VA Scholarships
Scholarships
The Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP)
The Health Professional Scholarship Program will award scholarships to students receiving education or training in a direct or indirect health care services discipline (Title 38 and Hybrid Title 38 Occupations). Awards will be offered on a competitive basis and are exempt from Federal taxation. In exchange for the award, scholarship program participants will agree to a service obligation in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facility.
VA Nursing Academic Program VANAP is an innovative education and practice collaboration between VA facilities and numerous universities that will ensure quality Veteran care now and in the future. Through strengthened academic and clinical relationships and opportunities, VANAP seeks to address a growing population of Veterans with unique and complex care needs who are served within multiple, diverse care settings. Specifically, VANAP intends to promote the safe and effective care of Veterans within and across community health care settings by expanding the workforce of BSN‐prepared nurses able to provide quality Veteran‐centric care that improves patient outcomes and reduces cost of care.
Physical Therapy Program This Program awards scholarships to students pursuing a program of study leading to a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in order to increase the supply of Physical Therapist for VA and the Nation. To qualify for this Scholarship Program, you must be a U.S. citizen, unconditionally accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled in a program of study leading to a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. After completion of your education, you must serve as a full-time clinical VA employee for a minimum of 2-years. If you are under a service obligation to serve at another entity or obligated under any other Federal program, you will be ineligible for the HPSP Scholarship Award. For the purposes of the HPSP, VA recognizes a doctorate that meets the core curriculum and supervised practice requirements in Physical Therapy Studies. Click here for job details.
Physician Assistant Program This Program awards scholarships to students pursuing a program of study leading to a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies in order to increase the supply of Physician Assistants for VA and the Nation. In order to qualify for this Scholarship Program, you must be a U.S. citizen, unconditionally accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled in a program of study leading to a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. After completion of your education, you must serve as a full-time clinical VA employee for a minimum of 2-years. If you are under a service obligation to serve at another entity or obligated under any other Federal program, you will be ineligible for the HPSP Scholarship Award. For the purposes of the HPSP, VA recognizes a master's that meets the core curriculum and supervised practice requirements in Physician Assistant Studies. Click here for job details.
Nursing Program This Program awards scholarships to students pursuing a program of study leading to a Bachelors, Masters, or Doctorate of Nursing in order to increase the supply of Nurses for VA and the Nation. To qualify for this Scholarship Program, you must be a U.S. citizen, unconditionally accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled in a program of study leading to a Bachelors, Masters, or Doctorate of Nursing. After completion of your education, you must serve as a full-time clinical VA employee for a minimum of 2-years. If you are under a service obligation to serve at another entity or obligated under any other Federal program, you will be ineligible for the HPSP Scholarship Award. For the purposes of the HPSP, VA recognizes a bachelors, masters, or doctorate that meets the core curriculum and supervised practice requirements in Nursing. Click here for job details.
Purpose
Provide our Veteran population with specialized care by increasing the supply of qualified health care professionals.
Help the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) meet its need for qualified health care professionals in occupations where recruitment or retention is difficult.
Eligibility
Each year VA will determine eligible occupations for the current year scholarships based on VHA’s Workforce Succession and Strategic Plan.
Eligible applicants must be enrolled in, or unconditionally accepted for enrollment in, an academic program that prepares the applicant to meet the VA Qualification Standards for employment in occupational field for which the scholarship is awarded.
Applicants must be citizens of the United States and pass a background investigation.
All academic institutions must be located in the United States or its territories and accredited by the professional accrediting body identified in VA Qualification Standards as required for the applicable occupational series.
Applicants cannot have an obligation under any Federal program to perform service after completion of the course of education or training.
Covered Expenses
Tuition and required fees
Monthly stipend
Books
Annual education expense
Service Obligation
Upon completing their educational program and licensure/certification, participants work as permanent, full-time VA employees in the occupation for which the scholarship was provided.
Participants agree to a service obligation upon graduations from their PA training program. Scholarship awards from 1 to 24 months of training requires a 2-year service obligation. Awards for greater than 24 months requires a 3-year obligation.
Participants sign a Mobility Agreement to relocate to a VA facility of need designated by VHA at their own expense to fulfill their service obligation.
Application Process
- All applications will be accepted by utilizing usajobs.gov
- Applicants must submit a complete application package consisting of:
- Application (VA Form 10-0491g)
- Academic Verification (VA Form 10-0491)
- Evaluation and Recommendation (VA Form 10-0491e). Include one each from:
- the academic program where currently enrolled or where the applicant will be enrolled
- a person who has known the applicant for a minimum of 2 years
- if a current or previous VA employee, the applicant’s VA supervisor or equivalent
- Academic Transcript (An unofficial transcript is acceptable)
- Résumé
- Declaration for Federal Employment (OF 306)
- Program forms are available on http://www.va.gov/vaforms.