Physical Therapy Scholarships

Physical Therapy Scholarships

Physical therapy scholarships are for students who will be making a career in a solid industry upon graduation. As with many areas of study, there are specific scholarships offered to students pursuing an education in the physical therapy field. Scholarships for physical therapy are offered to college freshmen through students pursuing a doctorate in the physical therapy field. So, make sure you do not stop applying for physical therapy scholarship money after your senior year in high school, because specialized fields often have money available to help you through all phases of your higher education – beginning to end. Some of the scholarships for physical therapy students available are listed here.

The Daughters of the American Revolution offer a variety of scholarships in the medical field, including an Occupational/Physical Therapy scholarship for $1,000. Students accepted into an accredited school of Occupational or Physical Therapy who can show financial need is eligible for this one-time therapy scholarship. The deadline for enrollment is February 15.

Often individual universities with the physical therapy program offer scholarships through the university itself from local foundations or from endowment programs from former students. Every state also has its own physical therapy association and offer scholarships for physical therapy students , so make sure to research the awards available through your state of residence and study. Texas’s Physical Therapy Association, for example, gives several annual scholarships to students pursuing their Master’s or PhD in Physical Therapy in amounts ranging from $2,000-$7,000.

Some scholarships earmark funds for students at particular points in their educational journey. The following two scholarships for physical therapy, for example, are set aside for students in their freshman or sophomore year of college. Two freshmen female physical therapy students are each awarded $1,200 from the Caroline, Clara, Charles and Mildred Harper Scholarship after demonstrating need and academic excellence. Similarly, the $800 Barbara Ellen Gerlich-Hoefeyzer Scholarship is awarded to a freshmen or sophomore student who shows the above traits.

There is money available for those nearing the end of their education, too, so funds are available to help lessen your debt throughout your educational path. Current physical therapists and physical therapist assistants are eligible for financial assistance from the Kendall Doctoral Scholarships, part of the Foundation’s Doctoral Opportunities for Clinicians and Scholars (DOCS) program in their first year of pursuing a doctoral degree. Applicants must be accepted in an accredited program which is clearly linked to physical therapy. $5,000 scholarships may be used for academic fees or tuition. The deadline for completing the online registration is early spring.

Students at the end of their physical therapy program should consider applying for the $2,000 Margaret Kohli Scholarship which rewards students for community service, leadership and academic excellence.

This physical therapist scholarship is sponsored by McLaren Regional Medical Center and offers up to $6,000 per year or $3,000 per semester in Michigan. The goal of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance to physical therapy students and to invest in the local economy by encouraging awardees to remain employed in the area. Applicants must be accepted into a DPT or Doctorate of Physical Therapy program to be eligible for the award and must pledge to work one year at the McLaren Regional Medical Center for every year awarded the physical therapy scholarship. Students must also gain PT licensor in the state of Michigan within three months of graduation, having maintained a minimum of 3.0 GPA throughout their physical therapy studies.

There are also many scholarships available for individuals pursuing a degree in a health related field. For most of these, physical therapy students are eligible. For example, The Tylenol scholarship has an extremely large scholarship money pool, awarding over $250,000 to 170 students annually. 150 of these are $1,000 grants and 20 are $5,000 scholarships given to undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students in the health care industry.

Another example is The International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons which offers several $1,000 awards through their Health Careers Scholarship Program, which includes the area of physical therapy.

A degree in physical therapy, be it a Master’s or Doctorate, requires extensive education which is costly. Luckily there are many physical therapy scholarships which can help reduce this cost and lower the amount of debt physical therapists accrue while in school.