Scholarships and Travel Awards

Students must submit the appropriate application and all required documentation online by stated deadlines.

Scholarship application details

For academic scholarship/award applications, students are asked bio-demographical questions, and provide answers to the following questions:
 

1. Please write a brief statement describing your career interests and goals, including ways in which this scholarship will help you in meeting them and how would a scholarship award from the College Public Health help you? (350 word limit)
2. Please write a few sentences describing a) ways in which you advance diversity and inclusive excellence in the College of Public Health and The Ohio State University and b) challenges or barriers that you have had to overcome in pursuing your academic studies. (350 word limit)

In addition, students are required to upload an advising report.

For travel scholarship/award applications, students are asked bio-demographical questions, and provide answers to the following questions: 
 

1. Please write a brief statement describing the travel experience and how this travel award will help you meet your career goals. (350 word limit)
2. What are your estimated total out of pocket costs for the travel experience? What other funding do you have for the experience? (350 word limit)

Applications

 Academic Award Application

 Global Travel Award Application

The following responsibilities apply to all CPH academic and travel award recipients:

• Recipients will be informed via their Ohio State email account if they have received an award.  In the email notification, recipients will be given award acceptance instructions and a deadline to accept the award. The process involves accepting the award online and submitting a photograph.
• If recipients do not formally accept their awards by the deadline specified in their offer letters, the funds may be reallocated to other applicants.
• Recipients also may be asked to attend a scholarship event honoring them and the relevant donors.

Additionally, for CPH international travel award recipients:

• All CPH students traveling internationally are responsible for checking with the Office of International Affairs to ensure that the destination is approved by The Ohio State University.  More information can be found at https://oia.osu.edu/units/education-abroad/application-and-policies/travel-to-risk-designated-countries/.
• Ohio State students traveling to international locations for the purpose of education abroad, undergraduate or graduate/dissertation research, internships or independent study are required to enroll in the university’s supplemental international insurance plan, which is $1.50 per day and is provided through GeoBlue.  The insurance includes coverage for medical, evacuation, repatriation, emergency assistance, and political security and natural disaster. 

Question Will applications be reviewed by divisions or programs before reaching the Student Scholarship and Awards Committee?

Answer

No. The Student Scholarship and Awards Committee reviews and decides on all applications. The only exceptions are any scholarships specific to a division (e.g., Mary Plummer, Bruce Casto), which are awarded within that division.

Question What happens if students apply for other funding for travel after they have been awarded by CPH?

Answer

If a student secures additional funds from another source after receiving an award from the College of Public Health, the committee has the ability to reduce a student’s CPH travel award so as not to exceed the total cost of travel.

Question For travel awards, what information should I include when describing my budget?

Answer

In addition to providing a total dollar amount requested, please itemize your expected costs. The travel award is meant to cover the cost of travel, food, lodging, and data collection.

Question Can I include attachments in my applications?

Answer

Yes. Students are encouraged to include additional website links or attachments to provide further information.

Question What does the committee consider when selecting scholarship or travel award recipients?

Answer

The committee considers each applicant’s academic record; personal background information; public health experiences, community service, and leadership; description of current financial assistance; how the award will help the applicant achieve academic goals; and overall presentation and writing skills.

For scholarships, general scoring is based on the extent to which the application (1) clearly articulates the student’s own public health career goals, (2) demonstrates how the student will act to advance diversity and inclusive excellence in the college and/or university, (3) demonstrates the student’s ability to overcome obstacles and perservere with goals and (4) demonstrates a high level of financial need.

For the travel award, scoring is based on the extent to which the application (1) clearly articulates the student’s own public health career goals, (2) clearly articulates how the travel experience will advance the student’s career goals, and (3) demonstrates a high level of financial need. Priority is given to projects aligned with Ohio State’s Global Gateways, currently in China, India, Brazil and emerging regions in Africa.

Question How are the funds disbursed?

Answer

Scholarship funds are disbursed into the student’s Ohio State account by the Bursar at the beginning of each term covered. For travel awards, half of the funds are disbursed into the student’s account prior to travel and the other half are disbursed after travel is completed.