External Scholarships

Resources

Special Programs

Information: Alternative loan options for Disadvantaged Students (LDS Program) or for those passionate about Primary Care (PCL Program.) These loans have a fixed interest rate and do not accrue interest during school. They also have a longer Grace Period upon graduation of 12 months.

For the Primary Care Loan, students MUST go into an approved Primary Care specialty or will face high-interest rate penalties. Please only consider applying if you are passionate about primary care.

Approved specialties as defined by HRSA are Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Combined Medicine/Pediatrics, Preventative Medicine, and General Practice. (OB/GYN is NOT approved)

Application process: Applications open each year on March 1 and are due May 15th. You can apply at the UMKC Financial Aid and use the Secure Document Uploader to submit your application. You must include parental information on your FAFSA.

Information: Funding (loans) available to Missouri Residents pursuing a Primary Care specialty and commitment to work in a designated underserved area upon completion of training. Potential for the loans to be forgiven in exchange for a service obligation. Read more on the program at the site below.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Health Professional Loan and Loan Repayment 

Loan program: The PRIMO program is a competitive state program that awards funding to Missouri residents attending a Missouri institution pursuing training leading to Missouri licensure as primary care physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners. Upon completion of training, the PRIMO recipient completes a service obligation by working in a designated underserved area, in Missouri, experiencing shortages of medical, mental health and dental professionals.

Forgiveness program: PRIMO recipients earn forgiveness of their loan award through a service obligation. The service obligation required for forgiveness is based upon the number of loans received. The obligation is one year of service per award, which is based on full-time qualifying employment. One loan equates to one year of service; two loans equates to two years of service, etc., which is based on full-time qualifying employment. The maximum service obligation is five years.

Qualified employment is considered as full-time, direct patient care in a HPSA providing primary healthcare services. Search for HPSAs. Full-time in the PRIMO program is considered a minimum of thirty (30) hours per week.

National Health Services Corps (NHSC)

Award amount: Payment of tuition, required fees, books and supplies and a monthly living stipend.

How to Apply for a Scholarship 

Scholarship information: The NHSC scholarship is a competitive program that pays tuition, fees and provides a living stipend to students enrolled in accredited medical (M.D. or D.O.), dental, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, and physician assistant training. Upon graduation, scholarship recipients serve as primary care providers for 2-4 years in a community-based site in a high-need Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) that has been approved by the NHSC as a service site.

Awards are made to applicants most committed to serving underserved people and most likely to build successful careers in Shortage Areas and meet future needs for care throughout the Nation.

NHSC helps scholars select a compatible service site and pays for travel to and from interviews.

NHSC Students-to-Service Loan Repayment Program

Eligibility: Must be in the final year of medical school to apply. Several Health Professions are included, click the link below to view the entire eligibility. (Psst…MDs and PAs qualify!)

NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program 

Program information: If you are a student in your last year of medical, nursing, or dental school, you may be eligible to receive loan repayment assistance from the NHSC Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (NHSC S2S LRP). In return, you provide at least three years of service at an NHSC-approved site in a designated HPSA.

You will receive funds to repay your outstanding, qualifying, educational loans.

  • NHSC loan repayment funds are exempt from federal income and employment taxes.
  • You will receive up to $120,000 in loan repayment funds payable in four annual installments (up to $30,000 per year) as long as you meet program requirements.
  • In return, you agree to provide three years of full-time clinical practice at an NHSC-approved site in a HPSA. (Full-time clinical practice means at least 40 hours per week, for at least 45 weeks each service year).

Repayment of Qualifying Loans

Once you complete the initial three-year service contract, you may be eligible to apply for additional loan repayment funds to pay any remaining educational loans through one-year continuation service contracts.

Review the Fact Sheet (PDF)

NHSC loan repayment programs

Award amount: Repayment of student loans upon completion of training.

NHSC Loan repayment

Program information: Qualified healthcare clinicians could receive student loan repayment in return for serving at National Health Services Corps-approved sites.

NHSC Loan Repayment Program Comparison Chart (PDF)

NHSC Loan Repayment Programawards up to $50,000 in exchange for a two-year commitment to provide primary medical, dental or mental/behavioral healthcare at approved sites in high-need, underserved areas. HRSA has removed the two-tier scoring, allowing all applicants to receive up to $50,000 in awards regardless of HPSA score. NHSC LRP recipients are eligible to extend their service and potentially pay off all of their educational debt with continuation contracts.

NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Programprovides up to $75,000 in exchange for a three-year commitment to healthcare professionals who provide substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services at NHSC-approved SUD treatment facilities. Clinicians with DATA 2000 Waivers can receive award preference.

NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program – Providers in rural communities may apply to the NHSC Rural Community LRP, which awards up to $100,000 for three years of service. You are eligible for preference if you work at an NHSC-approved Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Consortium member facility.

Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)

General program information: Veterans Affairs – HPSP  

Refer to specific branch websites for detailed requirements:

Award amount: Full tuition plus stipend

Underrepresented Students

Anesthesiologist Assistant and Physician Assistant Scholarships

M.D. Scholarships

Provider: American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA)

Current scholarships: AMWA awards, scholarships and fellowships 

Contact information: Email

Provider: AMA Foundation

Current scholarships: AMA Foundation scholarships

Award amount: $10,000

Contact: Emily Demko | AMAF Program Manager | Email 

Provider: Chinese American Medical Society

Current scholarships: Chinese American Medical Society Scholarship Program

Provider: Massachusetts Medical Society

Current scholarships: Essex South District Medical Society Annual Scholarship | VCOM

Award amount: $2,000

Contact information: Email

Provider: Joan F. Giambalvo Memorial Scholarship Fund

Current scholarships: Joan F. Giambalvo Fund for the Advancement of Women

Award amount: Up to $10,000

Provider: The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society

Award amount: $2,000

Current scholarship: Montgomery County Medical Society scholarships

Contact information: Email

Provider: National Medical Fellowships (NMF)

Current scholarships: NMF scholarships and awards

Award amount: $10,000

Contact information: Email

Provider: Parkersburg Area Community Foundation — Our Community’s Foundation Online General Scholarship

Current scholarships: Scholarship applications

Contact information: Email

Provider: The Muhlenberg Fundation

Current scholarship: JFK University Medical Center scholarships

Provider: Waterbury Medical Association

Current scholarship: Waterbury Medical Association scholarship

Award amount: Up to $20,000

Provider: Dr. Hugh Mahoney Scholarship Program

Current application: Massachusetts Medical Society Middlesex North District Medical Society

Contact informationEmail

General and Health-Related Scholarships

Provider: The Horvart Foundation

Current scholarships: The Dr. Arthur J. and Helen Horvat Foundation Scholarship 

Award amount: Varies

Contact information: Email

Provider: Creative Biolabs

Current scholarships: Creative Biolabs Scholarship Program

Award amount: $1,000

Contact information: Email

Provider: Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)

Current scholarships: HSF scholarship

Award amount: $500-$5,000

Provider: Mesothelioma Help

Current scholarship: Mesothelioma.com Scholarship

Amount: $4,000

Provider: Japanese Medical Society of America

Current scholarships: Japanese Medical Society of America scholarships

Award amount: $2,500 to $20,000

Contact information: Email

Provider: Blinded Veterans Association

Award amount: $1,000-$2,000

Current scholarships: Blinded Veterans Association scholarships

Eligibility requirements: Dependent children and spouses of blinded veterans.

Contact information: Email

Provider: The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) Foundation

Current scholarships: AHEPA Educational Foundation

Contact information: Email

Provider: 28Twelve Foundation

Application deadline: Nov. 1 of each year (Applications are accepted between Aug.1 and Nov.1)

Award amount: $16,000 stipend (Renewable for 2 years)

Current scholarship: Apply – The 28twelve Foundation

Eligibility requirements:

  • Christian graduate student
  • Be an active church member
  • Demonstrated expertise within the discipline/field
  • Argument for the lack of a distinctive Christian voice in that field
  • Demonstrated expertise within the discipline/field

 

Provider: Pat Tillman Foundation

Current scholarship: Apply to be a Tillman Scholar

Award amount: Up to $10,000 per academic year. (Renewable)

Contact information: Email

Eligibility requirements:

  • Veteran and active-duty military service members.
  • Spouses of active or veteran service members.
  • Service member or spouse seeking assistance to pursue an undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate degree as a full-time student at a public or private, 4-year U.S.-based accredited institution.

Provider: Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

Current application: P.D. Soros Fellowship for New Americans 

Award amount: Each award is for up to $25,000 in maintenance grants and up to $20,000 in tuition support for each year of graduate study supported, a total of as much as $90,000.

Contact information: Email

Provider: Tylenol

Application: TYLENOL® Future Care Scholarship

Award amount: Several $5,000 and $10,000 awards

Contact information: Email

Provider: Nurse.org (Open to medical or nurse professions)

Application: Nurse.org Nursing Student Scholarship

Award amount: $1,000

Contact information: Email