Funding for Students Studying to be a Dietitian
Find Financial Assistance from Scholarships
College scholarships for Dietitians (also spelled as 'Dieticians') and Nutritionists are becoming increasingly popular as the career fields really gain momentum in colleges all over the U.S. Colleges and various advocacy groups nationwide have been consistently donating funds to help people achieve a great education in the field of Dietetics and Nutrition.
The American Dietetics Association (ADA) provides a great starting point for anyone interested in applying for scholarships that are related to the field of dietetics.
Where to Start
The American Dietetic Association itself, as well as its many affiliated "state" groups, offers a various array of scholarships to individuals interested in both undergraduate and advanced degrees in dietetics and nutrition related areas. All of the specific scholarship information from the American Dietetic Association Foundation (ADAF), and its various affiliate groups, can be accessed from group's information listed on the eatright.org (ADA) website. It is also important to note that all ADAF scholarships require that the interested student have an ADA membership; and some may require specific dietetic practice group memberships or perhaps previous residency in a specific state or area.
Who are they for?
All students are eligible for ADAF scholarships, but as is the case with several scholarships, many of these funds are targeted to dietetic students coming from underrepresented groups. In general, scholarships awarded by the ADAF for ADA members and prospective dietetic students are directed towards undergraduates enrolled in their junior or senior year of a baccalaureate or corresponding program in dietetics or their second year of study in a dietetic technician program, a dietetic internship or a graduate program.
Where to Apply and What to Expect
One scholarship application form is used for all of the ADAF scholarships. Applications are available each year between mid-September and mid-January through the eatright.org website. The yearly deadline for posting applications takes place in mid-February. Scholarships are then awarded for the proceeding academic year. The number of scholarships available and their specific value fluctuate every year. For the 2005-2006 academic year, 186 scholarships were awarded in ranging from $500 to $5,000. The majority of the scholarships awarded are for the value of $1,000.
Individual College Department Scholarships
Many colleges nationwide offer individual scholarships through their Family Health or Nutritional Sciences departments. If a prospective dietetics student is interested in attending a certain college they should request scholarship information from the nutritional science or health departments. Most colleges offer at least a $1,000 per scholarship to their students.
An example of the departmental dietetics scholarship would be Iowa State's $1,000 scholarships available to the incoming freshman students in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and in the College of Human Sciences. Depending upon the availability of funds for current academic year, higher amounts may be given out to students. Students need to have declared a major in dietetics, food science, or nutritional science. Academic excellence and leadership activities are the criteria for this dietetics award at Iowa State, and this is the case at most other colleges as well. To apply, students should complete the Freshman Scholarship Form provided by the individual department and send it with a copy of their high school transcript(s) and a letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or counselor.
Endowed Scholarships
Several statewide affiliates of the ADA offer scholarships from the overall interest earned on invested funds for that year. The state of Texas' Dietetic Association offers many of these endowed scholarships to interested dietetic students. An example of this scholarship type would be the Elmira Blecha Scholarship, which is awarded to an undergraduate student in his/her senior year. This endowed scholarship is in honor of a former member of TDA who dedicated her life to her profession and to helping potential dietitians in the state of Texas.
