Preparatory and Pre-Graduate Scholarships

1. Preparatory and Pre-Graduate Scholarships Recipient Orientation

2. Agenda • Program Overview • Preparatory and Pre-Graduate Scholarships • Recipient Forms and Documentation • Scholarship Extension Application • IHS Extern Program • Additional Information

3. Program Overview

4. Indian Health Service — Mission To raise the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level.

5. IHS Scholarship Program — Purpose • To assist students in their efforts to achieve their health education goals. • To provide health services for Native people. • To train future leaders of the Indian health system.

6. Personnel IHS Scholarship Program — Personnel • Robert Pittman — Acting Director • RetaBrewer — Program Analyst • Brenda Miller — Program Analyst • Eric Pinto — Program Analyst • VickyeSantiago — Program Analyst

7. Program Communications • Website • Facebook • HTML eNewsletters • Handbooks

8. Scholarship Overview

9. Scholarship Eligibility and Financial Support Preparatory Scholarship • To support recipients in their undergraduate and preparatory course studies in preparation for entry to health professional schools, such as nursing, pharmacy and others, as needed. Pre-Graduate Scholarship • To support recipients in undergraduate courses leading to a bachelor’s (BS or BA) degree in pre-professional programs in preparation for entry into health professional schools, such as medicine, dentistry, podiatry and optometry, as needed.

10. Maintaining Eligibility Scholarship recipients must: • Be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.0. • Be enrolled as a full-time (12 credit hours or the equivalent) or part-time (six to 11 credit hours) student for each academic term. • Maintain your enrollment status throughout the current academic year. • Maintain the required hours to meet the graduation or completion of training date as agreed to in your application.

11. Financial Support Financial aid covers tuition, required fees and reasonable education and living expenses: • Preparatory Scholarship — Up to two academic years full time or four academic years part time. • Pre-Graduate Scholarship — Up to four academic years full time or eight academic years part time. • Includes lab, health unit and parking permit fees. • A monthly stipend of no less than $1,500 (full time) or $750 (part time) is paid for a 10-month period.

12. Financial Support — Summer School • Summer School Request (IHS-856-21) form — Must be submitted by April 22. • Up to $700 in tuition and required fees for full-time recipients. • Up to $350 in tuition and required fees for part-time recipients.

13. Education Expenses IHS will provide one annual payment as part of your August deposit to cover the following items: • School-required books, laboratory expenses, and other miscellaneous educational expenses. • Tutorial services — IHS will include $400 (full time) or $200 (part time) to assist with tutorial services or licensure/board certification preparatory classes. • School parking permits (only basic permits required by school to park on campus). • $300 to offset travel expenses to and from school for the year. • $35 to offset the expense for a post office box rental.

14. Education Expenses (cont.) IHS will not pay for the following items: • On-campus room and board. • School bookstore invoices. • Desktop or laptop computers (purchased, leased or rented). • Health or disability insurance. • Additional travel expenses incurred over the $300 allowed.

15. Education Expenses (cont.) IHS will not pay for the following items: • Membership dues for student societies, associations and similar expenses. • School terms prior to the scholarship award period. • Uniforms. • Parking fines. • Credit card debt.

16. Tuition Payment • IHS pays tuition directly to the institution. Recipients must provide the bursar’s office with a copy of their scholarship award letter notifying the institution of their IHS scholarship. • Recipients may decline all other scholarship or grant awards to take advantage of the full financial aid package provided. • IHS will deduct the total of other accepted scholarships or grants from the institution invoice and only pay the remaining portion, unless the other scholarships or grants specifically state they may not be used for tuition and fees.

17. Leave of Absence • Submit Change of Status (IHS-856-10) formto your Program Analyst. • Approvable reasons include: • Medical or personal issues. • Poor grades that will affect your ability to take required courses. • First year scholarship recipients are not eligible to request a leave of absence (LOA). • Update status online during scholarship extension application cycle.

