Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP)-PHYSICAL THERAPY-Application Open!

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scrawnyguy

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As a member of the Federal Section of the APTA I receive occasional updates regarding federal PT opportunities. A few days back they sent this link to apply for HPSP PT scholarships. PT school scholarships are pretty much like the proverbial white whale. Uncle Army is already paying for my PT school but I thought this may be of interest to some of you. It looks like they pay for tuition and even give you a monthly stipend. At the end of school you owe them some time, which it says is a minimum of 2 years. I imagine the length of the service payback depends on how many years of school they sponsor but I might be wrong.

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/464824600

Members don't see this ad.
 
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As a member of the Federal Section of the APTA I receive occasional updates regarding federal PT opportunities. A few days back they sent this link to apply for HPSP PT scholarships. PT school scholarships are pretty much like the proverbial white whale. Uncle Army is already paying for my PT school but I thought this may be of interest to some of you. It looks like they pay for tuition and even give you a monthly stipend. At the end of school you owe them some time, which it says is a minimum of 2 years. I imagine the length of the service payback depends on how many years of school they sponsor but I might be wrong.

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/464824600
This is awesome thanks for the share, it is different from the other hpsp scholarships as you would serve by working as a federal employee for the VA.
 
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As a member of the Federal Section of the APTA I receive occasional updates regarding federal PT opportunities. A few days back they sent this link to apply for HPSP PT scholarships. PT school scholarships are pretty much like the proverbial white whale. Uncle Army is already paying for my PT school but I thought this may be of interest to some of you. It looks like they pay for tuition and even give you a monthly stipend. At the end of school you owe them some time, which it says is a minimum of 2 years. I imagine the length of the service payback depends on how many years of school they sponsor but I might be wrong.

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/464824600
Yay! I had heard people talk about the VA giving them scholarships but never knew how to go about doing it. I'm going to apply, though I probably won't receive anything at least I'll have tried to save myself from the 100k of debt. Thanks so much for sharing the link!!!!!
 
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Thank you very much OP!
 
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Thank you for this! I'm definitely throwing my hat it on this one. Doesn't hurt to give it a shot!
 
Has anyone else who applied for the scholarship heard anything yet?

I applied 3/31 which was the original deadline, but it's now been extended to 5/1.
 
This is a great scholarship. I'm not applying till next cycle, but I'm a vet who intends to work for the VA regardless of a scholarship so this is awesome. Are these offers rare or do they occur around this time every year?
 
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I haven't heard anything but am not super surprised with the deadline extending. I wonder if we will be notified either way
 
I haven't heard anything but am not super surprised with the deadline extending. I wonder if we will be notified either way

Haven't heard anything yet either, if/when I do, I'll be sure to post something here.
 
Has anyone that applied for the scholarship heard anything back yet?
 
To the people who applied, are you guys currently in school or will be beginning this year?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I haven't heard anything yet, I start school July 5th! I emailed and they told me we should find out in early June.
 
I haven't heard anything yet, I start school July 5th! I emailed and they told me we should find out in early June.

Oh! Wow! But, thanks for informing everyone about the estimated date of notice.
 
Anyone heard anything???? It's past early June in my book.
 
I emailed the head of the scholarship program in May and was told early June. I just sent a follow up email today to see if there are any updates. I will post here as soon as I hear back!
 
So yesterday I gave up waiting and emailed the person who I had previously emailed, and he informed me that I did not get the scholarship and that I should be receiving official notice later in the day. Then I finally got an auto generated email informing me that my application was considered but I was "not one of the highly qualified applicants"

Now I get to rush around and make sure all my loans are in order. I start school in 18 days!!!!!!
 
As a member of the Federal Section of the APTA I receive occasional updates regarding federal PT opportunities. A few days back they sent this link to apply for HPSP PT scholarships. PT school scholarships are pretty much like the proverbial white whale. Uncle Army is already paying for my PT school but I thought this may be of interest to some of you. It looks like they pay for tuition and even give you a monthly stipend. At the end of school you owe them some time, which it says is a minimum of 2 years. I imagine the length of the service payback depends on how many years of school they sponsor but I might be wrong.

Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP) - PHYSICAL THERAPY

It's an excellent decision. Thanks for helping people out.
 
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So yesterday I gave up waiting and emailed the person who I had previously emailed, and he informed me that I did not get the scholarship and that I should be receiving official notice later in the day. Then I finally got an auto generated email informing me that my application was considered but I was "not one of the highly qualified applicants"

Now I get to rush around and make sure all my loans are in order. I start school in 18 days!!!!!!

What were your stats if you don't mind me asking.
 
What were your stats if you don't mind me asking.

Attending: Thomas Jefferson University
GPA: 4.0
On Dean's List and member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society.
Bachelors in Natural Science/Math
References from Admissions Counselor at Jefferson, Academic advisor who worked with me throughout undergrad
My essays honestly weren't the best, probably could've taken more time there.

Sorry for the jumbled list, if you have other specific areas you were looking at, I'll be happy to answer them.
 
Anyone have any new insight into this VA scholarship? Particularly if you were accepted? Do you get to choose your placement after graduation, or are you forced to move somewhere remote? Tuition covered? Monthly stipend amount?
 
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Hi
I'm currently a VA employee, but will be starting my DPT program in August. I emailed the POC on the flyer that one of the PTs sent me and this is what he wrote.

"Currently, the application window is closed but we anticipate opening the window again in mid-February 2018. The occupations we will target in 2018 are Orientation & Mobility, Visual Rehabilitation Therapy, Low Vision Therapy, Nursing (BSNs, MSNs, and Doctorate of Nursing), Masters of Physician Assistant, and Doctorate of Physical Therapy. The application will be hosted on USAJobs using key word search “HPSP” (Nursing, PAs, and PTs) and “VIOMPSP” (O&M, VRT, & LVT). In the meantime, there has been a change in eligibility requirements: you must graduate before the end of 2018 to be eligible for HPSP PTs, PAs, and Nursing Scholarships but this requirement does not apply to VIOMPSP programs and VANAP programs. Here is some additional information about the program.

_______________________________________

To qualify for this Scholarship Program, you must be a U.S. citizen, unconditionally accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree as determined by the Scholarship Program office just prior to the application opening. These occupations are determined by evaluating the VA Workforce Succession Plan and then targeting the Top 5 Title 38/Hybrid Title 38 hard to recruit/retain occupations in the VA. After completion of your education, you must serve as a full-time clinical VA employee for a minimum of two years for HPSP and three years for VIOMPSP. If you are under a service obligation to serve at another entity or obligated under any other Federal program, you will be ineligible for the HPSP or VIOMPSP Scholarship Award.

_______________________________________

For HPSP, the school you are attending must have a pre-existing affiliation with a VA Hospital. Clinical Tour requirement should be conducted in the normal course of your studies and we would like every participant to accomplish this clinical at one of our VA facilities. We will work diligently with each selected student to ensure these clinical tours are available. We also target those in their last year of their education program. Others requiring additional years are also considered and accepted as fund become available.

_______________________________________

HPSP and VIOMPSP are not retroactive payment programs. Payments start as early as Summer Semester 2018. If you graduate before the Summer Semester of 2018, you will not be eligible for this scholarship.

_______________________________________

As part of the acceptance into HPSP and VIOMPSP, the applicant must sign a mobility agreement stating that they are willing to relocate at their own expense for placement at the discretion of VA. While we do work with you in the placement process to meet our needs and yours, there is no guarantee. We request your top 5 placement options 6-months prior to graduation and work with you to try and place within your Top 5 list but once again, there are no guarantees. Once placed, you are considered a full-time employee with rights, pay and benefits authorized to any employee of the VA.

_______________________________________

For HPSP, we top off any existing grants and scholarship up to 100% tuition and approved fees. There is also a monthly stipend of $1,083 while you are in school as well as a once a year stipend of $1,125 for books. If you are a current full time Federal Employee, you will not qualify to receive the monthly stipend is selected. If you are receiving the GI Bill, this program will only supplement what you are receiving and you cannot receive both the GI Bill monthly stipend and the HPSP monthly stipend concurrently.


