Healthcare Scholarship: CVS Health – Pharmacy School Scholarships
Overview of the CVS Pharmacy Scholarships
The CVS Pharmacy Scholarships are awarded each year to exceptional pharmacy students in the United States and Puerto Rico. The aim of the CVS Pharmacy Scholarship Program is to support “the most promising pharmacists of tomorrow as they complete their education.”
Unlike many scholarship programs, the CVS Pharmacy Scholarship must be applied for by the university or college, and not the individual student. The institution submitting the application must be a fully accredited school with a four-year program in pharmacy. Students qualifying for the award may be completing either an undergraduate or graduate-level course of study. The CVS Pharmacy Scholarships Program accepts one proposal, per organization, per year, meaning that only one student from each pharmacy school may become a scholarship candidate. Students interested in qualifying for the scholarship should inquire with their school’s scholarship committee to determine the precise application process and set of deadlines for their particular institution.
Because students may need to undergo an application process at the school level, the particular requirements for the CVS Pharmacy Scholarship vary widely. Typically, students are expected to display exceptional academic performance, with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 point scale). First-year students may be excluded from candidacy, depending on the school. Students must also typically demonstrate an interest in a career in retail pharmacy, upon completion of their studies. As the scholarship is intended to be both merit- and need-based, applicants must also demonstrate unmet financial need.
As part of the application process, most schools require candidates to submit a resume and transcript, to attest to their academic and professional pharmacy-related experience and interests. Many schools also require candidates to submit a personal letter and/or essay on a theme related to their own interest in the field of pharmacy. Applicants must also be US citizens or permanent legal US residents.
The amount of the CVS Pharmacy Scholarship may vary from year to year, depending on funding sources. For the 2014-2015 school year, scholarship winners receive $5,000 towards their tuition and study-related costs. As of 2014, the deadline for schools to submit applications was March 29th. However, since individual schools may have widely varying deadlines, it’s advisable for hopeful scholarship candidates to consult with their own university’s scholarship committees.
