Scoring scholarships for sports medicine can help future healthcare practitioners afford at least four years of higher education.
The fast-growing sports medicine field centers on helping amateur, collegiate, and professional athletes regain optimal function after injuries. Sports medicine programs are available from the bachelor’s to doctoral level to produce experts of muscular and bone conditions. The BLS projects 10-year job growth at 21 percent, which means graduates will have a favorable post-graduation outlook. Sports medicine majors find success as athletic trainers, exercise physiologists, physical therapists, kinesiotherapists, recreational therapists, team physicians, and more.
The following college scholarships will reward your passion for physical fitness by reducing tuition’s strain on your wallet.
1. ACSM Foundation Doctoral Research Grant
Deadline: January 20th
Initiated in 1989, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Foundation’s Doctoral Research Grant Program awards $5,000 to support full-time Ph.D. student members who are conducting experiments relevant to sport and exercise science. Funding can cover research supplies and equipment needs for research in any nation, including the U.S. Suitable applicants should submit a grant proposal with an abstract, budget, hypothesis, and IRB approval if necessary.
Contact
ACSM Foundation Doctoral Research Grant
401 West Michigan Street,
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3233
(317) 637-9200
foundation@acsm.org
2. Banyan Tree Healing Arts Scholarship
Deadline: January 1st
Located in San Luis Obispo, the Banyan Tree Healing Arts Center created a $500 scholarship to assist future practitioners who will heal humanity through holistic medicine, sports medicine, psychology, spiritual ministry, massage therapy, and related fields. Eligible undergraduates and graduate students must be U.S. citizens, carry a minimum grade point average of 3.5, and plan a career helping people become healthier.
Contact
Banyan Tree Healing Arts Scholarship
1150 Grove Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 406-9757
3. Bill Gilman Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: June 16th
The ACSM’s Northland Regional Chapter presents the Bill Gilman Memorial Scholarship yearly for $500 to assist graduate students beginning their first year of a master’s or doctoral program in sports medicine, exercise science, athletic training, and related areas. Being admitted to graduate schools in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, or Wisconsin and attending at least one Northland Chapter meeting is required. Recipients are selected based on academic merit, leadership ability, and endeavors to promote physical activity.
Contact
Bill Gilman Memorial Scholarship
1216 Ordean Court
Duluth, MN, 55812
office@northlandacsm.org
4. DeLee-Evans Sports Medicine Scholarship
Deadline: February 24th
The Nix Health Foundation sponsors the DeLee-Evans Sports Medicine Scholarship to support Texans who are pursuing education in any CAATE-accredited athletic training program. To qualify, candidates must be graduating high school seniors in the San Antonio Metro or Bexar County, attain a minimum “C” average, and be actively involved in collegiate athletics departments. Applications are deemed incomplete without a recommendation from a teacher, team physician, and Certified Athletic Training Supervisor.
Contact
DeLee-Evans Sports Medicine Scholarship
414 Navarro Suite 1015
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 579-3158
bwelnack@nixhealth.com
5. Dr. Alvin and Monica Saake Scholarship Fund
Deadline: January 31st
The Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF) began the Dr. Alvin and Monica Saake Scholarship Fund to honor the University of Hawaii basketball team’s beloved coach of the ’60s. Chosen recipients must be devoted to athletics with sports medicine, kinesiology, exercise science, occupational therapy, or physical therapy majors. Other eligibility criteria includes living in Hawaii, finishing at least 60 college credits, and possessing an overall GPA beyond 2.7.
Contact
Dr. Alvin and Monica Saake Scholarship Fund
4139 Hardy Street Suite C
Lihue, Hawaii 96766
(808) 245-4585
scholarships@hcf-hawaii.org
6. Dr. Raymond A. Weiss Research Scholarship
Deadline: January 20th
Another of the ACSM Foundation’s scholarships for sports medicine is the Dr. Raymond A. Weiss Research Scholarship, which gifts $1,200 each spring. It’s designed for graduate students worldwide who are conducting advanced research on the physical, mental, or emotional benefits gleaned from physical activity, especially sports. Preference is given to applicants who self-identify as underrepresented minorities. Detailed project proposals with a budget are accepted via the online portal.
