Scholarships/Grants | gvprevetstudent

Scholarships and Grants

Basics

Scholarships and grants are financial aid awards that don’t need to be repaid and are generally based on financial need or merit.

Some scholarships for college are merit-based. You earn them by meeting or exceeding certain standards set by the scholarship-giver. Merit scholarships might be awarded based on academic achievement or on a combination of academics and a special talent, trait, or interest. In veterinary school, most scholarships on the local university level are awarded during the second, third, and fourth years as they are given to students exhibiting high merit while already in veterinary school. Merit based awards are extremely competitive, especially in a professional school setting as all of the students are high achievers.

Other scholarships are based on financial need or special circumstances. Financial need may be based on your parents salary/taxes, your own personal financial status, or the amount of loans you have. Many scholarships are geared toward particular groups of people; for instance, there are scholarships for women, high school seniors, red heads, or left-handed people. And some are available because of where you or your parent work, or because you come from a certain background.

The requirements and stipulations of scholarships and grants vary depending on the award and amount. Some scholarships will be a one time monetary amount, while others will be a recurring amount given each year. Some scholarships will even have requirements attached to them, such as volunteering or working in a certain field/area while receiving the award.

Undoubtedly, scholarships and grants are the best and hardest way to pay for your education. No matter your situation, you should try to apply for as many scholarships as you are eligble for because it could save you a lot of money in the long run. Since there is such a huge variety of scholarships, don’t be afraid to apply for random scholarships that have nothing to do with veterinary medicine.

Finding Scholarships

The actual process of finding scholarships can be difficult as there are so many out there. The trouble is finding ones that actually apply to your personal circumstances. Many of the scholarships out there have very specific eligability requirements that generally don't include veterinary students. With hard work and diligence you will find a good amount of scholarships that you can apply to.

Your School = the best place that you can apply for scholarships is with the professional school that you are attending. Each year veterinary schools award hundreds of thousands of dollars to their students in scholarships. Schools generally make this process easy by making their students aware of the awards and by having a generic application process for them all. Some schools even go through and hand pick students without having an application process. Veterinary school scholarships for freshman are pretty rare. Most are awarded to second, third, and fourth year students as they have proven their abilities to succeed in veterinary medicine. Keep a look out for emails from your veterinary school throughout the year for news about new scholarship opportunities and application deadlines.
Local Scholarships = there are also lots of scholarships at the city and state level for students of all educational and life backgrounds. These scholarships are generally meant for in-state students, so that is something to be aware of if you decide to go out-of-state. These scholarships are generally very specific, such as only being awarded to students born in a certain township, involved in a particular program, or have a special life event.
National Scholarships = these scholarhips are going to be the most competitive that you can apply for. If you apply for a national scholarship, you will be competiting with the top students from all over the country for a very select number of awards. There is also a level of prestige that comes with these awards and sometimes there are requirements, such as working in certain areas after getting your degree. These awards are also generally much larger than your average scholarship.
Federal Grants = by filling out the FAFSA you will be automatically eligible for certain federal grants for students. There are significantly less grants out there for professional students, but there are some for students will extreme circumstances. You can find specific examples below.

Scholarship Examples

*Michigan based for local and state level.

Michigan State University Scholarships

MSU veterinary school offers scholarships in the Fall and Spring of each academic year through the CVM scholarship database. Students are sent a notification through email when the database is available for students to begin applying. Last year, CVM was able to award approximately $600,000 in scholarships to more than 200 students. Scholarships are awarded for financial need, academic qualifications, location of high school attendance, reason for pursuing a DVM degree, species-oriented interests in veterinary medicine, activities, community service, awards, and other additional considerations. A very comprehensive list of MSU scholarships for veterinary students can be found at the following link: https://scholendow.ais.msu.edu/student/ScholList1.asp?MAU=46&DeptCode=908

Dr. Grace Anne Boult Scholarship = based on financial need and it is awarded to a student that is from the upper peninsula of Michigan and wants to practice in small animal medicine.
Dr. Michael D. Cross Memorial Scholarship = based on financial need and it is awarded to a student who is in their third or fourth year.
Deans Education Enrichment Fund = this scholarship is awarded to any student in the MSU DVM program that want to study abroad or who are under-represented in the student body.
June Evans Award Endowed Scholarship Fund = this scholarships is based on financial need and it has a preference for students with an interest in ophthalmology or orthopedics.

These are just a few of the examples of scholarships avaliable to students at MSU CVM and hundreds of more can be found at the link above.

Michigan Local Scholarships

You are probably not going to find a lot of local scholarships out there because they are mostly specified for giving assistance to undergraduate students. However, if you look hard enough you will find some exceptions that can be applied to graduate or proffesional school tuition.

GRCF Guy D. & Mary Edith Halladay Graduate Scholarship = this is awarded to a Kent Country resident who is a graduate-level student at a Michigan college who exhibits financial need and has a 3.0 minimum GPA. http://www.grfoundation.org/scholarshipslist
GRCF Dorothy J. Thurston Graduate Scholarship = this is awarded to a Kent County resident that is pursuing a full or part-time graduate study at a Michigan school that exhibits financial need and has a 3.0 minimum GPA. http://www.grfoundation.org/scholarshipslist

Honestly, I had a hard time finding scholarships that were just for undergraduate students. You are going to have to look hard for scholarships at the local level outside of the actual university you are attending.

