Scholarship Opportunities for Health Professions Students

Financial aid is available to qualified students. Since many scholarships are offered by the student's academic program, students should first contact their department office.

About These Awards

Important note: the following scholarships are available only to current KU students. Students receive notification via internal broadcast email when application windows are open. Please contact the Office of the Dean for additional information or questions.

Please check back regularly as awards and deadlines change.

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Students May Apply For These School of Health Professions Scholarships

Dean’s Diversity Scholarship
This scholarship is presented to full-time students in the school meeting minimum grade point average and other requirements while best exemplifying qualities of success.

To qualify for this award, students must meet two of the following:

• Significant life experiences in rural, inner city, or diverse cultural communities.
• Bilingual or multilingual abilities.
• Success in overcoming financial, social, family, physical or educational hardships.
• Success in overcoming adversity due to societal biases.
• Demonstrated experience as a successful leader or role-model within multicultural groups.
• Demonstrated commitment to underserved populations.
• Evidence of a significant contribution to an established diversity initiative, including program development, training, or advocacy.

Students receive information and application forms for this scholarship via broadcast email during spring semester. The school's diversity committee reviews applications to make decisions on awards, which are then granted for fall semester.

Diversity and International Experiences Fund Award
Students may apply at any time for this award which aims to promote student diversity and global cultural experiences. This includes scholarships for first-generation students from minority groups and financial support for students offered an international academic trip but without sufficient means to afford the out-of-pocket expenses.

As part of the KU “honor code”, students should apply for this award only in the case of financial need that prevents them from participating in the learning experience.

To apply, students first seek approval from their academic program. An email including the destination, purpose, time, and duration of learning experience should then be sent to Christi Jones in the Office of the Dean.

Applicants must state the total cost of travel, detail other sources of support already secured, itemize the remaining out-of-pocket expenses, and state clearly the amount of additional support requested through this fund. A need-based justification for the additional request will strengthen the application’s success.

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Scholarships Requiring Nomination

Dean's Scholarship
This scholarship is given to meritoriously award full-time students within the KU School of Health Professions who have demonstrated excellence in scholastic accomplishments, professional leadership and commitment to community service as evidenced by achievements while in their program of study.

In the spring or summer of each year, each department of the school will nominate one student for a dean's scholarship to be awarded in the following fall and spring semesters. A student is eligible to be nominated if he/she has a 3.5 or greater cumulative GPA. Full criteria and instructions are distributed via broadcast e-mail. Note: this award is not self-nominating.

James P. Cooney Leadership Award
This award was initiated in 1992 by the University of Kansas Health Professions Alumni Association to recognize the contributions of James P. Cooney, Ph.D., (dean, 1985-1991) to the advancement of the School of Health Professions. A cash award of $500 will be presented at the Student Recognition Ceremony in May to a student demonstrating outstanding leadership and contributions to the profession, community, program and the University of Kansas School of Health Professions.

Nominees must be a graduating student or a graduate who met the graduation requirements of the previous year from the University of Kansas School of Health Professions. Note: this award is not self-nominating.

KU Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarships
The University of Kansas Medical Center Auxiliary Inc. sponsors awards open to undergraduate and graduate students with at least one year remaining in their program. Formerly known as the the Louise De Schweinitz Darrow Awards, these are provided in recognition of demonstrated excellence in scholastic achievement, leadership potential and social consciousness as evidenced by achievements while in the KU School of Health Professions.

Student Clinical Excellence Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize an outstanding School of Health Professions student for his or her clinical expertise. The student is acknowledged for providing excellence in patient care and demonstrating leadership in advancing clinical practice. Applicant must be a current student, must have practiced in a clinical capacity (clinical practicum, field work, internship, externship or independent practice) at the time the application is submitted and possess a minimum GPA of 3.5.

The School of Health Professions Student Clinical Excellence Award is given annually as the faculty clinical practice committee deems appropriate. Students may self-nominate for this award, and are encouraged to do so. *Note: this award is not currently available. The example application form  is provided for informational purposes only.

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Other Scholarships

Forever Friends Diana Lain Hughes Scholarship Fund
The Forever Friends Diana Lain Hughes Fund provides an award of up to $2,000 to a student having graduated from the Shawnee Mission School District and is currently in the last year of his or her graduate degree program in occupational therapy, physical therapy or speech-language pathology at KU.

Eligible students must demonstrate financial need and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5. Students receive notification for this award via broadcast email when applications will be accepted.

Legacy Award, Midwest Association of Allied Health Deans of Academic Health Centers
This scholarship program was established to honor the legacies of current and former deans and directors of the Midwest Association of Allied Health Deans of Academic Health Centers. Students with at least one term or semester remaining in their professional area of study are eligible.

Candidates are evaluated on professional and interpersonal qualities indicating they are likely to establish their own legacies of excellence in service, teaching, and/or research in the allied health professions. Students receive notification for this award via broadcast email when applications will be accepted. Example application form

Robinson International Studies Award
Honoring the longtime partnership and innovations of David Robinson, M.D., and Mani Mani, M.D., this program assists students wanting to complete an international education experience in India. Students in the School of Health Professions are eligible to apply for the scholarship to complete an elective rotation at the Christian Medical College in Vellore during the summer of their final year. More information on the program page.

Self Memorial Scholarship
This merit-based award aims to support exceptional KU students who demonstrate the promise to make significant contributions to their fields of study and society as a whole. It is open to undergraduate students at KU that will be graduating and immediately beginning classes in a master's or doctoral degree program at KU the following year. More information is available on the program page.

Student Senate Scholarship
The School of Health Professions student senate often awards scholarships dependent upon available resources in any given year. When offered, all full-time students in the school are eligible for these scholarships based upon academic involvement and achievement, and community service. The senate will notify students when awards are available for application.

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Additional Opportunities

Other forms of financial aid such as grants, student loans, work study, and other opportunites are managed through the KU Medical Center's Office of Student Financial Aid.

• The Office of Student Financial Aid has compiled a list of scholarship opportunities from federal and state sources specifically for students wishing to pursure a career in health professions.
• The F. A. Davis Company offers three awards of $1,000 each for students currently enrolled in a degree program in the health professions. Deadline is end of March. Learn more.
• Healthcare Leaders Scholarship: http://nurse.org/healthcare-leaders

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Scholarship Award Process

• Students selected to receive an award will log in to Academic Works to accept the scholarship.
• Before funds may be disbursed, a hand-written thank you note to donors and school leadership must be written and delivered. Information on where to deliver the thank you note will be included in the notification email.
• Funds are released to the student upon verification that thank you note(s) have been received.

Students must be admitted to a KU academic program and have their KU Medical Center username and password set up to access the application.

Accept Award