For VIOMPSP, we top off any existing grants and scholarship up to $15,000/year for tuition and approved fees with a maximum cap of $45,000 for the entire time you are in the scholarship program. If you are receiving the GI Bill, this program will only supplement what you are receiving.

_______________________________________

Residencies are authorized and you would have to request a Service Obligation Deferment. After graduation, you can defer your service obligation till the residency is complete. You will incur an additional ½ the residency time to the service obligation. For example, if you graduate and owe 2-years to the VA, and then take a 1 year residency, you will incur and additional 6-months service obligation making your total service obligation 2 years and 6 months. If the residency is with the VA, the time in the residency does not count towards your service obligation and the additional time incurs as previously mentioned. Right now, only residencies of 1-year or less are being approved prior to the onset of the student Service Obligation."

Looks like you would need apply during your last clinical
 
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I am confused. So there will be an open window in 2018, but only students graduating this year would qualify for it?
 
I want to say they offer this every year. The year is just changed.
 
I am confused. So there will be an open window in 2018, but only students graduating this year would qualify for it?

I'm confused by this too. Unless they mean you must have graduated from your bachelor's degree program by the end of the year? Otherwise, it seems like the program would only pay for a maximum of two terms (summer 2018, fall 2018) and I don't think there are too many programs that graduate in December anyway. Doesn't seem like a great deal, which is why I feel there must be some misunderstanding here?
 
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Okay that sounds good. I have a couple questions though. Is this a full scholarship? And would I have to serve in the country or would I be deployed to combat zones? I’m very interested in this scholarship, however, I feel like there’s not enough information in their website.
 
Okay that sounds good. I have a couple questions though. Is this a full scholarship? And would I have to serve in the country or would I be deployed to combat zones? I’m very interested in this scholarship, however, I feel like there’s not enough information in their website.

Did you see the link I posted? It looks to be a full scholarship plus a small stipend. After you graduate, you have to work 2 years at a VA facility (not as active duty military or deployed outside the country). You do have to be willing to relocate at your own expense as required. It sounds like they don't generally give scholarships for the full three years of school -- they prioritize applicants who have less time remaining.
 
I am very interested in applying for this Scholarship, however, the more I look into it the more it seems they do not award to students who are entering their first year of education (Such as myself). Has anyone heard of or themselves received a DPT HPSP scholarship before their first year of education? I am attending Duke in August, and they told me they had 3 second years be awarded last year but have never had a first year receive this opportunity.
 
Also, how did the first years on this forum apply as the website says a recommendation is required from the school which they will be attending. My school will not write this as I have not started classes yet, so I am not sure how to get around it.
 
@CJW4973. You do not need a recommendation from a school if you have not started there. The only thing you will need, as a first-year applicant, is for your school to fill out the academic verification form.
 
I sure hope this is still around when I apply to PT school. I'm observing at the VA right now and really like it as a work environment.
 
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Message from Mr. Scott Dixon:
"If you graduate in 2018, we should have some results within 2-weeks. Those with graduation dates in 2019 or later can take as long as mid-June before final decisions are made."

Hope this can help those of you that are waiting on responses.
 
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It seems like taking a scholarship with less than one year of benefits for a two-year commitment is not intelligent mathematically, but what do I know.
 
Would it be worth applying as a first year student? It sounds like this scholarship is primarily awarded to second/third year students.
 
Would it be worth applying as a first year student? It sounds like this scholarship is primarily awarded to second/third year students.

It is definitely worth applying if you think you have a good shot. Will never hurt to apply as a P1 student, even if you do not get it, you will have all the paperwork for next year's application.
 
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New application deadline is today. It does kinda stink that somebody who applied after the original deadline will probably get a scholarship over one of us.
 
New application deadline is today. It does kinda stink that somebody who applied after the original deadline will probably get a scholarship over one of us.
Since it is passed the deadline, now we wait!
 
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