18. Recipient Forms and Documentation

19. Mailing Addresses • Send all forms and documentation to the program office via email or to the following address: Indian Health ServiceScholarship Program801 Thompson Ave., TMP Suite 450ARockville, MD 20852 • Email: scholarship@ihs.gov

20. Required Forms and Documentation Recipient’s Initial Program Progress Report (IHS-856-8) • Within 30 days of the beginning of each academic term. • Your advisor or the registrar’s office must sign this form to confirm your full- or part-time enrollment for the current academic term.

21. Required Forms and Documentation (cont.) Official Transcripts • Must be received within 30 days of the end of each academic term. • Send via secure e-file or postal service. • Envelopes have an official seal and/or the registrar’s signature. • Should not be opened or tampered with. • You must submit an official grade report or documentation of grades signed by your instructors and your advisor if an official transcript will not be ready within 30 days.

22. Additional Forms and Documentation Notification of Academic Problem (IHS-856-9) • Used to notify your Program Analyst of any academic problems, including: • Poor grades resulting in a reduction in enrollment status. • Cancelled course. • Academic probation. • Withdrawal from school. • Dismissal from school. • Submit to your Program Analyst immediately. • Do not withdraw from a course or school without first consulting your Program Analyst.

23. Additional Forms and Documentation (cont.) Change of Status (IHS-856-10) • Used to notify your Program Analyst of a change in your enrollment status including: • Transferring schools or seeking dual enrollment. • Change in graduation date. • Requesting an LOA. • Submit to your Program Analyst immediately.

24. Additional Forms and Documentation (cont.) Summer School Request (IHS-856-21) • Used to request approval of payment for summer school courses, regardless of whether you are enrolled in a year-round program of study or not. • Must be: • Submitted by April 22. • Signed by your school advisor. • Include an attached Curriculum for Major. • Include documentation of summer school tuition and fees.

25. Additional Forms and Documentation (cont.) Summer School Request (IHS-856-21) • The following courses are approved to receive financial assistance: • Required courses toward your health profession degree program. • Required courses that must be repeated due to poor academic performance.

26. Additional Forms and Documentation (cont.) Lost Stipend Payment (IHS-856-19) • Submit to the program office after the seventh day of the month following the month missed (for example, submit after September 7 if you did not receive your August stipend). Change of Name or Address (IHS-856-22) • Submit to the program office immediately. Request for Credit Validation (IHS-856-23) • Submit to the program office immediately. Note: Contact your Program Analyst immediately if you are changing your preferred email address. A form does not need to be submitted, but notification will avoid delay in or loss of communication with the program.

27. Scholarship Extension Application

28. Online Application • You submit a scholarship extension application annually to apply for an extension of scholarship support or change your status as a recipient. • Deadline: February 28 • Your updated status options when submitting an extension application are: • Request an extension of scholarship support in your current degree program. • Advance to a Health Professions scholarship degree program. • Notify the program of your change in Preparatory or Pre-Graduate degree program. • Request a leave of absence. • Decline additional financial support. • The scholarship application log-in page can be found at www.ihs.gov/scholarship/online_application. • Keep your username, password and mailing address updated throughout the academic year via this portal.

29. Application Packets The following documentation must be submitted as part of all application packets: • Application— Print and sign after submitting the online application. • Application Checklist — Print and sign after submitting the online application. • Letter of Enrollment and Good Academic Standing — Your advisor must complete and sign your letter documenting good academic standing. • Delinquent Federal Debt (IHS-856-5) — This form must have an original signature and must be submitted even if you do not have any qualifying debts. • Course Curriculum Verification (IHS-856-6) — This form must be completed documenting courses that will be taken during the following academic year and must have an original signature. Attaching a Curriculum for Major is not sufficient.

