If you’re interested in becoming a physical therapy student, grants are available to help with the cost of college. You can pursue two different career levels in physical therapy: Physical Therapist (PT) or Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA). However, before you can become a fully qualified practicing physical therapist, the minimum degree requirement is a Masters degree. If you are enrolling on degree or certificate programs for either career path, you could tap into numerous grants specifically for physical therapy students.

Grants are accessible from several prominent sources, but vary depending on the career path you choose to pursue. As a physical therapy assistant, you may study at a two-year community college or engage in a professional program suitable to your career requirements. In this case, you can access college and government grant programs as well as privately funded grants for physical therapy assistants. The same in terms of grants applies to students pursuing a career as a qualified physical therapist, though you will be required to enroll in a four-year graduate degree program and the grants available from colleges and universities have a propensity to be competitive.

Grants from Colleges and Universities

It is important to research physically therapy college programs thoroughly, not only to find the most appropriate degree or qualification, but also to ascertain their student funding initiatives such as grants, fellowships, scholarships and internships that will help reduce the cost of your education and eliminate as much debt as possible.

Below we have noted a very popular education institution that offer grants for PT students.

  • The School of Allied Health Sciences operated by the University of Nevada at Las Vegas administers a grant program called the ‘Kitty Rodman Award’. Predominately a need based grant, sophomore PT students who have maintained a GPA of 3.5 can apply for this program providing they demonstrate financial need. Additionally the University of Nevada at Las Vegas sponsors the Rural Health Scholarship available to state resident freshmen students from low-income backgrounds.

Grants from Private and Organizations

Physical therapy students should consider the funding offered by private professional organizations that support the career interests and professional advancement PT students. Below is a list of the major organizations that provide grants specifically for students pursuing and education in physical therapy.

  • A highly notable source of grants for PT students is the Special Olympics. Any type of student enrolled in a health science degree program can receive generous grants including women and all minorities. The program in we refer to is called the ‘Special Olympics Health Professions Student Grant’ and is worth investigating as a physical therapy student because their grants are offered to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.
  • Are you are in your last year of study as a physical therapy student or physical therapy assistant? A need based grant could be available from the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association that provides a stipend intended to help settle your educational costs acquired during your final year of studies.

In addition to the above organizations, it may be worth checking out the American Physical Therapy Association. This professional organization oversees several research and doctoral grants that support students pursing advanced degrees in physical therapy.