School of Medicine Scholarships

Students in the School of Medicine (SOM) are invited to apply for the scholarships. Applications submitted are reviewed thoroughly and essay responses should attempt to let the reviewer know who you are, your background, and what you are planning to do in your future endeavors. To meet compliance guidelines, each recipient will be required to write a “Thank You” note to the donor for every scholarship they receive, as they enjoy knowing how their contribution has helped you attain your educational goals.

How to apply

Students interested in applying for scholarships with UTHSCSA must

• • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Access the online “UTHSCSA Scholarship Application” link through the student portal

You can save your application as you answer the questions or enter your essay responses. The system will send one reminder email if you have saved data into the form but have not submitted your application.   The application is not considered complete until you select the “Submit” option and then you will receive an email indicating your application is complete. Once complete we will forward your application the Undergraduate Medical Education office for their use in selecting candidates.

Tips for Successful Scholarship Essay Writing:

• Make sure you understand the prompt and that you stay on topic
  • Understanding the prompt and staying on topic is vital to a successful scholarship essay. Too many students write exceptional essays but receive poor grades because they did not stay on topic. Our scholarship selection committee is terrific at identifying essays that stay on topic and answer the prompt.
• Never answer a scholarship essay question with N/A
  • Scholarship essays are meant for students to express themselves and their achievements. Just writing N/A as an answer will significantly hinder students’ applications. For example, students may answer the “Please list any volunteer experience” question with N/A because they have not recently volunteered anywhere. In this instance, it is okay to list experience from their past history or in fields outside of health care. Our scholarship selection committee awards better grades to those who make an effort.
• Make sure to elaborate
  • The best scholarship essays are those that cover the topic extensively. Do not simply answer the question, but provide a little background and some details. For example, students may provide a very short and basic answer to “what are your career goals.” Take the time to elaborate on your professional goals once in the profession. The professional goal should not be to become a nurse practitioner, but should include objectives like delivering high-quality care to low-income patients or starting a clinic that serves rural communities and provides transformative care. Our scholarship selection committee really wants to see how committed students are to the nursing profession and have a vision that is in alignment with the School’s Mission.
• Grammar, Spelling and complete sentences are important
  • Correct grammar, spelling and sentence structure is essential to scholarship essay writing. Although some may perceive poor writing as unimportant, pitfalls in grammar or spelling can mean the difference between receiving a scholarship and receiving nothing.
• Reread your essay once it is complete
  • The best way to minimize errors is to proofread your work.  Taking a couple hours to relax in between completion of your essays and proofreading is also a great way to let your brain refresh.  The more steps you take to eliminate errors the better chance you have of receiving a scholarship.  Read your responses aloud – if they do not make sense to you, they will likely be confusing to your audience.  Have others read your work and ask them to look for better or more efficient ways to get your point accross.

Tips for writing successful scholarship “Thank you” letters:

• Personalize your thank you letter
  •  The Student Success Center will provide students with specific information on whom thank you letters should be addressed. Our UT Health San Antonio scholarship donors are extremely generous and awarded students should take the time to personally address them in their letter.
• Be sincere
  • Students should take the time to connect with their scholarship donor. Simply saying “thank you for the scholarship” is not a well-thought-out and sincere thank-you letter. Speak about how much the scholarship means to you and your education.  Students should also include information about their short-term and long-term goals. Consider the type of thank you letter you would like to receive if you had given a significant donation to someone. Our donors love getting to know our students and want to invest in you and your future. Personal stories of how the gift will benefit you are well received (e.g., ability to cut back work hours, contribute to expenses at home, less loan debt when you graduate, etc.).
• Presentation is important
  •  The stationary and print are just as important as the letter’s content. Students may type their thank you letter in Word or handwrite it in a thank you card. Handwritten thank you cards are a great way to personalize a letter, but please ensure that your handwriting is legible. If hand-writing the letter, it is recommended that you first draft your letter in Word to check for grammatical and spelling mistakes.