Advanced Practice Healthcare Scholarship Program

Scholarship Sponsored by Department of Health Care Access and Information

Overview — what this program does
The Advanced Practice Healthcare Scholarship Program (APHSP) helps grow California’s supply of trained clinicians who provide direct patient care in communities that need them most. The program is managed by the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) and is funded through grants, donations, and special funds. Successful applicants who commit to a one‑year service obligation in an underserved area or qualifying facility may receive up to $25,000.

Who pays for this particular round
The County Medical Services Program (CMSP) Governing Board is providing funding for this round of awards. That means applicants must live in—or have graduated high school from—a county designated as a CMSP county (if you were homeschooled or earned a GED, the county you lived in at that time must be a CMSP county). See the CMSP County chart in Section 3 for the list.

Why this matters (quick teacher note)
APHSP is about two things: (1) helping students finish advanced training, and (2) encouraging newly trained clinicians to work where they’re needed. The one‑year, 32‑hours/week service requirement is the “giveback” that makes the scholarship possible.

Basic award facts
- Amount: Up to $25,000 per eligible recipient
- Service obligation: One year of direct patient care, at least 32 hours per week, in an underserved area or qualifying facility located in a CMSP county
- Start of service: Must begin within six months of graduation

Who is eligible (checklist)
To qualify for an APHSP award you must meet every item below:
- Start your class or training program by October 1, 2025
- Be enrolled at least half‑time (minimum six semester units or equivalent) through program completion
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher for your most recent academic term and maintain at least a 2.0 until you graduate
- Graduate after March 31, 2026
- Have no existing service obligations with other entities (including other HCAI programs) and not be in breach of any HCAI service obligation
- Commit to a one‑year service obligation providing direct patient care (minimum 32 hours/week) in an underserved area or qualifying facility in a CMSP county, starting within six months of graduation
- Be a California resident
- Live in, or have graduated from high school in, a CMSP county (if homeschooled/GED, the county you lived in then must be a CMSP county)
- Submit a completed application through https://funding.hcai.ca.gov/ by October 3, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.

Eligible disciplines (who the program supports)
You must be accepted into or currently enrolled in an accredited graduate or postgraduate program that leads to one of the following professions:

- Nursing (Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice): includes Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Nurse Practitioner (NP), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Pharmacy (Doctor of Pharmacy / Pharmacist)
- Physical Therapy (Master’s or Doctor of Physical Therapy / Physical Therapist)
- Physician Assistant (Master’s leading to PA)
- Dentistry (Doctor of Dental Medicine / Dentist)
- Chiropractic (Doctor of Chiropractic / Chiropractor)
- Counseling (Master of Counseling / Rehabilitation Counselor)

How to prepare (teacher tips)
- Verify your program acceptance/enrollment and unit load.
- Get official transcripts to prove GPA and graduation term.
- Confirm your CMSP county status and keep proof of residency or high school attendance.
- Make sure you don’t have any conflicting service contracts.
- Complete and submit your application at funding.hcai.ca.gov before the deadline (Oct 3, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.).

If you want, I can help you turn this checklist into a quick personal timeline or list the documents you’ll need for the application. Which would you prefer?