and “disadvantaged background” criteria.

What is “Disadvantaged Background”?

“Disadvantaged Background” means that a student comes from an environment that has inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to enroll in and graduate from a school of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, optometry, or veterinary medicine or comes form a family with an annual income below a level based on low-income thresholds according to family size. (Family income levels are periodically published in the Federal Register. )

What is “Financial Need”

Financial need means that a student's and parent's resources are less than the costs necessary for attendance at the school, as determined by the school through use of a need analysis system.

How much financial support my I receive?

You may receive funds to cover the costs of tuition, other reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses.