The Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP), which the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers through Papa Ola Lokahi (POL), is charged with increasing the supply of Native Hawaiian health care professionals trained in disciplines and specialties most needed to deliver quality, culturally competent, primary care health services to Native Hawaiians and others in the State of Hawai`i.
The purpose of the NHHSP is to provide scholarships for Native Hawaiian students in exchange for a minimum 2-year full-time service commitment in an eligible service obligation setting (see Eligible Sites section) which meets the following requirements, in order of priority:
- First, one of the five Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems (NHHCS), and
- Second, in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in Hawai`i, or Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) in Hawai`i, or a geographic area or facility that is:
- Located in the State of Hawai`i; and
- Has a designation made by the Secretary, acting through the Public Health Service Act.
Applicants must:
- be of Native Hawaiian Ancestry.
- be enrolled as a full-time student in a fully accredited health professions program in the United States.
- be enrolled in one of the following NHHSP-Eligible Health Professions as identified in the needs assessment conducted by POL every 2 years:
- Clinical Psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.)
- Dentistry (D.D.S or D.M.D.)
- Dental Hygiene (B.S.D.H. or A.S.D.H.)
- Dietetics/Nutrition (M.S.)
- Nursing, Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner (D.N.P., A.D.N., B.S.N., M.S.N., C.N.M. or N.P.): i. ii. iii. f. Nursing (D.N.P, A.D.N., B.S.N., and M.S.N.)
- Physician (M.D. or D.O.)
- Physician Assistant (M.S.P.A.)
- Social Work (M.S.W.)
- Complete the NHHSP online application and submit all required documents and forms by the deadline
An applicant will be deemed ineligible if the applicant:
- Submits an incomplete application, misses a deadline, or fails to follow the application instructions;
- Has a judgment lien arising from a federal debt;
- Is currently excluded, debarred, suspended, or disqualified by a federal agency from financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under federal programs and activities;
- Is enrolled in an eligible field of study that specializes in areas other than primary health care. For example, Physician Assistant programs with an emphasis in surgical or emergency room focus are disallowed;
- Is in the pre-professional phase of their health professions education. For example, taking undergraduate prerequisites for admission to medical school;
- Is enrolled or pursuing a degree not previously indicated in the Eligibility Requirements section;
- Is enrolled or pursuing a degree not recognized or licensed by the State of Hawai`i, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Division of Professional and Vocational Licensing;
- Has an existing service obligation
- Has had a federal or non-federal debt written off as uncollectible.
- Has defaulted on a prior service obligation to the federal government, a state or local government, or other entity, unless the obligation was previously satisfied; or
- Has defaulted on any federal payment obligations (e.g., Health Education Assistance Loans, Nursing Student Loans, Federal Housing Administration loans, federal income tax liabilities, federally guaranteed/insured loans such as student or home mortgage loans, etc.) or non-federal payment obligations (e.g., court- ordered child support payments);