Contact
Dr. Raymond A. Weiss Research Scholarship
401 West Michigan Street,
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3233
(317) 637-9200
foundation@acsm.org
7. Edward Block Undergraduate Scholarship
Deadline: March 1st
The Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association offers four sports medicine scholarships, including the $1,500 Edward Block Undergraduate Scholarship. Distinguished NATA members who are matriculated full-time in CAATE-accredited bachelor’s athletic training programs in District III from Maryland to South Carolina with a minimum accumulative GPA of 3.0 can apply. Two recommendation forms from a team physician, coach, or professor must be presented to judge applicants’ fitness for sports medicine careers.
Contact
Edward Block Undergraduate Scholarship
1 John Marshall Drive
Huntington, WV 25755
(304) 696-2929
beckett76@marshall.edu
8. Franklin D. Boyce Health Scholarship
Deadline: February 15th
Administered by the John Randolph Foundation, the Franklin D. Boyce Health Scholarship grants $2,500 each year to Virginians who are pursuing professional healthcare occupations, including sports medicine and physical therapy. Residents of Hopewell, Prince George, Petersburg, Fort Lee, Surry, Chesterfield, Charles City, Sussex, and other select localities should apply. Judges expect a minimum 3.0 GPA, significant financial need, extra-curricular involvement, and full-time U.S. college admission.
Contact
Franklin D. Boyce Health Scholarship
112 North Main Street
P.O. Box 1606
Hopewell, VA 23860
(804) 458-2239
bfalls@johnrandolphfoundation.org
9. Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Scholarship
Deadline: April 23rd
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) distributes the Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Scholarship for $2,000 to honor the accomplished orthopedic surgeon. Funding is given in return for a six-week summer internship at the Rooney Sports Complex alongside certified athletic trainers. Interested applicants must reside in western Pennsylvania, be college-bound high school seniors, display academic excellence, have unmet financial need, and show commitment to sports medicine.
Contact
Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Scholarship
3200 South Water Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
(412) 432-3770
SportsMedScholarship@upmc.edu
10. Hartman Sports Medicine Scholarship
Deadline: November 1st
The Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association (EATA) proudly offers 11 scholarships, such as the Hartman Sports Medicine Scholarship, for $2,500 apiece. Outstanding members who are entering their sophomore or junior year in an accredited entry-level athletic training program in New England, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, or Pennsylvania could qualify. Intending to pursue sports medicine professions as one’s livelihood is mandatory. District 1 students could also earn the Carl Krein Scholarship.
Contact
Hartman Sports Medicine Scholarship
2500 Main Street
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
(609) 895-2105
mgolden@lawrenceville.org
11. John F. “Jack” Cramer Scholarship
Deadline: December 31st
Named for the NAIA Hall of Famer who pioneered sports injury care with Cramer Products, Inc., the John F. “Jack” Cramer Scholarship is granted by the National Athletic Trainers Association yearly. This one-time $2,000 award comes with travel coverage for the NATA Clinical Symposia and Expo. Qualified high school seniors must pursue a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine full-time, carry a minimum “B” average, intend to take the NATA BOC exam, and have 200+ volunteer hours in athletic training rooms.
Contact
John F. “Jack” Cramer Scholarship
1620 Valwood Parkway
Carrollton, TX 75006
(214) 637-6282
membership@nata.org
12. Larry Neumann Undergraduate Scholarship
Deadline: April 1st
Since 1983, the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) has funded the Larry Neumann Undergraduate Scholarship with Gatorade to honor the Minnesota Vikings trainer who fought brain cancer. For the $2,000 award, college students must be in their junior year or higher of a CAATE-accredited athletic training program with a cumulative GPA above 3.2. Priority is given to female and ethnic minority applicants. Recipients also attend an NFL summer training camp.
Contact
Larry Neumann Undergraduate Scholarship
1 Cowboys Parkway
Irving, TX 75063
(972) 497-4992
bbrown@dallascowboys.net
13. Linda Craig Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: March 1st
In memory of the Indiana Pacers team trainer David Craig’s wife who died after a lengthy illness, the Linda Craig Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by St. Vincent’s Sports Medicine for $2,000. Undergraduates attending four-year Indiana colleges to study athletic training, sports medicine, physical therapy, or kinesiology would be ideal candidates. Eligibility criteria requires holding U.S. citizenship, having a minimum GPA of 3.0, completing at least 12 credits, and exhibiting exceptional leadership character.
Contact
Linda Craig Memorial Scholarship
125 South Pennsylvania Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 917-2864
Foundation@pacers.com
14. Mark Connolly Memorial Masters Scholarship
Deadline: May 15th
Every May, the ACSM’s New England Chapter delivers five outstanding sports medicine scholarships for $500 to $1,000, including the Mark Connolly Memorial Masters Scholarship. Current graduate members who are studying exercise science or sports medicine at accredited four-year universities in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island may apply. Selection is based upon academic excellence with a minimum 3.3 GPA, professional work experience, leadership potential, and two recommendations.
