Frequently Asked Questions

Please note: If you are unable to submit a complete packet of scholarship materials, we will still accept documents received separately.

Before submitting a question regarding the Scholarship Program, please review the various sections of this FAQ.

General Information

  • No; Students do NOT need to be insured under a Gallagher Student insurance program, nor do they need to be attending a school that offers Gallagher Student insurance products.

  • There will be six scholarships awarded.

  • Each award is a total of $7,500. The awards are distributed in two parts; the first half is awarded for the Fall Semester, the second half is awarded for the Spring Semester.

  • The deadline is May 7, 2018. Please note that this is the deadline for RECEIPT (not postmark) of all mailed materials in addition to the online application. We cannot guarantee acceptance of any materials received after the published deadline, so please plan accordingly.

  • Each year, approximately 300-400 applications are received, however this number can vary greatly.

  • No; the application is online-only and there are no paper copies available.

  • If you are a School Administrator who wishes to advertise the scholarship to students on-campus, you can download and print the Application packet and/or Information Flyer from the 'Downloads' page on this website (note that these items will be updated upon release of the Scholarship Application form each year). We are unable to mail any marketing materials.

  • No; no information regarding applicants will be shared with any third party for any reason and all information is destroyed once winners are selected. Additionally, we will only use your information to contact you and your school as needed regarding your application.

  • NO; Direct contact with the Scholarship Board of Directors is prohibited.

  • It is the intent of the Scholarship funds to be used for any expenses related to your academic pursuits. As funds are paid directly to the winning students, funds can be used for tuition, books, class materials, computers/equipment, living expenses, etc. No reporting of the funds purpose is required.

Eligibility

  • If you are graduating with your first degree from an accredited four year institution at the end of the Spring Term of 2019 through the Spring Term of 2020, you are eligible to apply. You must be enrolled as a full-time student and pursuing a career in a health related field for the two full semesters leading up to your graduation date.

  • No; Due to the bylaws of the Scholarship Program, graduate students are not eligible to apply. At this time, we do not offer scholarships for graduate studies.

  • No; High school students are not eligible for this award. At this time, we do not offer scholarships for high school students entering college in the Fall.

  • Yes; international students are eligible for the Scholarship Program, however they must be studying at a U.S.-based institution of higher education and meet all other eligibility criteria.

  • Yes; as long as you will still be considered a full-time student and meet all other eligibility requirements, you are eligible during periods of studying abroad.

  • You are only eligible if you have been accepted into a Bachelor’s Degree program and will be starting your junior or senior year.

  • No; At this time, students attending courses exclusively online are not eligible for this award.

  • No; At this time, students in a certificate program are not eligible for this award. Applicants must be enrolled in a Bachelor's Degree program.

  • Winners must be enrolled as a full-time student for the semesters in which they would be receiving this award. If you are named a winner and for some reason you are off for a semester or drop to part-time enrollment, your award payment will not be made until the next semester in which you are back to full-time status. If you graduate or leave school prior to being enrolled as a full-time student for another semester, you would forfeit the remaining portion of the Scholarship award.

  • Yes; students in an accelerated program are eligible if they will be graduating between Spring 2019 and Spring 2020.

  • No; You would not be eligible for the scholarship.

  • Yes; If you are in a program that is specifically designed to award both a Bachelor's Degree AND an Advanced Degree upon completion, you would be eligible if you are receiving both degrees between Spring 2019 and Spring 2020. In this instance, we may ask for proof of your Program's design to verify that the Advanced Degree is part of the specific program.

Application Submission

  • All applications are to be filled out online at: www.healthcareersscholarship.org. There is no printable application, all available information is on this website. However, your application is not complete until all supplementary materials (letters of recommendation, transcripts, Financial Aid Form, essay) are returned to Gallagher Student via postal mail or e-mail.

  • You should send us official transcripts from each school you have attended. Your Financial Aid Form can be filled out by either your current institution's Financial Aid Department or your new institution's Financial Aid Department.

  • Yes; All transcripts need to be included in your complete application packet.

  • Is there a form to be filled out for those who are writing my letters of recommendation?

    No; there is no specific form to fill out and no standard guidelines. Your letters of recommendation should offer insight into why the writer feels you are deserving of this scholarship, including things like: what they know of you as a student, your drive toward your career and anything else they know of your character. We do not recommend submitting form letter-style recommendations or recommendations previously used for other purposes.At least one letter must be from a Professor or Faculty Advisor, and no family references. Letters must be written on the establishment’s letterhead.

