National Health Service Corps Scholarship
The National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program (NHSC SP) awards scholarships to students pursuing eligible primary care health professions training. The National Health Service Corps provides financial support for full-time enrollment in an eligible primary care health professions degree training program for up to four school years, including payment of tuition and eligible fees, an annual payment for other reasonable educational costs (PDF - 310 KB); and monthly stipends to assist with living expenses while pursuing your health professions degree educational training program.
In return, scholars commit to provide primary care health services in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). You commit to a minimum two years of full-time service. You must serve at an NHSC-approved site in a HPSA. The total number of years you serve will depend on the number of school years of NHSC SP support you received. (This cannot exceed four school years.)
You will join thousands of current and former NHSC clinicians who provide primary healthcare services to communities in need.
Deadlines
National Deadline: May
The NHSC SP is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The NHSC SP is a competitive federal program that awards scholarships to students pursuing eligible primary care health professions training leading to:
- A degree in medicine (allopathic or osteopathic);
- A degree in dentistry; or
- A postgraduate degree or postgraduate certificate from a school or program in nursemidwifery education, physician assistant (PA) education, or nurse practitioner (NP) education specializing in adult medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, psychiatric-mental health, or women’s health
A commitment to participate in the NHSC SP is significant, as is the need for primary care in the underserved communities across the United States and the U.S. territories. Applicants will be evaluated with respect to their demonstrated interest in primary care, their qualifications to participate in the NHSC SP, and their commitment to serving the underserved. The NHSC SP is seeking applicants focused on primary care who demonstrate geographic flexibility, as well as a strong interest in providing primary health services to underserved populations nationally. Only those students who are committed to practicing primary care and are able to relocate to underserved communities based on the needs of NHSC should consider becoming an NHSC scholar.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be:
- US Citizens or Nationals
- Enrolled as a full-time student (or accepted for enrollment)
- Attending—or accepted to attend—an accredited school or program in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia (D.C.), or a U.S. territory
- In an eligible discipline. This includes the following:
- Medicine (MD or DO)
- Dentistry (DDS or DMD)
- Nurse Practitioner (NP)
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
- Physician Assistant (PA)
- Elgibile for federal employment
- Without an existing service obligation
- Two letters of recommendation: one academic and one non-academic
- Required documentation and supporting documents
- Resume detailing volunteer and work experience
- Three essays
- Transcript(s)
- Tuition and fees schedule
- Complete two NCA forms:
- Intake form
- Records Release Form and submit to nca@uc.edu
- Launch your online application (application opens in the Spring)
- Complete and submit application by National Deadline in May
- Please note you may edit and resubmit your application up until the final deadline
- You will be notified about the final status of your application by September