Rockhurst University and external scholarship opportunities and information include:
Saint Luke's College of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean's Scholarship
The Saint Luke's College of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean’s Scholarship awards two eligible new DPT students entering the Physical Therapy program $25,000 each, which will be dispersed over the two and a half years of the program ($10,000 first year; $10,000 second year, and $5,000 third year). The purpose of this scholarship is to support academically talented students who want to lead positive change related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in physical therapy. Application details are made available upon acceptance to the program.
Eligibility criteria
- Accepted into Rockhurst University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program
- Have a minimum cumulative science and pre-requisite GPA of 3.4.
- Preference will be given to applicants with a GPA of 3.7 or above, but those with 3.4 or above are encouraged to apply.
Application process
- Students who meet eligibility criteria and wish to apply must submit a 2–4-page essay.
- The scholarship release date and deadline will be provided upon acceptance into the program.
PT Department Scholarships
The PT Department also offers a few internal scholarships. Most are between $500 to $2,500. These are available to students enrolled in the program.
Graham Davis Scholarship
The Graham Davis Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to honor the memory of Graham Davis, who was a member of the founding class of the Rockhurst MPT Program. Graham was diagnosed with leukemia in his second year of the program, and despite a gallant battle, passed away one year later, at age 40. Graham’s passing was mourned by many, including his wife Sherry, son Tyler, and the many friends he made while a part of the Rockhurst community. One of Graham’s most valued ideals was lifelong learning, and his love for knowledge was one of his most distinguished characteristics. Graham had not only received undergraduate degrees from Atlantic Christian College and the College of the Albemarle in North Carolina, but also received his MBA at Rockhurst in 1988. He taught at the high school level and was an adjunct instructor in Rockhurst’s MBA program. He loved to teach and to learn, and had considered an option of pursuing a degree in Physical Therapy. Had he chosen this avenue, he planned to either teach his gained knowledge to others, or to do research in the field. Graham’s family hopes that this scholarship will come to symbolize his ideals in learning, educating, and contributing to the ever-changing and growing field of Physical Therapy. Graham hoped to offer the scholarship to a deserving student wishing to pursue their graduate Physical Therapy education at a later time in life as he did.
The Early Achievement Scholarship
The Early Achievement Scholarship is provided to a full-time student at the end of the first year in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. This award is granted to a student who is in the top 10% of their class academically at the end of the first year in the program who also demonstrates leadership behaviors, service involvement, and professional growth during the first year. In addition, applicants must describe a detailed plan to continue their professional growth in the remaining two years of the program.
Megan Barnett Scholarship
This scholarship is named in honor of Megan Barnett. Megan was a student in the PT class of 2008 before her untimely death in December 2006. In her role as a student, Megan demonstrated remarkable growth in knowledge, self-confidence and all aspects of professional behavior. This scholarship will be awarded annually to a 2nd year DPT student who meets the qualifications and who can articulate a similar growth while enrolled as a student in the PT program.
Jean Hiebert Scholarship
The Dr. Jean Hiebert Scholarship will be awarded yearly to a student enrolled in the Rockhurst University Physical Therapy Program. Preference will be given to an applicant who self-identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community. If needed, additional criteria will be based upon: non-Caucasian, first-generation college student status and financial need.
External Scholarships
- The American Physical Therapy Association offers guidance regarding scholarships and financing for students admitted to physical therapy programs. For information, see: apta.org/CurrentStudents/ScholarshipsAwards
- For information regarding Student Loan Repayment and Debt Management, including a range of Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Opportunities, see: http://www.apta.org/CurrentStudents/EducationFinance/
- AMBUCS, an organization that aims to support people with disabilities, awards scholarships for students enrolled in therapy programs. For details see: ambucs.org/therapists/students
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation Inc. For details, see: akaeaf.org/scholarships
- FastWEB (Financial Aid Search Through the Web) is the largest and most complete scholarship search on the Internet with a database of over 1.5 million scholarships. See details at: fastweb.com
- The Research Foundation has awarded scholarships to multiple 2nd year DPT students in our program. For details, see: theresearchfoundationkc.org
- Online Physical Therapy Programs provides an extensive list of scholarships available for physical therapy students. For details, see:onlinephysicaltherapyprograms.com/scholarships
- The RU Athletic Department annually awards scholarship funds in the form of tuition remission to 5 DPT students for providing strength and conditioning training to our athletes