  • No, the May 7th deadline is the date that all materials must be received at our office. We cannot guarantee that any items received after this deadline will be accepted, so please plan accordingly. Please note that overnight mailing options are available via FedEx, UPS, DHL and the US Postal Service.

  • No.

  • Yes; Your completed application packet may be submitted via email attachments. Items to be submitted via e-mail should be sent to scholarship@gallagherstudent.com. We can also accept e-mailed versions of transcripts however they must be "official" and sent from a school administrator, not a scanned copy sent from your personal email address.

  • No; In the interest of fairness to all applicants, additional documentation not specifically requested will be discarded prior to the review and selection process. We ask that you not include any resumes, photographs or other documentation that is not specifically requested as part of the application process.

  • No. Given the timing of the application period, it is assumed that transcripts will not yet have Spring 2018 grades reflected. Please do not wait on your Spring grades to request/mail your transcripts to us.

  • No; Incomplete applications will not be sent to the Board of Directors for review.

  • No; Due to the volume of application materials received, we cannot respond to requests to confirm receipt of individual items. Upon completion of the online application form, you will receive a confirmation e-mail and confirmation number which will serve as your proof of completion. Should you wish to confirm receipt of other mailed items, we recommend mailing them via trackable/traceable method.

Financial Aid

  • Please note that all files on our website are in PDF Format, and viewable using the free Adobe Reader program, available for download at www.adobe.com. We cannot provide the documents in any other format.

  • Yes; All applications must include a completed Financial Aid Form to be eligible. Even if you do not qualify for or apply for Financial Aid, your Financial Aid Counselor/Advisor should fill out the form to reflect the cost of attendance and family contribution.

  • No; You do not have to be receiving Financial Aid to apply, however the Financial Aid Form must be filled out by your institution's Financial Aid Department in order to complete your application. Information about the cost of attendance and family contribution should be completed, and your Financial Counselor/Advisor should indicate that you do not receive any Financial Aid.

  • The Financial Aid information MUST be filled out and signed by a Financial Aid Counselor/Advisor at your institution. If you do not have a Financial Aid Counselor/Advisor, please call your Financial Aid Office and ask what their procedure is for having this type of form filled out. Be aware that, should you be selected as a scholarship recipient, this data will be verified by calling your School's Financial Aid office.

  • No, we cannot accept any other documentation beyond the official Financial Aid form. All other documents will be discarded before the review process, and incomplete applications will not be considered.

  • Either school is acceptable; please be sure that the appropriate box is checked off to indicate for which year the information is valid.

Disbursement of Awards

  • The first half of the Scholarship Award Payment is made during the Scholarship Awards Dinner, held in Boston each year during late September. Prior to the Spring 2019 semester, winners are contacted and required to provide verification of their enrollment for the Spring 2019 Semester. Once such verification is received, the second half of the award payment is made.

  • Checks are paid out directly to the student. Students are responsible for reporting their award to their school as per their institution's regulations.

  • Yes; we require the social security number of winners in order for proper IRS reporting of the scholarship funds. This is ONLY required of the named winners (not all applicants) and only used for tax purposes. If you are a winner who is an International student and you do not have a U.S. social security number, your Visa number will also be sufficient.

  • According to IRS regulations, Scholarship funds are tax-exempt if specific criteria is met. Please visit www.irs.gov for more information.

  • If you are named a winner and graduate or leave school prior to the second portion of your award being paid out, you will forfeit the second portion of your award.

  • No; this scholarship is granted for one year's disbursement (total $7,500 payment).

Determining Winners

  • After the deadline, applications are reviewed to ensure completion and eligibility before being forwarded to the Scholarship Board of Directors for selection. All decisions are typically made by the end of June/early July. Scholarship recipients will be contacted personally via the phone number/e-mail submitted within the application form.

  • No; due to the volume of received applications we cannot send correspondence to each non-winner.

  • Winners are selected by the Scholarship Board of Directors from the pool of complete applicants who have been determined to be eligible. Primary focus is put on the essay portion of the application, which demonstrates the student's commitment to their health career and community. Academic strength, letters of recommendation, participation in community and campus volunteer activities and other activities contribute to the Board's determination of a student's commitment. A student's financial need and existing resources are also considered in determining final winners.

  • The essay portion is the appropriate place to explain any special circumstances that you do not feel are reflected in other portions of the application. Please note that any cover letters, resumes or other ancillary items that are included with your application will NOT be seen by the Scholarship Board.

  • The Scholarship Application is released to www.gallagherstudent.com each year, typically by the end of February. Please feel free to apply again should you meet the eligibility requirements.