College Grants for Students Going into Occupational Therapy
Get One Step Closer to Your Degree
Occupational therapists are often confused with Physical Therapists and even though the professions share many of the same environments, there are noticeable nuances.
Occupational Therapists, or OTs, work in health care environments where rehabilitation is often the key goal of their work with patients.
Facilities may include nursing homes, clinics, and hospital rehabilitation departments.
Students interested in Occupational Therapy may pursue the profession from a couple of different degree strategies.
While many OTs possess a Masters degree, there are those who practice with a four-year degree. Students may also move from a bachelor's degree in another discipline to a Masters program.
Federal Grants for OT Students
Like all college students, OT students should begin any collegiate funding search with federal programs. Stafford Loans are the first line of college funding. In the realm of grant monies, the federal government may be of special interest especially to students pursing degrees within the healthcare professions.
- The Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students is a program administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Schools must participate in order for the grant to be available to OT students. The program offers generous tuition grants to disadvantaged students pursuing approved healthcare professions, including Occupational Therapy. Disadvantaged is defined in this instance as a student who is either socially or financially impaired or both.
- The National Institutes of Health sponsors dozens of National Research Service Awards Research Training Grants and Fellowships. Most of these grants and fellowships target Occupational Therapy students studying at Masters and Doctoral levels and working on dissertations and other research projects.
Colleges and University Grants for OTs
Colleges and universities that provide Occupational Therapy programs often administer their own grants and scholarships either based on merit, need or a combination of both:
- The University of Washington's Masters in Occupational Therapy program is designed to conform its grants to offer even more generous awards for minority students, through the Minority Achievement Program. This is a need-based grant.
- The University of Wisconsin provides specialized grants, fellowships and scholarships for PhD students, women, travel stipends, minorities and post-doctoral studies.
- University of the Sciences in Philadelphia provides grants and fellowships to its Masters in OT students. There are travel and research grants.
Grants from Professional Organizations
Occupational Therapy students most likely will want to become a member of one of the industry's professional organizations. Not only do such groups support the professional development of its members, but they also maintain quite well endowed educational funds:
- American Occupational Therapy Foundation in concert with certain state fund programs administers nearly three-dozen grants and scholarships most of which are tailored to Masters level candidates. Recently the Foundation has added grants for doctoral research.
- Rehab Options, USA is a firm that specializes in job searches for OTs. Part of the company's mission is to assist Occupational Therapy students in whatever way they can with educational grants and scholarships.
