Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program

About Scholarship

The purpose of the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) is to provide federal financial support for Native Hawaiians who are students at health professions schools, in return for a commitment to provide primary health services to the Native Hawaiian population in the State of Hawai'i in an eligible service obligation setting which meets the following requirements, in order of priority: (1) First, one of the five Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems (NHHCS). (2) Second, in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in Hawai'i, or Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) in Hawai'i, or a geographic area or facility that is: located in the State of Hawai'i; and has a designation made by the Secretary, acting through the Public Health Service Act. Applicants must be enrolled in one of the following NHHSP-Eligible Health Professions: Clinical Psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.); Dentistry (D.D.S or D.M.D.); Dental Hygiene (B.S.D.H. or A.S.D.H.); Dietetics/Nutrition (M.S.); Nursing, Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner (D.N.P., A.D.N., B.S.N., M.S.N., C.N.M. or N.P.); Physician (M.D. or D.O.); Physician Assistant (M.S.P.A.); and Social Work (M.S.W.). Applicants must be enrolled in a fully accredited health professions program located in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Territory of Guam, the Territory of American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia. Applicants attending schools outside of these geographic areas are not eligible. The NHHSP will apply the following statutory priorities for funding, in this order, to applicants determined eligible and qualified. First priority will be given to current or former NHHSP participants who are seeking, and are eligible for, additional support for the 2025-2026 school year or through the date of their graduation. Second priority will be given to any application submitted by an applicant with attributes that increase the probability that the applicant will continue to serve within Native Hawaiian communities beyond the period of obligated service. Third priority will be given to an applicant who is from a disadvantaged background. Applicants must create and submit a video recording of themselves answering the following questions: (1) What does "raising the health status of Native Hawaiians" mean to you? (2) What role will you have? (3) What are your responsibilities towards achieving "raising the health status?" Applicants must also submit two recommendations. It must provide a detailed description of the applicant's performance in school; education/work achievements; community/civic or other nonacademic achievements; ability to work and communicate constructively with others; and interest and motivation to serve Native Hawaiian populations through work experience, course work, special projects, research, etc. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

Offered by: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services