A minority scholarship program is one that provides funds to students who are pursuing a doctoral degree. For most PhD programs, students will compete for funding from a number of different scholarship programs, offered by foundations and organizations. Some PhD students choose to enter into a joint venture with a faculty member who is also completing a post-doc project in the same field. Others apply directly to the sponsors of the National Institutes of Health, or any other large research agency. Still others use an initiative called Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP), which brings together a group of higher education institutions and local students who demonstrate an interest in pursuing advanced scientific research. Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) grants are available to doctoral students in the same field as current students.
The Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership program was established in order to support students’ education. Many students who complete a doctorate do not pursue a secondary education program after receiving their degree. By making the initiation of a Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership program, the agency hopes to change this pattern. Leveraging educational assistance from multiple sources, such as federal and state financial aid programs, foundations and individual donors, ensures that the vast majority of PhD students will find employment in their field upon completion of their studies.
In addition to providing funds for graduate study, a Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership program may also provide funding to students who are in high school at the time of application. As long as the student possesses a high school diploma, he or she may be eligible to receive up to two years of federal student aid. As long as the Leveraged Educational Assistance Partnership program recipient completes his or her education, he or she will not have to repay the scholarship money. The eligibility requirements do not require that the student be a full-time student. However, he or she must be enrolled in a regular school for at least two years. These auctions, via sites such as hope scholarship are also available online.
There are a number of scholarship providers who participate in the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership program. These institutions include: The U.S. Department of Education, The Boeing Company, Cisco Systems, The Georgia Institute of Technology, Case University, Hillsborough Community College, Keiser University, Liberty University, Southern New Hampshire University, State University of New York at Albany, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, DeVry University, ITT Technical Institute, University of Florida, ITT Technical College, and The Pennsylvania State University at Pennsylvania State University. Each participant in this program contributes to the development of the program and provides scholarship applicants with one of the many fellowship opportunities available.
When a student applies for a scholarship, he or she must first research the program. Many scholarships require that the applicant be an undergraduate student. However, there are also some that require candidates to be graduate students. The Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership selects the appropriate match based on the candidate’s educational achievements, financial need and personal interest. Students interested in these opportunities should complete the FAFSA application, which can be obtained from the financial aid office at the institution the student attends.
Those wishing to participate in a scholarship program for education must first fill out and turn in the FAFSA. Once accepted, the student must wait until his or her funds allow him or her to attend the college or university he or she wishes to attend. Some scholarships stipulate that if the student is enrolled in an undergraduate program, he or she must also be enrolled in a graduate program.
