USA Scholarships
Professional Development Scholarship Guides
Professional Development Programs
Guides for funded professional development, leadership, and executive programs that don't lead to a degree but build skills and networks. Each guide covers eligibility, benefits, and the full application process.
Ashley Meleana Joy Scholarship 2027
The Ashley Meleana Joy Scholarship from the Pauahi Foundation supports one graduate student each cycle who is pursuing a medical-related degree full time. Applicants may live in Hawaii or on the US mainland; Hawaiian ancestry receives preference where law allows, but residency in Hawaii is not required. You must be a classified graduate student in a medical field, meet Pauahi''s general scholarship rules, and apply through the foundation''s unified online portal when the 2027-2028 cycle opens October 1, 2026. Award amounts vary by year. Contact [email protected] or call 808-534-8080 for deadline confirmation.
ALA Biomedical Research Grants 2027 - Innovation
The American Lung Association Research Institute funds biomedical lung research through ProposalCentral, including the Innovation Award for independent investigators who held an NIH K- or R-type grant within the past five years. The Innovation Award pays $75,000 per year for up to two years for basic, behavioral, clinical, or translational projects at US nonprofit institutions. The 2027-2028 cycle opened August 5, 2026; LOIs are due September 18, 2026 and full applications December 1, 2026, with research starting July 1, 2027.
APTA Minority Scholarship Award 2027 - $5,000
The APTA Minority Scholarship Award, funded through the Physical Therapy Fund, recognizes final-year Doctor of Physical Therapy students who are APTA members from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds. Awards are typically $5,000 each, with multiple recipients chosen annually for professional character, academic strength, and service in minority affairs. You must be a US citizen or permanent resident in the last year of a CAPTE-accredited PT program and within twelve months of graduation. Nominations run through APTA Achieve from September 1 through December 1, with [email protected] as the contact. Alaska Native students are among the eligible minority groups, but the award is national rather than limited to Alaska residents.
APTA Faculty Development Scholarship 2027 - $5,000
The APTA Faculty Development Scholarship Award, now part of the Access and Opportunity Scholarship Fund, supports physical therapist faculty pursuing a post-professional doctoral degree. Eligible nominees are APTA members in good standing, licensed in a US jurisdiction, and teaching full time in an accredited PT program with at least two semesters of doctoral coursework completed. The Physical Therapy Fund typically awards about $5,000. Nominations run 1 September through 1 December 2026 via APTA Achieve, with recipients notified in May.
iSeeCars Future Entrepreneurs Scholarship 2027 - $1,000
The Annual iSeeCars Future Entrepreneurs Scholarship awards $1,000 to one US college student who shows a genuine interest in entrepreneurship. iSeeCars.com, the automotive search engine, sponsors the prize for entering freshmen, undergraduates, and graduate students enrolled full time at an accredited US college or university. Applicants submit a 500-600 word essay and a transcript through the online form at iseecars.com/scholarship. The award renews each calendar year with a typical deadline of 31 December.
AASLD AILD Pilot Research Award 2027 - $20,000
The AASLD Foundation Autoimmune Liver Diseases Exploratory Research Award (often searched as the AILD pilot research award) provides $20,000 for one year of pilot basic, translational, or clinical research on autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and related conditions. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty within five years of their first faculty appointment may apply if they are AASLD members with a mentor who is also a member, devote at least 20% research effort, and hold sponsorship from an accredited nonprofit institution in the United States, Canada, or Mexico. Projects must be new exploratory work, not already funded. Expect the next request for applications around August 2026 with a deadline near December 8, 2026 and funding from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028.
A. Verville Fellowship 2027 - NASM $55,000
The A. Verville Fellowship at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum funds nine to twelve months of in-residence research on major trends in aviation or space history. Mid-career scholars and qualified nonacademic writers apply through SOLAA with a NASM staff advisor, a research proposal, CV, and recommendations. Predoctoral graduate students are generally not eligible. The Smithsonian lists a $55,000 stipend for a twelve-month term plus limited travel funds, with tenure typically starting between mid-August and early October. Applications for the next cycle are due January 15, 2027, with notification around mid-March.
Across The Bridge Scholarship 2027 - $1,000 USA
The Across The Bridge Scholarship from Bridge Endowment awards $1,000 to one US student each cycle to help cover costs on the path toward an associate, bachelor, master, or professional degree. Applicants must be US residents at least 17 years old and enrolled or planning enrollment at an accredited US college. Selection weighs your essay on goals, learning commitment, and how the award helps you cross personal barriers. Applications open December 1, 2026 with a December 31 deadline at bridgeendowment.org.
AISLS Language Instruction Grants 2027 - $400
AISLS Language Instruction Grants help US graduate students, faculty, and scholar-members build Sinhala, Tamil, or Pali for research on Sri Lanka. Awards up to $400 cover in-country tutoring or virtual lessons with tutors based in Sri Lanka, funded through the US Department of Education. Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis by email to the AISLS US director.
Superior Seating Scholarship 2027 - $1,500 Culinary Award
The Superior Seating Scholarship from the Kenilworth, New Jersey restaurant furniture company awards one $1,500 grant each year to a US citizen studying culinary arts, hospitality management, interior design, or a closely related field. High school seniors, GED students, and nontraditional learners planning qualifying enrollment may apply alongside current full-time or part-time college and culinary school students. Email [email protected] with contact details, major, school name, and a 500-word essay in DOC or PDF format by November 30.
Selfless Parent Scholarship 2027 - $1,000 Essay
The Selfless Parent Scholarship from Capital Family & Divorce Law Group awards $1,000 to one US student who writes about sacrifices a parent or guardian made to help them succeed. High school seniors, undergraduates, and graduate students with at least a 3.0 GPA who are legal residents in any state or DC may apply when the firm publishes the annual form. Past cycles required a 750-word essay, resume, and transcript ahead of a late-November deadline for the following spring semester. Confirm the live application URL on divorcefirm.net each fall because year-specific pages rotate.
Power of Listening Scholarship 2026 - $1,000
The 2026 Power of Listening Scholarship from Herman & Wells, a Florida personal injury firm, awards $1,000 to one US student who writes about how active listening by professionals improves outcomes in high-stress settings such as healthcare, education, government, or law. High school seniors, vocational students, undergraduates, and graduate students who are legal residents of any US state or Washington, DC, may apply if they enroll in an accredited vocational programme or two- or four-year college or university and hold at least a 3.0 GPA. You submit a 750-to-1,000-word essay, a professional resume, transcripts or acceptance proof, and the online form by November 30, 2026. Essays are screened for AI-generated text. Preference goes to students from or attending secondary school in Florida, though applicants nationwide are welcome. Herman & Wells employees and their households are ineligible.