IHS Scholarship Program
February 24, 2023
Your Health Career Starts Here
The Indian Health Service (IHS) offers three scholarships for American Indian and Alaska Native students in order to educate and train health professionals to staff Indian health programs. We strive to develop our next generation of leaders, as well as help make the pursuit of a meaningful career in Indian health attainable for American Indian and Alaska Native students.
Preparatory Scholarship
Our Preparatory scholarship provides financial aid to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate students. Recipients must be members or descendents of federally recognized, state-recognized or terminated Tribes enrolled in preparatory courses or prerequisite courses leading to enrollment in an eligible health professions degree program.
Pre-Graduate Scholarship
Our Pre-Graduate scholarship provides financial aid to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate students. Recipients must be members or descendents of federally recognized, state-recognized or terminated Tribes enrolled in courses leading to a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-podiatry and other subjects needed by the Indian health programs.
Health Professions Scholarship
Our Health Professions scholarship provides financial aid to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate- and graduate-level students. Recipients must be members of federally recognized Tribes and enrolled in an eligible health profession degree program. In exchange for financial aid, scholarship recipients agree to fulfill a service commitment in full-time clinical practice upon completion of their academic or post-graduate clinical training.
Eligibility Requirements
Before you begin your application, confirm that you meet our eligibility requirements, as well as familiarize yourself with the agreement or contract associated with the scholarship that matches your academic pursuits.
Citizenship Requirements
You must be a United States citizen (US-born or naturalized) or US national to be considered for an IHS scholarship. Males 18 years or older must be registered for Selective Service.
Documents that will be accepted as proof of citizenship include:
- Copy of your birth certificate.
- Current US passport.
- Certificate of citizenship or naturalization.
A copy of a driver’s license or a social security card will not be accepted as documentation of citizenship.
Tribal/Village Membership Requirements
- Preparatory and Pre-Graduate Scholarships: Recipients must be a member or descendant of a federally recognized, state-recognized or terminated American Indian Tribe or Alaska Native village.
- Health Professions Scholarship: Recipients must be a member of a federally recognized American Indian Tribe or Alaska Native village only.
Academic Requirement
Applicants must also meet specific eligibility requirements:
- Be a high school graduate or the equivalent.
- Have a minimum 2.0 GPA.
- Be capable of completing a health profession degree program.
- Intend to serve Indian people as a health professional in your chosen discipline.
Program Agreement/Contract
- Preparatory and Pre-Graduate Scholarships: Be willing to sign an IHS Scholarship Program Agreement [PDF – 67 KB] documenting that you’re committed to continuing your education in your identified health profession degree program.
- Health Professions Scholarship: Be willing to sign an IHS Scholarship Program Contract [PDF – 1.1 MB] agreeing to a minimum two-year service commitment to practice at an Indian health facility upon completion of your academic and/or post-graduate training.
