Public Health Scholarship Program

UIC students study together while sitting outside on UIC's campus.

The Public Health Scholarship Program at the UIC School of Public Health supports Master of Public Health (MPH) students to gain critical public health training and leadership skills to prepare them to respond to public health needs and public health emergencies statewide. All in-state students with demonstrated financial need who are committed to working or serving in public health in Medically Underserved Areas of the state are eligible to apply.

The next application period will be for the Fall 2025 term. Any accepted, eligible student can apply. Funding will include the Fall 2025.

Learn more about the MPH application process. For more information, contact sph-admissions@uic.edu.

Apply now

Scholarship benefits Heading link

  • Support Tuition and fees coverage (see FAQs below).

  • Lead Gain public health leadership skills and competencies.

  • Serve Address health inequities in Medically Underserved Areas.

Scholarship eligibility Heading link

  • Your background

    You are an in-state resident.

  • Your commitment

    You are committed to pursuing a public health career in medically underserved communities.

  • MPH degree

    You are admitted to the in-person MPH program.

  • Demonstrated need

    You have a demonstrated financial need.

Program FAQs Heading link

The Public Health Scholarship Program (PHSP) at the UIC School of Public Health is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded traineeship program designed to rapidly train public health professionals toward employment in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) in the state. PHSP is open to continuing and new Master of Public Health (MPH) students who meet the UIC in-state residency requirement and satisfy other requirements noted below. Through this Program, students will gain critical public health training and leadership skills to prepare them to respond to public health needs and public health emergencies statewide. Applicants should demonstrate their desire to contribute to addressing health inequities in Medically Underserved Areas and/or other marginalized communities in the state of Illinois.

According to HRSA, “MUAs identify geographic areas with a lack of access to primary care services. These designations help establish health maintenance organizations or community health centers. MUAs have a shortage of primary care health services within…” specific geographic areas such as a county, a group of neighboring counties, or a municipality.

To be considered for the program, you must:

  • Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States (HRSA requirement).
  • Be an Illinois resident according to UIC residency status determination.
  • Be admitted to the School of Public Heath MPH program for one of the following terms:
    • Fall 2024 or beyond
  • Be willing to commit to the requirements of the program (see below).

All MPH concentrations are eligible for the scholarship program. Learn more about the range of MPH concentrations offered at SPH.

The application includes personal information, demographic information, a brief financial need statement, and two personal statements (400 word maximum each). The prompts for the statements are:

  • An essay that describes your interest in the Public Health Scholarship Program and your public health career goals.
  • An essay that describes your desire and commitment to conduct public health work in Medically Underserved Areas or other marginalized communities post-graduation.

Unfortunately, DACA students are not eligible. HRSA traineeship funding is restricted to citizens, nationals or permanent residents of the United States.

Scholarship recipients will receive between 75 percent and 100 percent funding coverage of the combined costs of tuition, the SPH tuition differential, and student fees (including health insurance) for a defined period of time through the program. Information on the amount of funding and time period covered will be provided in the trainee’s initial award notice.

Trainees will be required to successfully complete the curriculum for their MPH degree and the following:

  • Complete the SPH Success Program
  • Complete a pre-designated Public Health Leadership course or program.
  • Participate in professional development and career services workshops specifically approved for this program
  • Provide career information to the school post-graduation through LinkedIn and follow up surveys
  • Participate in an Applied Practice Experience (APE) located in or serving a medically underserved area of the state that is specifically approved for this program
  • Participants will be required to complete coursework toward an SPH certificate as part of their degree, and may choose from certificates offerings in Emergency Management and Resilience Planning, Health Disparities Research, Public Health Geographic Information Systems, or Public Health Informatics
  • Participate in regular individual and group meetings with the PHSP Advisor
  • Respond to requests for information and/or feedback on the PHSP
  • Complete a free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year
  • The PHSP program encourages students to attend at a full-time course load of 12+ credit hours per academic term (excluding summer). The program is designed to rapidly educate MPH students toward employment in Medically Underserved Areas to build capacity in the public health workforce. Students are funded at a level to allow them to focus on schoolwork and to graduate within two years.
    • Exceptions can be made for students with less than 12 credit hours left to complete their degree or based on extenuating circumstances. We encourage students unsure of their course load to apply and discuss their registration status with an advisor if selected as a PHSP awardee.

Program funding cannot be extended; while we cannot guarantee any other funding will be available, students who cannot finish in the allotted time are encouraged to contact their academic division to seek other funding opportunities.

Student academic standing will be reviewed at the end of each academic term. Any student falling below the required 3.0 GPA will be assessed and given a remediation plan. The program aims to support students toward graduating from the MPH program and employment in MUAs. We want you to succeed. It is not uncommon for students to experience an unexpected academic issue. Students experiencing academic problems will be provided access to resources to help, including access to the Peer Support tutors program. That said, students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in good academic standing to graduate from the MPH program. Students falling below this standard are placed on academic probation. If a student is on probation, they may still receive funding; however, if it is determined that the student will not be able to complete the program within the allotted time frame, the scholarship may be rescinded.

Individuals employed by the University of Illinois system or any state of Illinois university with a position that grants a tuition waiver for education at the University of Illinois Chicago are not eligible. Any employee of these institutions without a tuition waiver benefit may be eligible, if they meet all other eligibility requirements. If you are uncertain of your status, please check with your HR contact to determine if you are currently receiving a tuition waiver benefit.

Students in the program may accept campus work; however, they may not accept a tuition waiver from the position. Generally, students would seek work as a graduate hourly employee without tuition waiver included during the course of the program.

The out-of-pocket cost for a two-year MPH program is $10,952.00 with the Public Health Scholarship Program. The out-of-pocket cost for a two-year MPH program with a Graduate Assistantship is $12,792.00.

Students in the program are required to participate in their applied practice experience (APE) at an organization located in/serving a population in an MUA. Students will be supported in the process of obtaining an APE by their APE advisor, the assistant director of internship programs and employer outreach and the advisor for the PHSP program. Additionally, the SPH assistant director of career services will provide support for students in their search for employment in MUA organizations as they approach graduation.

Scholarship recipients are evaluated on an on-going basis for academic standing and compliance with the program requirements to determine eligibility for continued funding.