Financial Aid
Health Care Funding
Health care students often find it easier to obtain financial aid because of the special resources available to them. Below you will find some of these specialized scholarship programs for health care. Occasionally, loans are “forgiven” for these individuals if they work in a specific area that has a shortage of health care personnel. This means that a large part (or even all) of the loaned amount does not have to be repaid if the student is willing to work in these shortage locations for a specified length of time. Many parts of rural Alaska meet this requirement. Below you will find regional and statewide resources for Alaskan students. You might also want to contact the human resources department of your local health care provider and ask if they have any scholarship opportunities for postsecondary education.
Alaska Pharmacists Association Scholarships
Alaska Pharmacists Association
203 W. 15th Ave. #100
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: (907) 563-8880
Fax: (907) 563-7880
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.alaskapharmacy.org
The Alaska Pharmacists Association awards 3 different types of scholarships: 1) The Francis C. Bowden Memorial Scholarship awards $2,500 to an Alaskan resident enrolled in a pharmacy program at an ACPE accredited institution, 2) The Pre-pharmacy Scholarship awards $1,100 to a student enrolled in a pre-pharmacy program or equivalent who has a history in Alaska, and 3) The Pharmacy Technician Scholarship awards $500 to a student enrolled in a Pharmacy Technician program, or a current Alaska Pharmacy Technician license holder who intends to enroll in the pharmacy technician curriculum at the University of Alaska. In order to be eligible to apply, all students must be an Alaska resident and a high school graduate or GED holder. Students must be nominated and all applications are due by November 1st.
Helen Dittman Beirne Scholarship
Scholarship Committee
Alaska Speech and Hearing Association
2515 Telequana Dr
Anchorage, AK 99508
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.aksha.org/
To be eligible for this scholarship applicants must show pursuit of studies in communication, in the area of speech/language or hearing at an accredited institution in the undergraduate or graduate department. This scholarship is valued at $1,000.
Joseph A. Shields, Jr. Memorial Scholarship for Health Care
Ketchikan General Hospital
Human Resource Department
3100 Tongass Avenue
Ketchikan, AK 99901
Contact: Shana Criscola
Phone: (907) 228-8300 ext. 7883
Fax: (907) 228-8324
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
To be eligible for this scholarship provided by the Ketchikan General Hospital, students must have a high school diploma, have graduated at least 2 years prior to applying and be enrolled in or accepted to a health care program.
National Student Nursing Association (NSNA)
The Foundation of National Student Nurses’ Association
45 Main Street, Suite 606
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 210-0705
Fax: (718) 797-1186
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.nsna.org
The NSNA Foundation awards a variety of scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 annually: a) Career Mobility Scholarships (students who are RNs enrolled in RN to BSN or RN to MSN programs or LPN/LVN programs leading to RN licensure) b) Breakthrough to Nursing Scholarships (awarded to individuals who are racial or ethnic minorities under-represented in the nursing profession c) Specialty Nursing Scholarships and d) McKesson Scholarships. For more information on eligibility and applications, visit the website.
Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC)
Scholarship Program
306 W. 5th Ave
P.O. Box 966
Nome, AK 99762
Phone: (907) 443-4530 or (907) 443-3488
Toll free: (888) 559-3311
Fax: (907) 443-2085
Website: http://www.nortonsoundhealth.org/scholarship.html
NSHC provides funding to local students accepted into an accredited 2 or 4 year program in health care or a health care related field. Applicants must be able to show financial need after other sources of funding have been considered. Native preference is given to the Scholarship Program.
Providence Alaska Medical Center Auxilary Scholarships
Providence Auxilary Scholarship Committee
3200 Providence Drive
P.O. Box 196604
Anchorage, AK 99519-6604
Phone: (907) 212-3100 or 212-8427
This committee offers scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each to qualified students working toward a degree in the field of medicine. In order to qualify, students must 1) be admitted to a degree seeking major 2) be currently enrolled as a first-year student or beyond at one of the institutions of higher education in the State of Alaska and 3) have a minimum grade point average of 2.7. Deadline to apply each year is June 30th. Applications can be picked up in the Providence Volunteer Office.
The following Alaska health care scholarships are for Alaska Native/American Indian students only:
Indian Health Service Scholarship Program
Contact: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Education, Development, and Training Department
4000 Ambassador Dr. Suite 114
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: (907) 729-1917
Toll Free: (800) 664-8361
Fax: (907) 729-1335
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.anthc.org/jt/int/
The Indian Health Service (IHS) Scholarship provides financial assistance for American Indian and Alaska Native students with three health career and allied career scholarship programs: Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship Program, Health Professions Pregraduate Scholarship Program and Health Professions Scholarship Program.
Maniilaq Association James “Qigñak” Wells Endowment Scholarship
Maniilaq Association
P.O. Box 256
Kotzebue, AK 99752
Contact: Jason Johnson or Cheryl Richards
Phone: (907) 442-7652
Toll free: (800) 478-3312
Fax: (907) 442-7765
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.maniilaq.org/scholarship.htm
This special scholarship, provided by the Maniilaq Association, will provide financial assistance to students registered in accredited degree program related to Maniilaq operations, such as Health professions and Social Services. Applications are accepted from students who are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe. Preference is given to enrolled members of tribes within the NW Arctic Borough.
Mary Morgan-Wolf Memorial Scholarship
Kuskokwim Educational Foundation (KEF)
P.O. Box 227
Aniak, Alaska 99557
Contact: David Gregory
Phone: (907) 675-4275
Toll free: (800) 478-4275
Fax: (907) 675-4276
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.kuskokwim.com/content/educational-foundation
The Kuskokwim Educational Foundation provides educational assistance to Native people and their descendants from the Kuskokwim Corporation region. The Mary Morgan-Wolf Memorial Scholarship program funds one student each year entering into a health-related field that plans to return to the Kuskokwim area after their degree is received or training completed.
Morris K. Udall Scholarship Program
130 South Scott Avenue
Tucson, Arizona 85701
Contact: Mia Ibarra
Phone: (520) 901-8564
Fax: (520) 670-5530
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Website: http://udall.gov/OurPrograms/MKUScholarship/MKUScholarship.aspx
Scholarships are offered in three categories one of which is to Native American or Alaska Native students who have demonstrated commitment to careers related to Native health care.
YKHC Health Care Professional Education Loan Forgiveness Program
Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC)
Box 528
Bethel AK 99559
Contact: Lauri O’Brien, Director Y-K Area Health Education Center
Phone: (907) 543-6981
Toll Free: (800) 478-3321 ext. 6060
Fax: (907) 543-6061
Web site: http://www.ykhc.org/510.cfm
Tribal members and descendents of one of the 58 tribes served by YKHC are eligible to apply for funding. Applicants must be accepted or enrolled into an accredited program that leads to certification or licensure in healthcare. Recipients must commit to employment with YKHC after completion of their program.
This page was last updated by Janice Troyer on January 25, 2012
