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Scholarships Offered to Current Students

Get help paying for your education with scholarships available to students in the KU School of Health Professions.

Scholarships come from many sources. Some are based on need while others are based on merit. Still others set aside funds for a particular demographic or area of study.

The department in which you plan to enroll may offer additional scholarship opportunities, so we recommend you explore your department's website as well. Enrolled students receive scholarship details and deadline notifications via an email sent to their student email accounts.

The following scholarships are available for students accepted and enrolled in the KU School of Health Professions. Check back often, as the list is subject to change.


Pipeline Scholarship for Incoming Students

The Health Professions Pipeline Scholarship is designed to give students a financial boost when beginning a program in the School of Health Professions, and then to continue that support during their pursuit of a degree from KU. Recipients receive up to $3,000 for one academic year. This amount automatically renews each year as long as the student remains in good standing in their academic program.

The goal of this award is to provide educational opportunities for students from a wide variety of different backgrounds, including socioeconomic status, geographic location, ethnicity, race, sex and gender in order to create career opportunities and to build a diverse health care workforce to improve the lives of our communities.

Applicants must meet ALL of the following criteria to be eligible: 

  1. Offered admission and have accepted the position to an academic program in the KU School of Health Professions.
  2. Demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA guidelines and eligibility.
  3. One of the following:
    • First-generation college student (parents did not complete a college or university degree), or
    • Identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; or
    • Have a current address or hometown in rural Kansas, with past or current experience living in a rural Kansas community. For the purpose of this award, rural is considered any Kansas county with fewer than 150 persons per square mile as classified by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment using 2020 Census numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau (PDF).

Questions about this award should be directed to the main office of your academic program.


Scholarships for Current Students
  • Eligibility: Full-time students in the School of Health Professions (usually – though not always – from underserved populations) meeting grade-point average and other criteria
  • Application period: Spring
  • Process: The school's faculty diversity, equity and inclusion committee decides. The award is presented for the following fall semester.
  • Eligibility: Students in the KU School of Health Professions from minority groups who are first-generation university students; also, students who are offered an international academic trip but have insufficient funds for out-of-pocket expenses.
  • Application period: Ongoing.
  • Process: 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. Students first seek approval from their academic program and then follow up with the Office of the Dean.
  • Eligibility: A student who 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. Demonstrated financial need and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5.
  • Application period: Students will be notified via email.
  • Process: Provides an award of up to $2,000. Students receive an email with process details.
  • Eligibility: Students with at least one term or semester remaining in their professional area of study in the School of Health Professions.
  • Application period: Students will be notified via email.
  • Process: 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. 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.
  • Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in an academic program in the School of Health Professions are eligible to apply to complete an elective rotation at the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India.
  • Application period: TBD.
  • Process: Honors the longtime partnership and innovations of David Robinson, M.D., and Mani Mani, M.D., and assists students wanting to complete an international education experience. More information on the program page.
  • Eligibility: Merit-based award that recognizes outstanding KU students who will be transitioning into their first year of a master's or doctorate degree program at KU the following year.
  • Application period: TBD.
  • Process: $10,000 scholarship applied to tuition and fees. More information is available on the program page.
  • Eligibility: Full-time students in the School of Health Professions.
  • Application period: The school's student senate often awards scholarships dependent upon available resources in any given year. The senate will notify students when awards are available for application.
  • Process: Candidates are evaluated based upon community service as well as academic involvement and achievement.
Scholarships Requiring Nomination
  • Selection criteria: Full-time students within the KU School of Health Professions are given this merit scholarship. Demonstrated excellence in scholastic accomplishments, professional leadership and commitment to community service are required, as evidenced by achievements while in their program of study.
  • Process: 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 grade point average. Full criteria and instructions are distributed via email.
  • Selection criteria: 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.
  • Process: A cash award of $500 will be presented at the Student Recognition Ceremony in May. 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 professor in the KU School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology, Anthony L. Kovac, M.D., graciously established the Kovac Diversity Scholarship on behalf of the school of Health Professions in 2020.

This award aims to support interdisciplinary education, research, and clinical practice that are enriched by international experience and diversity of learners. It is open to students currently enrolled in a program in the school. Applications are provided to students each year via internal communication.

Additional Opportunities

A number of scholarship opportunities are available to KU students who are serving in U.S. armed forces, who are military veterans, or who are the spouse or dependent of a service member or veteran. If you or your family are affiliated with the military, you are encouraged to explore these opportunities at masc.ku.edu/scholarships.

This company gives three awards of $1,000 each for students currently enrolled in a degree program in the health professions. The deadline is end of March. Learn more.

Other forms of financial aid such as grants, student loans, work study and other opportunities are managed through the KU Medical Center's Office of Student Financial Aid, including a list of scholarship opportunities from federal and state sources specifically for students wishing to pursue a career in health professions.

Scholarship Process

  1. Visit the online scholarship application site using the button below.
  2. Students selected to receive an award will return to this site to accept the scholarship.
  3. 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.
  4. Funds are released to the student upon verification that thank you note(s) have been received.


How to Apply

  • Students must be admitted to a KU academic program and have their KU Medical Center username and password set up to access the application.
  • Make sure you have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the upcoming school year. The FAFSA opens October 1 and can be accessed at fafsa.gov.

Apply Now

KU School of Health Professions

KU School of Health Professions
KU Medical Center
3901 Rainbow Blvd
Mailstop 2007
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-5235 • 711 TTY
healthprofessions@kumc.edu