Contact
Mark Connolly Memorial Masters Scholarship
P.O. Box 4474
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 265-5776
neacsm1@gmail.com
15. Minnesota Athletes in Sports Medicine Scholarship
Deadline: May 2nd
Endowed by Abbott Northwestern Hospital, the Minnesota Athletes in Sports Medicine Scholarship is promoted by the Washburn Millers for $2,500 yearly to one male and one female high school senior. Qualified recipients must be accepted at accredited U.S. colleges, intend to study sports medicine, have been involved in interscholastic sports for 4+ years, hold a minimum 3.5 GPA, and exhibit potential for success in athletic care.
Contact
Minnesota Athletes in Sports Medicine Scholarship
8100 West 78th Street Suite 225
Edina, MN 55439
(952) 946-9777
16. NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Program
Deadline: January 27th, March 31st, or June 9th
Student-athletes who’ve competed on varsity intercollegiate teams throughout their four-year baccalaureate career could qualify for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Program. Three times annually, the program gifts non-renewable $7,500 awards to men and women accepted into accredited U.S. graduate schools. Outstanding role models with a minimum 3.2 GPA who strive to keep their athletic careers going with study related to sports medicine are preferred.
Contact
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Program
700 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46206
(317) 917-6222
lthomas@ncaa.org
17. Preston R. Clark, M.D. Scholarship
Deadline: March 15th
The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association celebrates the Concord Orthopaedics physician by conferring the Preston R. Clark, M.D. Scholarship for $1,000. New Hampshire residents attending NHIAA-member high schools who intend to study sports medicine, athletic training, physical therapy, nursing, or related fields are eligible. Applicants should also be accepted into four-year U.S. colleges, maintain a scholastic GPA of 3.0 or higher, and write a 250-word essay outlining their goals treating sports injuries.
Contact
Preston R. Clark, M.D. Scholarship
251 Clinton Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 228-8671
info@nhiaa.org
18. Robert M. Barnes, DPM, Scholarship Fund
Deadline: May 26th
To honor his 35-year career treating runners in rehabilitative medicine, the Robert M. Barnes, DPM, Scholarship Fund is sponsored as one of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine’s scholarships for sports medicine. Active AAPSM student chapter members must attend accredited U.S. institutions, sustain a minimum 2.8 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and show potential for the podiatric profession. Winners also earn the opportunity to give a 20-minute sports medicine lecture.
Contact
Robert M. Barnes, DPM, Scholarship Fund
3121 NE 26th Street
Ocala, FL 34470
(352) 620-8562
ritayates2@aol.com
19. TMCF David J. Stern Sports Scholarship
Deadline: June 30th
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) proudly offers the David J. Stern Sports Scholarship Program to honor the former NBA commissioner with three-year, renewable $10,000 awards. Rising sophomores with any declared major related to sports, including sports medicine and athletic training, can apply. However, scholars must be matriculated full-time with 12+ credits, preserve a minimum 3.0 GPA, and agree to a senior internship with the NBA league office.
Contact
TMCF David J. Stern Sports Scholarship
901 F Street NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 507-4851
info@tmcf.org
20. Tracy L. Rasor Sports Medicine Scholarship
Deadline: March 4th
Developed in 1969, the Wisconsin Physical Therapy (WPT) Fund offers the Chris Crivello Award and Tracy L. Rasor Sports Medicine Scholarship each year to APTA members. Eligible students must be attending CAPTE-accredited colleges in America’s Dairyland with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to actively pursue careers in sports medicine physical therapy. Association trustees check applications for a financial need statement, two recommendation letters, and an official transcript.
Contact
Tracy L. Rasor Sports Medicine Scholarship
3510 E. Washington Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 221-9191
wpta@wpta.org
Earning a sports medicine degree can provide a worthy investment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, athletic trainers earn a mean annual wage of $46,940 and exercise physiologists make an average yearly salary of $49,740. Plus, sports medicine specialists who graduate from medical school with M.D. or D.O. degrees bring home $187,200 on average each year. Affording your extensive schooling to master athletes’ anatomy can be tough without financial aid though. Along with loans and grants, apply for these 20 great sports medicine scholarships to lower your out-of-pocket costs.
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