Scholarships for Future Occupational Therapists
Treat Yourself with Financial Aid
The goal of Occupational Therapists is to help patients gain some autonomy over many aspects of their everyday lives that have been interrupted by illness or injury.
To become an Occupational Therapist, students must complete a Bachelor of Science degree as well as pass a national certification exam in order to practice. Many students will go on to earn their Master's or Doctorate degree in the field.
With all that schooling, the subject of funding is a very prominent subject for students. Scholarships can go a long way towards easing that financial burden.
Occupational Therapy Associations
Each state has its own Occupational Therapy Association and many of them offer scholarships to students pursuing their degree - either in the undergraduate or graduate degree level. Twenty of these states issue scholarships through a partnership with the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF). Student will want to check out their state's association for details.
The Occupational Therapy Association of Oregon (OTAO) awards scholarships every year to students enrolled in an accredited program in Oregon. Each award is $1,000 each.
The Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Assocation (WOTA) issues several $1,000 scholarships a year to students who show academic achievement.
Straight to the Source - Colleges
Many Occupational Therapy (OT) programs in colleges these days either offer a Master's and Doctorate program or a combined entry level Bachelor/Master degree program. There are very few colleges these days that offer a straight Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. Irregardless, there are a number of scholarships for students of Occupational Therapy. Each college will have their own rules as well as endowed scholarships unique to them.
Columbia University in New York offers several scholarships to Occupational Therapy students both at the beginning entry-level and returning enrolled levels. There are several general tuition scholarships based on financial need or high academic standards. Those scholarships specific to Occupational Therapy include:
- The May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation Scholarship - Two Occupational Therapy students each year receive $10,000 each.
- The Dorothy M. Catana Magee Scholarship - Several $1,000 scholarships are awarded to Occupational Therapy students.
- The Crane Fund for Widows and Children - Two $5,000 scholarships are presented to Occupational Therapy students.
The University of Texas Medical Branch School of Allied Health Sciences offers several scholarships that are open to all students regardless of area of study, including Occupational Therapy. Some of these scholarships include:
- The Edith and Emanuel Cohen/Evelyn A, Gerstein Memorial Scholarship - Incoming students to the college who exhibit great leadership and service are eligible.
- The Edgar and Grace Gnitzinger Scholarship - Second or third year students at the college can apply. Good academic performance and a written essay are two prerequisites.
- The Warm Springs Cornerstone Scholarship in Occupational Therapy - This is a merit scholarship that is also based on achievement and outstanding aptitude in college.
Additional Sources for Occupational Therapy Scholarships
Charitable service organizations, corporate, private and nonprofit foundations are also options for funding an Occupational Therapy degree. These options require some research to find scholarship opportunities.
The AMBUCS Scholars program offers varying monetary awards to junior and senior students earning a bachelor's degree in various therapy programs from an accredited college. Graduate students in a health therapy program earning their master's degree or doctorate are also eligible. Students are judged based on community involvement, citizenship, financial need, academic merit and more.
The Health Careers Foundation awards scholarships to current students as well as incoming nontraditional students who are working toward a degree in the health care field. Scholarships can be up to $4,000 each year or a total of $8,000 for students who qualify.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Health Professions offers scholarships for disadvantaged students. If a student comes from a low income family or disadvantaged background and is a legal citizen or national of the United States or its territories, they may be eligible. A number of health care disciplines including Occupational Therapy are considered.
OT students may also be interested in becoming a nurse since they both have a similar goal: helping people. You may find more scholarship options if you decide to be a nurse. Grant funding is also available for nursing education.