30. Application Packets (cont.) Advancing from Preparatory or Pre-Graduate scholarship to a Health Professions scholarship. Transfer/Dual Enrollment • You must also include the following forms if you fall into either of these categories: • Letter of Acceptance/Proof of Application • Change of Status (IHS-856-10) form • Faculty/Advisor Evaluation (IHS-856-24) forms — Submitted online. You can submit two hard copies if selected evaluators cannot access the online form. • Curriculum for Major — Must be attached to the Course Curriculum Verification (IHS-856-6) form.

31. Application Packets (cont.) Change in Graduation Date — You must also include the following form if you are changing your graduation date. • Change of Status (IHS-856-10) form.

32. Application Packets (cont.) Additional Documentation — You must provide the following documentation if you missed a deadline or experience a change in coursework: • Official Transcript — Required if you did not submit one within 30 days of the completion of your most recent academic term. • Curriculum for Major — Required if your curriculum has changed from the curriculum that was approved as a new applicant.

33. Missed Application Deadline Applicants who miss the scholarship extension application deadline have one of three options: • Apply as a new applicant in your degree program. • Request an LOA for the next academic year. • Decline additional scholarship funding.

34. IHS Extern Program

35. Overview The Extern Program: • Provides a practical, hands-on experience working among other health professionals at an Indian health facility. • Provides the opportunity to experience different work locations throughout the United States. • Offers up to 120 days of employment per calendar year in either the civil service, direct Tribal hire or the US Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps. • Places health professions students in positions during non-academic periods.

36. Priorities for Selection • Health Professions Scholarship recipients. • Health Professions students (non-recipients) who are American Indian or Alaska Native. • Health Professions students (non-recipients) who are not American Indian or Alaska Native. • Preparatory or Pre-Graduate scholarship recipients.

37. Personnel Systems • Civil Service — the federal civil service personnel system. • Direct Tribal/Urban Indian program hire — employment through Tribal/Urban Indian program facilities. • Commissioned Officer Student Training and Extern Program (COSTEP) — a program of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.

38. How to Apply • You must submit your application via USAJOBS (USAJOBS.gov). • You must create a user account. • IHS Extern Program Student Training positions are listed as Series 0669. • COSTEP applicants must also apply to the USPHS Commissioned Corps via www.usphs.gov.

39. How to Apply (cont.) You are required to upload the following documents as part of your application: • Resume • Extern Site Preference Request (IHS-856-17) form. • Proof of immunity to measles and rubella. • Documentation of school enrollment for fall term.

40. How to Apply (cont.) You are required to upload the following documents as part of your application: • Copy of your: • School transcripts. • Social Security card. • Driver’s license. Note: Obtaining a copy of your fingerprints from your local police department will help to expedite the security clearance and hiring process.

41. Benefits The personnel system you choose determines your salary. • Civil service is based on your experience and the number of completed college semester hours per Office of Personnel Management (OPM) rules and regulations. • Tribal/Urban Indian program pay is comparable to the federal civil service system. • A Commissioned Corps extern serves as an Ensign (O-1). • Salary is waived if the externship fulfills a required academic field placement or an internship. IHS will pay the required tuition and fees.

42. Benefits • Travel reimbursement is available for one round trip to your extern site. • Housing is your responsibility. Information is available through the Area Scholarship Coordinator serving the IHS Area office where you choose to work. Contact Information • VickyeSantiago, Extern Coordinator — vickye.santiago@ihs.gov

43. Contact Information

44. Support Staff • IHS Scholarship Program Analyst — www.ihs.gov/scholarship/contact/programanalysts • Grants Scholarship Coordinator — www.ihs.gov/scholarship/contact/othercontactinformations • Area Scholarship Coordinator — www.ihs.gov/scholarship/contact/areascholarshipcoordinators • IHS Discipline Chief — www.ihs.gov/scholarship/contact/disciplinechiefs For additional information: • Visit www.ihs.gov/scholarship or consult your Student Handbook, which can also be found on this website.