Finish Your Application by Tuesday!

Applications for the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Program (HRSA-26-096) are due Tuesday, July 28, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

View the funding opportunity on Grants.gov for complete eligibility information. 

Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the requirements for a school to be eligible for this grant program?
A: To qualify for this program, a school must be an eligible public and state-controlled or private institution of higher education that:

• Offers a health professions degree program for an eligible discipline.
• Is accredited by the recognized, major accrediting body for the specific health discipline.
• Carries out a program to recruit and retain students from disadvantaged backgrounds, demonstrated by enrolling and graduating full-time students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the specific degree program. For the most recent 3-year period, you must meet both of the following percentages:
  • At least 20% of your degree program’s total enrollment during Academic Years 2022 – 2025 (7/1/22 – 6/30/2025) were students from disadvantaged backgrounds; and
  • At least 20% of your degree program’s total graduates during Academic Years 2022 – 2025 (7/1/22 – 6/30/2025) were students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

For more information, refer to pages 3-4 of the NOFO.

Q: Which years should we use to report the percentage of disadvantaged students receiving financial assistance and the average financial aid amounts in each health professions discipline?
A: Use data for the most recent three-year academic period (2022 – 2025).

Q: Does the overall amount requested per year equate to the program's three-year average disadvantaged student enrollment multiplied by the three-year average student financial need, or can we include the 25% project director costs on top of that figure?
A: Calculate your annual request by multiplying your program’s three-year average disadvantaged student enrollment (from Section D of the Program Specific Form) by the three-year average student financial need (from Financial Aid Office data). Add direct costs for the project director’s salary and fringe benefits (up to 25% FTE). The total requested per year cannot exceed $650,000.

Q: Can the role of project director be split among multiple individuals if only 25% of an FTE can be allocated to the role?
A: No. Each grant application can only have one project director. You must also add other key personnel who contribute in-kind support to the program in your application. You can access a copy of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Form on the SDS grants.gov page by selecting the 'Related Documents' tab and ‘Other Supporting Documents’ folder. Attach the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Form and Biographical Sketches in Attachment 9. These pages will not be counted towards your page limit.

Q: Which disciplines are eligible for “Funding Priority 2: Proportion of graduates going into primary care?”
A: Based on data submitted via the SDS Program-Specific form, primary care points are granted if at least 15% of graduates are practicing in primary care during Academic Years 2022-2025.

Eligible disciplines for primary care priority points and their applicable graduate data periods include:

• Allopathic and osteopathic medicine: use graduate data from academic years 2018-2021.
• Dentistry, dental hygiene, graduate nursing, certified nursing and non-nursing graduate degrees in midwifery, physician assistants, and mental and behavioral health practitioners: use graduate data from academic years 2021-2024.