National Scholarships

There are a ton of national scholarships out there, but as I have said they are extremely competitive and difficult to get. However, if you are an exceptional student or meet their sometimes unusual requirements then I would highly suggest putting in the effort and time to apply for them as they can be worth huge amounts of money and they often come along with a certain level of prestige if won.

Association for Women Veterinarians Scholarship = Funded by the Association for Women Veterinary Foundation, this scholarship provides financial support to top female veterinary students. It is for students in the second- or third-year of veterinary programs at a college or school of veterinary medicine in the U.S., Canada, or Caribbean. Scholarships are $1,500, and the foundation awards up to eight each year. http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/nerdscholar/2012/top-scholarships-veterinary-school/
Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program = Funded by Pfizer and American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), this scholarship goes to outstanding veterinary students capable of addressing the diversity of the world and the health and research needs of society. To be eligible, you must be in your second or third year of veterinary school. Last year, they awarded 331 scholarships of $2,500 each. http://www.avmf.org/whatwedo/pfizerscholarship/
The Winner’s Circle Scholarship Program = this scholarship is designed to encourage and support veterinary students intending to enter equine veterinary medicine. The goal of the program is to award one scholarship per year to a deserving student at each of the 36 colleges of veterinary medicine throughout North American and the West Indies that sponsor a national chapter of the Student Chapters of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (SCAAEP). To be eligible, you must apply during your third-year for funding in the fourth-year of the veterinary program. Average awards are $1,500. http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/nerdscholar/2012/top-scholarships-veterinary-school/
Western Veterinary Conference Scholarship Program = Since 2002, the Western Veterinary Conference awards 32 annual scholarships of $2,500 each to a third-year veterinary student in all of the accredited US and Canadian veterinary schools. http://futurevet.net/students/scholarships/vet-school-scholarships
Bayer Excellence in Communication Award = Bayer has recently instituted a new scholarship for veterinary students that awards $2,500 to each participating school for one student who demonstrates strong communication skills in a clinical setting and an addition $2,500 for one national winner.
ACMF Veterinary Scholarship Program = this is an award given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students attending a AVMA accredited veterinary medicine program in the U.S. and Caribbean. Multiple $1,500 awards will be given out for applicants and one applicant will be selected to receive the $2,500 scholarship from the Winn Feline Foundation. http://www.avmf.org/whatwedo/avmf-veterinary-scholarship-program/
Little People of American Scholarships = this is a national scholarship that is awarded to members of LPA who have been medically diagnosed with a form of dwarfism or have an immediate family member that has been diagnosed. https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/unusual-scholarships/little-people-of-america-scholarships/
International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Graduate Scholarship = this is a scholarship for employees of supermarket dairy, deli, or bakery departments that is worth $1,000. https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/unusual-scholarships/international-dairy-deli-bakery-assn-undergraduate-graduate-scholarship/
Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship = each year PKP awards 51 fellowships of $5,000 and 6 awards at $15,00- to each of its members entering into their first year of graduate or professional study.

Federal Scholarships

Most, if not all, of the federal scholarships and grants are based upon financial need and students are only considered upon completion of the FAFSA. For maximum consideration for these awards you should try to submit the FAFSA as early as you can once it becomes avaliable in Janurary.

U.S. Army Veterinary Corps = offers full-tuition scholarships with monthly allowances in exchange for military training and reserve service. http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/veterinarian.html
Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) = this is a federal scholarship for any student enrolled full-time with proven need who meets the Federal definition of coming from a disadvantaged environment. The amount varies yearly depending on the funds available and it is awarded based on completion of the FAFSA. http://www.finaid.msu.edu/med/medchart.pdf
Student Aid Grant = this is a grant for students with high federal undergraduate indebtedness that is awarded based of FAFSA completion. http://www.finaid.msu.edu/med/medchart.pdf
Education Opportunity Fellowship = this is a program available for graduate and professional students who have high federal undergraduate indebtedness of $25,000 or more. It awards $3,000 per year for single students, with an additional $400 per year of additional allowance for a spouse or dependent children. http://www.grad.msu.edu/fellowships/eof.aspx
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant = this is a grant provided to students whose parents or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the event of 9/11. The amount is up to $5,081 per year. http://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/federal-grant-programs.pdf

Scholarship Search Tools

GVSU CLAS Advising Scholarship Search = http://www.gvsu.edu/financialaid/scholarships-157.htm

Frederik Meijer Office of Fellowships = http://www.gvsu.edu/fellowships/

FinAid = http://www.finaid.org/

Fastweb = http://www.fastweb.com/

Scholarship Experts = http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/

Scholarships, Grants, and Financial Aid for Minority Students = http://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/college-scholarships-for-minority-students/

Future Vet Scholarships = http://futurevet.net/students/scholarships/vet-school-scholarships

Top Scholarships for Veterinary School = http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/nerdscholar/2012/top-scholarships-veterinary-school/

The Scholarship Coach = http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2013/01/10/scholarships-for-animal-lovers-abound

National Association of Fellowships = http://www.nafadvisors.org/scholarships.php