USA Scholarships
APTA Faculty Development Scholarship 2027 - $5,000
The APTA Faculty Development Scholarship Award helps physical therapist educators finish post-professional doctoral degrees while strengthening teaching, research, and community engagement. APTA now houses the award inside the Access and Opportunity Scholarship Fund, though CareerOneStop and older listings still call it the APTA Minority Scholarships Faculty Development Award. Nominees must be APTA members, licensed PTs, and full-time faculty in accredited or developing PT programs who will have completed at least two semesters of doctoral coursework when the award is presented. Expect about $5,000 from the Physical Therapy Fund, nominations open 1 September through 1 December 2026 on APTA Achieve, and notification in May for recipients and nominators.
What is the APTA Faculty Development Scholarship?
Physical therapy faculty who want a clinical doctorate, EdD, PhD, or other post-professional degree compete for the APTA Faculty Development Scholarship Award. APTA rebranded the old Minority Scholarship Fund into the Access and Opportunity Scholarship Fund, but the faculty track still targets educators who split time between classroom teaching and advanced study. You are not eligible as a student PT or PTA; this is strictly for licensed therapists who teach full time in CAPTE-accredited or developing programs.
The mechanics run through APTA Honors and Awards, not a standalone scholarship portal. Someone submits a 300-word nomination, then you upload a CV, 500-word application answers, a signed plan of study, and three 300-word support statements from your program director, doctoral advisor, and a community partner who knows your rural or underserved work. APTA opens nominations 1 September and shuts them down 1 December. Late files are discarded. Winners hear back in May, which gives you time to budget doctoral tuition for the next academic year.
Money comes from the Physical Therapy Fund, and external listings consistently cite about $5,000. That will not cover an entire doctorate, yet it validates your research trajectory inside APTA and pairs well with university tuition remission if your employer offers it. Selection weighs academic excellence, association service, publications, leadership roles, and authentic community engagement rather than a single GPA cutoff.
If you are mapping adjacent health-education funding, compare this award with the APHA KP Community Health Scholarship 2027 for public health graduate students, the MGFA Nursing Research Fellowship 2027 for nurse scientists, and the Advancement of Academicians Scholarship 2026 for faculty development in other fields. Full criteria and nomination steps are on the APTA Access and Opportunity Scholarship Fund Awards page.
Eligibility
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✓APTA member in good standingYou must be a physical therapist member of APTA in good standing at the time of nomination and selection.
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✓Licensed physical therapist in a US jurisdictionHold a current license to practice physical therapy in a US jurisdiction or meet every requirement for licensure in that jurisdiction.
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✓Full-time PT or developing PT program facultyTeach full time in an accredited or developing professional physical therapist education program at a US institution.
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✓Post-professional doctoral coursework progressBy the time the award is presented, complete at least two full semesters or three full quarters in an accredited post-professional doctoral program related to physical therapy.
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✓Commitment to teaching, research, and community engagementShow how your doctoral work advances the profession through education, scholarship, and service, especially in underserved or rural communities.
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✓No prior receipt of this awardCareerOneStop notes that prior recipients of this faculty development award may not receive it again. Confirm any update on the live APTA criteria.
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✓US citizenship or permanent residencyHistorical CareerOneStop listings require US citizenship or lawful permanent residency alongside APTA membership. Verify current rules in APTA Achieve.
Benefits
- Typical cash award About $5,000 from the PT Fund
- Purpose Support post-professional doctoral study
- Professional recognition APTA Honors and Awards visibility
- Eligible expenses Doctoral tuition and related academic costs
- Full doctoral tuition Not covered - partial award
- Salary replacement Not provided
- Automatic renewal Not renewable for prior recipients
- Student PT or PTA awards Separate Access and Opportunity track
Document checklist
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✓Nomination statement (300 words)A nominator opens the process with a 300-word nomination statement submitted through APTA Achieve. Self-nominations and peer nominations are allowed.
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✓Curriculum vitae or resumeUpload a current CV detailing education, licensure, faculty appointments, publications, presentations, and service.
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✓Online application responses (500 words each)Complete the nominee application questions in APTA Achieve, including a reflective essay on professional goals and community impact.
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✓Three support statements (300 words each)Collect statements from your PT program director, faculty advisor or dissertation chair, and someone who can verify contributions to underserved or rural populations.
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✓Plan of studySubmit a plan of study for the doctoral degree, signed by your faculty advisor, with dates for comprehensive exams, candidacy, research overview approval, and dissertation defense when available.
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✓Evidence of academic excellenceInclude honors, GPA context, publications, and presentations that show scholarly progress toward the doctorate.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the APTA Faculty Development Scholarship Award?
It is an APTA Honors and Awards program that helps physical therapist faculty complete post-professional doctoral degrees. The award now sits in the Access and Opportunity Scholarship Fund and typically pays about $5,000 through the Physical Therapy Fund.
Is the APTA Minority Faculty Development Scholarship the same award?
Yes. CareerOneStop and older directories use the Minority Scholarships name, while APTA now brands the faculty track as the Faculty Development Scholarship Award within the Access and Opportunity Scholarship Fund. Eligibility language shifted toward community engagement; read the live APTA page each cycle.
Who can nominate for the APTA faculty scholarship?
Self-nominations and peer nominations are accepted. A nominator submits a 300-word statement to start the file, then the nominee completes the application, CV, plan of study, and support statements.
When is the APTA Faculty Development Scholarship deadline?
Nominations must be submitted through APTA Achieve by 1 December 2026 for the 2027 Honors and Awards cycle. The call opens 1 September 2026.
How much is the APTA faculty development award worth?
Third-party listings and the Physical Therapy Fund history point to about $5,000. APTA does not always publish the amount on the overview page, so treat $5,000 as the planning figure until your offer letter confirms it.
Do PT students use the same application?
No. APTA runs separate Access and Opportunity tracks for PT and PTA students in their final year and for faculty pursuing doctorates. Student nominees need transcripts and different support letters.
What doctoral programs qualify?
You must be enrolled in an accredited post-professional doctoral program whose content relates to physical therapy practice, education, or research. CareerOneStop describes regionally accredited programs with a demonstrated PT connection.
Who should I contact about the APTA faculty award?
Email [email protected] with questions about nominations, cloning prior submissions, or eligibility. Membership questions go to APTA member services.
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