Each spring and fall, Optician.EDU will award an academic scholarship award to the most deserving candidates. The cost of schooling is something every student must contend with and that is why we have chosen to help alleviate those costs. By following all of the following instructions, you can have a chance at receiving financial assistance on your way to becoming a vision care professional.
OpticianEDU.org Academic Scholarship
It is very important for us at OpticianEDU.org to give back to those who are the future of the vision care field. That sentiment has prompted us to offer an academic scholarship to a pair of deserving candidates every year. Our Vision Care Academic Scholarship is given out twice a year to a deserving student who is striving towards a future career in Vision Care. One Scholarship will be awarded in the spring and another will be distributed in the fall. The scholarship consists of a $500 award. In order to be considered, applicants must be enrolled in a degree/certificate program in the Vision Care Field.
The function of this scholarship is to assist students in paying for school expenses related to their respective vision care program. Students pursuing an education in an online capacity or at a campus location are both eligible to receive this scholarship. There is also no level distinction as we will consider vision care students who are in various stages of their education. It must also be mentioned that we will only consider applicants who are enrolled in what is considered to be a “qualified” Vision Care program. Only one application submission per student will be accepted over a 12-month period.
Scholarship Application Deadlines
There are spring and fall application deadlines for the Academic Scholarship. The Fall deadline is May 1st and the Spring deadline is November 1st. It is free to apply, although those who apply in the spring are not eligible to apply again in the fall and must wait until the following year to submit another application. Applying more than once will automatically eliminate candidates.
Official Scholarship Rules
Those who are currently taking courses in the Vision Healthcare field will be required to submit an application to OpticianEDU.org. Part of the application will require candidates to write an original 800-1000 word essay. These essays can be submitted by filling out the scholarship form and are expected to be correctly formatted. In the event that plagiarism is detected or any false information is provided, the applicant will be disqualified immediately.
When judging applicant essays, the selection committee will consider the strength of well-written essays that address the essay question with clarity. There will also be a need to support your essay with meaningful insight.
Selection Criteria
Our scholarship selection committee will take the time to review each application carefully and judge each applicant accordingly. Each candidate will be judged on their past academic performance, involvement in extracurricular activities, and strength of their essay. Employment history will also be considered. Here is a closer look at all of the criteria that will be used to select the winning candidate:
- Completed Registration – Every component of the registration process must be in order
- Completed Essay – The original essay will be well written and fully supported
- Work History and Activities – These must be valid experiences that can be substantiated
- GPA (min 3.2 on a 4.0 scale) – Academic performance is highly valued
2020 Essay Question
What, has personally led you to the point of pursuing a degree or position in the vision healthcare field? (Must be 800-1000 words)
Equal Opportunity Consideration
OpticianEDU.org shows no discrimination to scholarship candidates due to their age, race, sex, religion, disability status or sexual preference. Every scholarship application will receive the equal amount of consideration. Final candidates are selected based on their academic merit, essay strength, and other previously mentioned criteria. OpticianEDU.org has complete discretion when selecting the recipient of each scholarship.
Announcing the Winner
Each winner of the OpticianEDU.org Academic Scholarship will be notified of the news within 30 days after the application deadline has passed. Winners will receive an award notification via email and also through regular mail. Once a winner is selected, the individual will need to provide college transcripts to verify their GPA. In the event that those records are not supplied, or if the GPA is different from the one that was included on the application, OpticianEDU.org reserves the right to rescind the scholarship award and distribute it to another deserving applicant.
The scholarship award will be paid in one installment. That installment will be a $500.00 payment made by check directly to the qualifying health educational program where the winner is enrolled. The award is required to be paid out within 3 months of the day that the winner is notified.
*Please note that when a student has already paid their tuition in full, the scholarship funds will be sent by check directly to the winner’s permanent mailing address.
The name of the individual who wins the Academic Scholarship will be posted on the OpticianEDU.org website.
FAQS
Q: When is the OpticianEDU.org Academic scholarship offered?
A: This scholarship is offered bi-annually with deadline dates of May 1st and November 1st.
Q: What do we mean by a “qualified” Vision Care Program?
A: We require applicants to be currently enrolled in an accredited online or campus-based Vision Care program, which can be a diploma/certificate program and 2-year or 4-year university.
Q: Can international students apply?
A: International students are eligible to apply for the scholarship, as long as they are presently enrolled in a qualified program.
Q: Is this scholarship offered to Military personnel?
A: Yes. We welcome applicants from all branches of the military.
Q: Do you need a letter of recommendation to be considered for this academic scholarship?
A: No. A letter of recommendation is not required. We also will not read any letters of recommendation that are included with applications.
Q: Is there a cost involved in submitting an application?
A: The application process is completely free and there is no cost whatsoever to applicants.
Scholarship Winner – Spring 2020
I am very fortunate and honored to have received this award. – Martina G.
Texas A&M University, Texarkana
Ophthalmic Assistant / Optician Assistant – Course
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