Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS)

The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a federal initiative aimed at addressing disparities in healthcare education and access. The SDS program supports eligible health professions schools in their efforts to provide scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. These scholarships are intended to help reduce financial barriers to obtaining health professions education, thereby expanding the healthcare workforce and promoting diversity within it. The SDS program forms part of a broader national strategy to improve access to quality healthcare, especially for underserved populations. This grant opportunity, designated HRSA-26-096, is forecasted for Fiscal Year 2026 with a total anticipated program funding of approximately $51 million. The program expects to make around 80 awards, with award sizes ranging from a minimum of $1 to a maximum of $650,000 per institution. These funds must be used to provide scholarships to full-time students from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds who are pursuing eligible degrees in a range of health-related disciplines, including but not limited to medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, public health, allied health, and behavioral health fields. The SDS program does not require cost sharing or matching from applicants, allowing eligible institutions to access funds without additional financial burden. Institutions eligible to apply include public and private non-profit institutions of higher education as well as federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribal organizations and governments. However, eligibility is limited to those institutions offering programs in specified health professions disciplines, including graduate and undergraduate degrees in fields such as physical therapy, audiology, clinical psychology, midwifery, and physician assistant studies. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by May 21, 2026, no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The estimated posting date for the full application package is April 6, 2026, providing institutions with approximately six weeks to prepare and submit their proposals. Key contacts for applicants include Tamara Barbee, who can be reached at [email protected] or 301-443-5273 for programmatic questions or technical assistance. Evaluation criteria for awards will focus on the institution's demonstrated need, its ability to recruit and retain students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the projected impact of scholarships on the diversity and accessibility of the health workforce. While detailed evaluation metrics are not provided in the forecast, historical practice suggests that HRSA evaluates proposals based on alignment with program goals, financial oversight capacity, and the sustainability of scholarship support. The anticipated award date for successful applicants is August 1, 2026, with funded projects expected to start on September 1, 2026. As a recurring annual opportunity, the SDS program enables institutions to plan for future participation as well. Applicants should monitor the Grants.gov listing and the HRSA website for the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) once it is posted. This forecast provides early engagement information to help eligible schools prepare competitive proposals aligned with the mission of advancing health equity and educational access.