Public Health Scholarships

Students interested in pursuing public health graduate programs may have many questions, and financing their degree may be among their largest concerns. This guide offers tips for applying to MPH scholarships for diverse groups of students, as well as a list of scholarships for which MPH students may be eligible. We also explore options and resources for minority and international students.

The following tips may help MPH students navigate the application process for public health scholarships:  

Before applying for a public health scholarship, learn more about Baylor’s online MPH program.

There are many scholarships for public health students. The list below includes some of the public health scholarships available for MPH students. If interested in any one of them, be sure to check and verify the application deadlines on the scholarship’s homepage.

Named after the first African-American fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the Albert W. Dent Graduate Student Scholarship is awarded by the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives to racially and ethnically diverse students in healthcare management graduate programs. Students entering their final year of full-time MPH, MHA, or MBA in healthcare administration or similar programs are eligible for this public health scholarship. ACHE awards up to 15 scholarships annually, each for $5,000. 

The Foster G. McGaw Graduate Student Scholarship is awarded by the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives in honor of the founder of the American Hospital Supply Corp. Full-time students entering their final year of MPH, MHA, or MBA in healthcare administration or similar programs are eligible to apply for this public health scholarship. ACHE awards up to 15 scholarships annually, each for $5,000. 

The Hospital Corporation of America and Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) sponsor the Corris Boyd Scholars Program, a $40,000 public health scholarship for minority students who are enrolled in master’s programs and are full members of AUPHA. Students must attend their programs full time and carry a GPA of at least 3.0. 

The David A. Winston Health Policy Scholarship program provides up to twenty $10,000 public health scholarships annually for students in master’s degree programs in public health, health administratio n, and health policy. The program is open to any student in a graduate program at an accredited college or university. 

The Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Foundation offers a number of scholarships for public health students who are members of the organization. These include the HIMSS Foundation Scholarship, the Richard P. Covert, Ph.D., LFHIMSS Scholarship for Management Systems, the Steve Lieber Innovator Scholarship, and HIMSS Foundation Chapter Scholarships. Each scholarship awards recipients $5,000. 

The Guttmacher Institute awards the Cory L. Richards Memorial Scholarship for graduate students who are emerging leaders in sexual and reproductive health. Starting in 2021, the institute will give out $15,000 awards for up to two students studying public policy or public health, who plan to pursue a career advancing public policy around sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

The National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) awards the Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship to full-time graduate students in public health, health policy, and other health disciplines. Although applicants are not required to be Hispanic, they must demonstrate an interest in the health of Hispanic communities and are required to participate in NHHF Scholars Alumni activities. The foundation awards 15-20 scholarships each year, including an award of up to $5,000 annually for three years, as well as individual scholarships for $2,000 each. 

The American Association of Public Health Dentistry awards the annual Herschel S. Horowitz Scholarship, named after the dental epidemiologist and public health advocate whose work centered on preventing tooth decay. Each public health scholarship recipient is awarded $10,000 for tuition and other expenses. 

The Association of Accredited Public Health Programs (AAPHP) offers the annual Public Health Practice Award for graduate students leading a public health project. Applicants for the award, which ranges from $500 to $1,000, must be enrolled at an AAPHP member or affiliated institution. 

The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) offers the Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability for students with a disability who are pursuing studies related to health and disability, including public health and health promotion. The awards are limited to below $1,000. 

There are a number of public health scholarships for minorities available to graduate students.

As mentioned above, some MPH scholarships for minorities and other underrepresented groups include:

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) offers a large list of public health scholarships for minorities and other underserved populations, including African-American students, Asian/Pacific Islander students, Hispanic/Latino students, Native American and Alaskan Native students, LGBTQ students, and female students. 

International students enrolled or planning to enroll in MPH programs may seek guidance from their school’s financial aid office for support around finding scholarships. For instance, Baylor University’s graduate school offers this list of external funding opportunities. 

Although the awards below are not MPH scholarships for international students, they may help cover the cost of tuition for international graduate students in U.S. public health programs: 

Public health graduate degrees play an important role in cultivating the next generation of public health advocates, healthcare administrators, epidemiologists, and other community health professionals. Public health is a service-oriented field, and scholarships for MPH students may help offset the cost of an MPH degree for prospective students.

In addition to the scholarships listed above, there are a number of public health scholarships available for graduate students enrolled in specific universities. Beyond financial assistance from MPH scholarships, students can also seek additional information about other forms of financial support from their institution’s financial aid office. 

Citation for this content: The MPH online program from Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences