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Diversity in Health Care Scholarship

Are you a current or former health professional? This scholarship of up to $3,200 will help you take your healthcare career to the next level.
STATUS: CLOSED
Application currently unavailable
Award Amount
$3,200
Application Deadline
March 24, 2023 3
3:00 pm CT

Let’s see if you're eligible:

Current or Former Health Professionals Interested in Advancing Clinical Credentials

If you have an active license or certificate to practice in a clinical health career (e.g., as a nurse, physician assistant, clinical psychologist, or clinical social worker), and you’re enrolled in or planning to attend school to complete a degree or certification to advance your clinical credentials, the United Health Foundation Diversity in Health Care Scholarship might be for you.

 

Enrolled for the Upcoming Academic Year

You’re eligible for this scholarship if you plan to enroll in full-time or part-time study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, vocational-technical or graduate school, starting in Fall 2023.

Historically Underrepresented Students

Awards will be given to historically underrepresented students, including those who identify as Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

U.S. Citizens

For eligibility, students should be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or lawful permanent residents.

Employees of UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare and Optum and their immediate family members are not eligible for this scholarship.

Not eligible? Scholarship America might have a better scholarship fit for you.

Learn more

How are recipients chosen?

There is a critical need to support a more diverse clinical workforce across the nation. The United Health Foundation Diversity in Health Care Scholarship supports historically underrepresented healthcare professionals seeking to advance their clinical skills. To select recipients, the evaluation process considers a wide variety of criteria from the materials you provide. This includes:

  • Community service – Your involvement in extracurricular activities and within your community
  • Work experience

When you submit your application, all of these areas will be reviewed as part of the scholarship evaluation process.

What information do I need?

See below for a checklist of required information. To complete your application, make sure everything is submitted by March 24, 2023 at 3 PM CT.

Copy of Certification or License

The copy of your certification or license can be uploaded as a PDF and should should display your name, title of certification/license, and active dates.

Short Answer Prompt

Write a short answer response (approximately 250 words) to two questions, including the following: Describe your health care career to date and your future goals as a health care provider. Space is limited; be concise.

You’ve gotten this far. If you’re interested, applying is easy as 1-2-3.

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Step 1

Visit the Scholarship America application system.

Step 2

Create or log in to your account and complete your profile.

Step 3

Find the application under the Student Overview to begin.

What happens from here?

You Submit Your Application

Ensure that your application is complete and submit by the March 24 deadline.

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Applications Are Reviewed

Applications are reviewed and scored against required program criteria.

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Notifications Are Sent

You will be notified by email regarding your award status.

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Diversity in Health Care Scholarship

Questions you might still be wondering.

How much will recipients be awarded?
Selected students could be awarded scholarships up to $3,200 each.

How many awards will this scholarship give out?
For this scholarship, up to 500 awards are available.

Is this a one-time award or does it renew each year?
This is a one-time award for one year only. Awards are not renewable and past recipients may not reapply.

What can the scholarship money be used for?
This scholarship can be used for tuition, program fees, books, and supplies only. Awards cannot be used for license fees or exams.

What kind of healthcare professional is this scholarship for?
The program is open to clinical professionals in many roles: nurses, lab technicians, certified nurse midwives, physician assistants, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and more.

Some examples of eligible education pathways for this scholarship:

  • CNA to LPN
  • Nurse Practitioner seeking a psychiatric mental health certification
  • Doula seeking a nursing degree
  • Social worker seeking a master’s of social work
  • Dental assistant to dental hygienist
  • Other upskilling clinical pathways

Physicians who are seeking additional certifications or degrees are not eligible.

If you think you may be eligible but you’re not sure, please contact Scholarship America 

When is the deadline to apply?
Applications must be submitted by March 24, 2023 at 3 PM CT. Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.

In order to maintain a fair process, we do not allow extensions or make exceptions for application deadlines.

Can I change my application after it’s been submitted?

Once you submit your application, you can’t change it. Please review your application responses carefully to ensure they are complete and accurate.

If your situation changes in a way that affects your application after it has been submitted, please contact Scholarship America.

I’m a student with a disability. How can I receive additional assistance?
Please contact Scholarship America for assistance with your application. We are here to help you navigate the process in a way that works for you.

How does financial need factor into the selection process?
If you’re eligible for this scholarship, financial need is not a factor in the evaluation process.

Who decides the recipients?
Recipients are exclusively chosen by Scholarship America following defined evaluation criteria.

Can I apply again next year if not selected?
Yes, you may apply for this scholarship each time it opens, as long as you still meet eligibility requirements and did not receive the scholarship previously.

What if I disagree with the selection decisions?
Unfortunately, not every student – even when eligible – can be awarded the scholarship. The good news is Scholarship America might have more scholarships that are a good fit for you. Learn more.

Definitions

Accreditation is a certification in which an independent body verifies that an academic program meets minimum academic standards. Professions in the healthcare field are wide-ranging, and many of these have their own distinct accrediting agencies. A good place to start is the U.S. Department of Education’s database of schools and programs accredited by federally recognized agencies.

Most accredited educational institutions will have a link to their accreditation status on the bottom or corner of their homepage. Remember, just because an institution is accredited, that doesn’t mean the program is and vice versa.

There are a variety of clinical professional roles including those that directly support and provide patient diagnosis, treatment, testing, ongoing care, and may also include direct patient interaction. Examples include nurses, social workers and dental assistants.

You are considered a part-time student if you are taking 11 or fewer credits per semester. Part-time graduate students usually take less than nine credits. Schools that use a quarter or trimester system may have different credit thresholds to better reflect their typical course load.

Generally, undergraduate students are considered to be full-time when enrolled in 12 or more credit hours in a given semester.

 

Through upskilling, healthcare professionals expand their existing skill set through additional education and training. This may give individuals opportunities for growth as they expand their knowledge.

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Diversity in Health Care Scholarship

About this scholarship Image

Up to $3,200 for upskilling health professionals

The United Health Foundation, the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group, has made a ten-year, $100 million commitment to advancing health equity by helping build a more racially and ethnically diverse health workforce.

The ultimate goal is to provide scholarships and support to 10,000 future clinicians and upskilling underrepresented health professionals by 2033—and you could be among the first!

About Scholarship America

What is Scholarship America?

We’re a nonprofit that’s all about helping you – the student – and making it easier to apply for scholarships and pay for college.

  • Our evaluation process is designed to give students credit for all aspects of an application. When it comes to students, we know one size does not fit all.
  • We’ve awarded scholarships to almost 3 million students. And we believe you could be next.
  • We partner with funders who have students’ best interests in mind, to create scholarship programs that help students succeed in college, and beyond.
  • Your data is never sold, and your privacy is protected—we promise.

There’s a scholarship out there just for you. At Scholarship America, we’re here to help you find it.

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Eligible for this scholarship? Go ahead and apply!

Need help?

Just reach out.

Not Quite Ready?

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