AVMF application deadlines approach for veteran, other scholarships

October 18, 2023

An anonymous $100,000 donation to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) has made it possible for the charitable arm of the AVMA to award five AVMA/AVMF Scholarships for Veterans at $9,000 each for the next two years.

The application deadline for the 2023 scholarship cycle is October 31. Application forms and more information are available on the AVMF website.

Man in military uniform on a college campus

The AVMA and AVMF established the scholarship for U.S. military veterans pursuing a veterinary degree in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Veterinary Corps within the U.S. Army. Since then, the organizations have been awarding four to five scholarships annually at amounts varying between $1,000 to $5,000.

“The AVMF is proud to support our veterans with scholarships to advance their education in veterinary medicine and are grateful to an anonymous donor who has granted us $100,000 to make these scholarships possible,” AVMF President Lori Teller said.

Applicants must be veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, or Space Force and currently in their first three years at an AVMA-accredited school, among other requirements.

Applications will be reviewed in November with award notification and check disbursement by the end of this fall semester.

As a result of the additional awards, the AVMF needs extra volunteers to serve on its Military Veterans Scholarship Review Committee.

Reviewers must be military veterans, practicing or retired veterinarians, military veteran veterinary students who have been out of veterinary school for five years or more, or who have another strong connection to the veterinary community.

Veterinary students can also apply for two other programs offered by the AVMF.

The AVMA/AVMF Second Opportunity Summer Research Stipends are intended to provide support for students who participated in the 2023 Veterinary Scholars Program, sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, and would like a second summer of research experience.

Up to five students will receive $6,500 stipends plus $1,000 to travel to the 2024 Veterinary Scholars Symposium, happening August 8-10, 2024, at the University of Minnesota. The deadline for applications is January 11, 2024.

Each veterinary school may forward one applicant for consideration for this program by January 25, 2024. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by March 6, 2024.

In addition, the application period for the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program is approaching. These scholarships provide $5,000 each to second- and third-year veterinary students in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Of the 54 scholarships available, 17 will be awarded to students focusing on food animal medicine and 37 to students working toward a career in companion animal medicine.

Applications for the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program will be accepted from November 15 through December 31. Applications will be reviewed at the beginning of 2024; award notification and check disbursement will happen by the end of the 2024 spring semester.

For more information about becoming a Military Veterans Scholarship Review Committee member or applying for scholarships, email scholarshipsavma [dot] org (scholarships[at]avma[dot]org).