Health Care Scholars United Program

Health Care Scholars United Program is sponsored by United Health Foundation. The United Health Foundation's Health Care Scholars United Program is offering scholarships to current and aspiring healthcare professionals pursuing degrees or certifications to build their clinical skills. Priority is given to those pursuing careers in rural health, behavioral health, maternal health, primary care, and pharmacy.

Health Care Scholars United - Scholarship America Health Care Scholars United Are you a current or aspiring health professional? This $3,200 scholarship will help you take your healthcare career to the next level. Applications Open - Deadline September 18, 2026 3:00 PM CT Health Care Scholars United In 2022, the United Health Foundation made a $100 million, 10-year philanthropic commitment to support the healthcare workforce.

Health Care Scholars United provides scholarships to current and aspiring healthcare professionals who want to obtain or grow their clinical skills and credentials. The Foundation’s goal is to support 10,000 scholars by 2033 and ultimately help improve healthcare access, experiences, and outcomes for all.

Applicants must be current or aspiring health professionals pursuing a degree or certificate program to obtain or advance clinical credentials, with the intent to enter a clinical health career upon completion. Applicants must be enrolled at the time of award distribution (November 2026) and be on track to graduate no later than August 31, 2027.

Applicants with anticipated graduation dates beyond August 31, 2027 are encouraged to apply for the next application cycle, which opens in early 2027. Click the “Remind Me” button to receive updates when the next cycle opens. Individuals will not be excluded from eligibility based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law .

Let’s see if you’re eligible: Pursuing clinical health careers upon graduation Applicants must be pursuing a certification or degree in a clinical health career. Priority will be given to students seeking careers in pharmacy, rural health, behavioral health, maternal health, or primary care.

Applicants must be enrolled as a full or part-time undergraduate or graduate student or plan to be enrolled in an accredited program at the time of award distribution (November 2026). Applicants must be enrolled in either an in-person or virtual program that is based in the United States. Applicants must be on track to graduate or complete their program no later than August 31, 2027.

Applicants with anticipated graduation dates beyond August 31, 2027 are encouraged to apply for the next application cycle, which is scheduled to open in early 2027. Click the “Remind Me” button to receive updates when the next cycle opens. Demonstration of financial need Applicants must demonstrate financial need upon application.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or lawful permanent residents. Certification programs must be through an accredited institution and must run on a standard academic semester calendar. Certification programs must be a minimum of one semester/term in length and applicants must be enrolled at the time awards are disbursed.

Awards can be used for license programs and will be made payable to the accredited college, university, or vocational-technical school. Awards cannot be used for license fees or exams. Examples include but are not limited to: nursing, physician assistant, clinical psychologist, or clinical social worker.

Current physicians who are seeking additional certifications or degrees are not eligible for this scholarship. Previous United Health Foundation scholarship recipients are not eligible for this scholarship. Employees of UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, or an organization acquired by UnitedHealth Group, and their immediate family members are not eligible for this scholarship.

How are recipients chosen? To select recipients, the evaluation process considers a wide variety of criteria from the materials you provide.

This includes: Work Experience and Community service: Your involvement in supporting the health and wellbeing of your community Demonstration of financial need Goal statement – Describe your future goals as a health care provider Overcoming a challenge – Describe a time when you faced a professional challenge at work, at school or in a similar setting, such as working with a difficult personality, limited resources, or unclear direction.

What steps did you take to address or eliminate the challenge to still achieve your goal? Essay – How do you plan to use your professional experiences and career to improve access to quality health care?

Intended clinical profession – Priority will be given to students seeking careers in pharmacy, rural health, behavioral health, maternal health, or primary care When you submit your application, all of these areas will be reviewed as part of the scholarship evaluation process.

Individuals will not be excluded from eligibility based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. What information do I need? See below for a checklist of required information.

To complete your application, make sure everything is submitted by September 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM CT . 1. Demonstration of Financial Need (as determined by Scholarship America) Write a short answer response (approximately 250 words) to three questions, including the following: Describe your future goals as a health care provider.

Describe a time when you faced a professional challenge at work, at school or in a similar setting, such as working with a difficult personality, limited resources, or unclear direction. What steps did you take to address or eliminate the challenge to still achieve your goal? How do you plan to use your professional experiences and career to improve access to quality health care?

Space is limited; please be concise. Frequently Asked Questions How much will recipients be awarded? Selected students will be awarded a one-time scholarship of $3,200.

How many awards will this scholarship give out? For this scholarship, up to 325 awards are available. Is this a one-time award or does it renew each year?

This is a one-time award. Awards are not renewable, and past recipients may not reapply. Can I defer the scholarship?

No scholarship deferrals are allowed. If an awardee would like to defer, the scholarship will be forfeited, and the student can reapply in a future application cycle. What can the scholarship money be used for?

This scholarship can be used for tuition, program fees, books, and supplies only. Awards cannot be used for license fees or exams. What kind of healthcare professional is this scholarship for?

The program is open to clinical professionals in many roles: including, but not limited to nurses, aspiring physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, midwives, behavioral health professionals such as clinical social workers, mental health counselors, clinical psychologists, and allied health professionals such as speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, medical assistants, and EMTs.

Physicians who are seeking additional certifications or degrees are not eligible.

Ineligible academic degree programs include, but aren’t limited to: – Public Health (i.e., MPH) – Business Administration (i.e., MBA) Note: if dual degree with another approved program, this may be acceptable after further review and evaluation (e.g., Physician Assistant/ MBA, Doctorate Nurse Practitioner/MBA) – Informatics or Bioinformatics – Healthcare Administration/Management – Education (e.g., PhD Nursing Education) – Information Technology (IT) If you think you may be eligible but you’re not sure, please contact Scholarship America When is the deadline to apply?

Applications must be submitted by September 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM CT. Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically. To maintain a fair process, we do not allow extensions or make exceptions for application deadlines.

Can I change my application after it’s been submitted? Once you submit your application, you can’t change it. Please review your application responses carefully to ensure they are complete and accurate.

If your situation changes in a way that affects your application after it has been submitted, please contact Scholarship America. I’m a student with a disability. How can I receive additional assistance?

Please contact Scholarship America for assistance with your application. We are here to help you navigate the process in a way that works for you. How does financial need factor into the selection process?

Financial need is a key component of the eligibility evaluation for this scholarship and must be demonstrated at the time of application. Who decides the recipients? Recipients are exclusively chosen by Scholarship America following defined evaluation criteria.

Can I apply again next year if not selected? Yes, you may apply for this scholarship each time it opens, if you still meet eligibility requirements and did not previously receive the scholarship. What if I disagree with the selection decisions?

Unfortunately, not every student – even when eligible – can be awarded the scholarship. The good news is Scholarship America might have more scholarships that are a good fit for you. Scholarship America offers a safe and trusted resource to help you find scholarships and answer important questions along the way.