The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) manages multiple educational programs for students in specific health care professions. A few examples of those programs are the Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP), Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program (VIOMPSP), the Vet Center Scholarship (Readjustment Counseling Service), and the VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP).
The VA also offers assistance to physicians while in residency to assist in paying down their medical school student loan debt called the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP).
HPSP awards scholarships to students receiving education or training in a direct or indirect health-care services discipline and to assist in providing an adequate supply of such personnel for VA and the United States. HPSP helps VA meet its need for qualified healthcare professionals for which recruitment or retention is difficult.
VIOMPSP awards scholarships to students seeking a degree or certificate in visual impairment or orientation and mobility in order to increase the supply of qualified blind rehabilitation specialists for VA and the United States. VIOMPSP helps VA meet its need for qualified blind rehabilitation specialists for which recruitment or retention is difficult.
VET CENTER awards scholarships to students receiving education or training in a mental health related field. This scholarship enables the Readjustment Counseling Service to adequately supply mental health professionals to their VA Vet Centers throughout the United States. The VET CENTER scholarship helps VA meet its need for qualified mental healthcare professionals for which recruitment or retention is difficult.
Note: The Vet Center scholarship is managed by the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP).
VA-STEP provides an opportunity for outstanding college students to develop clinical competencies at an approved VA medical facility and serves as a recruitment tool to encounter students before they enter the VA workforce.
SELRP assists physician residents in reducing their medical school student loan debt by providing $40,000 per training year. SELRP helps VA meet its need for qualified physicians for which recruitment or retention is difficult.