U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy: Health Professions Scholarship Program

Are you interested in working in the healthcare field and being part of the United States Army? If the answer is yes to both, you could potentially earn your degree for free! If you’re part of the United States Army, Air Force or Navy, you may qualify for the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). The scholarship fund exits to cover 100% of the tuition cost for eligible students seeking to earn their higher degree in the healthcare field who are going to enter active service to serve their country.

As you likely already know, college can cost an immense amount of money. That’s why this fund exists — to help those seeking a degree in the field the opportunity to do so while also giving back to the United States of America.

Let’s look at who is eligible and how to apply.

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Who is Eligible?

In order to apply for the Health Professions Scholarship Program, you must fulfill the following requirements as part of the United States military:

• Be enrolled in or have an acceptance letter for medical and dental school from an accredited program in the United States or Puerto Rico
• Be serving in active duty as a commissioned officer
• Hold a U.S. citizenship
• Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school
• Maintain full-time status during the length of the program

What Programs are Covered?

If you fulfill the aforementioned criteria and are earning your degree in any of the following fields, tuition will be covered for programs in:

• Medical/Osteopathy
• Dental
• Veterinarian
• Qualifying Specialty Nurse
• Counseling/Clinical Psychology
• Optometry

What are the Benefits?

There’s more than just tuition coverage. Along with the full coverage of tuition, the Health Professions Scholarship Program also provides students with a monthly stipend of over $2,200, salary advancement upon graduation and entrance of active duty and payment as an officer for 45 days while in training for service. Additionally, the army will award you with a $20,000 signing fee, monthly allowance for food and housing, and officer pay during school breaks.

You will have the opportunity to join the United States Health Care team, which is one of the most well-funded and robust health care teams in the world.

How to Apply

If you feel this is a good opportunity and right fit, here is how you can apply. The steps are also outlined as follows:

1. Contact an army recruiter
2. Gather necessary paperwork
3. Complete your HPSP application (concurrently with your medical school application)
4. Submit your application through your army recruiter
5. Once accepted, contact your recruiter to finalize your enrollment

Still Need a Bachelor’s Degree?

Keep in mind that this scholarship is to fund those entering graduate school in the healthcare professions. Perhaps you’re at the beginning of your journey to enter the healthcare professions and are wondering about your next steps.

The field of healthcare is vast with a wide array of opportunities for jobs and undergraduate degrees. Although the cost of undergraduate degrees are high, you have alternative options like choosing to study online.

For those seeking a flexible and tuition-free degree, you can earn your Bachelor’s degree in Health Science at University of the People. The program’s goals are three-fold, namely:

1. Provide an understanding of the biological and social causes of health and illness
2. Cover the knowledge and skills to perform effectively within the context of disease prevention and for the promotion of health
3. Develop an understanding of the role of policy, ethics and resources in managing disease prevention and the delivery of health services

The coursework spans multiple health-related classes from Biology to Human Psychology and Epidemiology to Genetics and more. The undergraduate degree will place you in good standing to continue your path towards earning your graduate degree and being eligible for the U.S. Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program.

Pros of Online Education

Choosing between a traditional on-campus institution and an online university can be a tough choice. However, with a fully online program like that of University of the People, you can reap many benefits, including:

Flexibility:

You get to choose when and where you study. With nothing more than an internet connection, you can access courses and resources on your own time.

Low-Cost:

UoPeople is tuition-free, which means that the only costs associated with earning your Bachelor’s degree will be a one-time application fee and course assessment fees. Additionally, if need be, you can apply for scholarships to help cover costs.

Accessibility:

Without a geographic location for classes, University of the People is fulfilling its mission of offering quality education to students anywhere in the world. In fact, students have studied in the four degree-granting programs from over 200 countries and territories in the world.

Diversity:

Even though the program is online, the pedagogical model of UoPeople means that you will surely interact with students from around the world and gain diverse perspectives and possibly new ways to learn.

UoPeople is an accredited American university which will provide you with the necessary knowledge to continue your education and potentially work for the United States Army’s health care team.

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Why Choose Healthcare?

Healthcare is a growing and rewarding profession. Working in healthcare doesn’t just mean becoming a doctor. It is a broad profession with multiple options for a career path, ranging from being a doctor or a nurse to becoming a physical therapist or dentist.

Healthcare is something that people always need, so you can rest assured knowing that the job market will offer many opportunities for the long term. Additionally, you will know that you are doing something that gives back to the greater good of humanity. You’ll also learn life skills to help you in both your professional and personal endeavours, like empathy, care, patience and time management.

Conclusion

Being a part of the United States Army will provide you with lifelong skills and also present you with the opportunity to apply for the Health Professions Scholarship Program if entering the healthcare field is something you wish to accomplish.

Starting off at an online school like University of the People will also save you money along your journey as it is tuition-free and provides you with the necessary bachelor’s degree to be eligible for the United States Army HPSP.

Although not everyone who applies for the scholarship will be granted the funds, it is still worth a shot because it could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars on your road to entering the healthcare field.