Occupational Therapy

OTD Scholarships and Financial Support

Financial support & awards

Students enrolled in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program are eligible for the following opportunities:

  • WVU Professional Programs OTD Award - this merit-based award is given to high-achieving out-of-state students enrolled in the first year of the OTD program. For the 2024-2025 academic year, two qualified students will each be awarded $5,000. Students complete an application during the first semester of the OTD program. The scholarship application is due by Friday, July 12, 2024, at 4:00 pm. This scholarship will be awarded during the fall semester [non-renewable].
  • Neha A. Sanghavi Scholarship - West Virginia residents enrolled in the WVU OTD program are eligible for this need-based scholarship. For the 2024-2024 academic year, two qualified students will each be awarded $1,000. Interested students should submit a brief essay (300 word maximum) detailing how this scholarship will enhance their occupational therapy education. Completed essays should be submitted via email to Dr. Woods, awards committee chairperson, by July 12, 2024, at 4:00 pm. 
  • LEND Program – At the conclusion of their first year, WVU OTD students are eligible to apply in the spring semester for The Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Program. For students chosen as LEND Trainees, LEND provides opportunities for extracurricular activities, clinic participation, as well as a core program of studies. LEND Trainees are historically designated as exemplary in their chosen fields of study. In addition, LEND trainees may qualify for financial support up to $10,000.
  • WVU Division of Occupational Therapy Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Position - At the conclusion of their first year, WVU OTD students are eligible to apply for the OT GTA position. This position includes a tuition waiver, monthly stipend, and mentored teaching experiences.
  • DAR Occupational Therapy Scholarship - This $2,000 scholarship is awarded nationally to two students who are in financial need and have been accepted or are attending an accredited school of occupational therapy. 
  • West Virginia AHEC Rural Community Health Scholars program - This program's duration is two years, and scholars must complete the following requirements annually for a total of 160 hours (80 hours total in year one, and 80 hours total in year two):
    • 40 hours of community-based experiential or clinical training in a rural or underserved area.
    • 40 hours of didactic education via our online platform, SOLE.
    • A stipend amount of $650 per year ($1,300 over the course of the two-year program) will be awarded to all scholars accepted into this program.
  • The Health Sciences Service Program is a loan repayment program (not a financial aid scholarship) for health professions students interested in practicing in underserved communities in West Virginia. The program makes approximately 15 awards each academic year to students enrolled in West Virginia healthcare education degree programs. Students in the final year of a master’s or doctoral occupational therapy program are eligible to apply for $15,000 in loan repayment in exchange for practicing in an underserved area (full-time for two years or half-time for four years).  
  • American Occupational Therapy Foundation Scholarships - Over 50 scholarships are available from the American Occupational Therapy Foundation and state occupational therapy associations. Applicants complete only one online form to apply for all qualifying scholarships. 
  • Graduate Assistant Positions - A limited number of OTD students who earn a graduate assistant position in a related department are eligible for tuition waivers during non-fieldwork / non-capstone experience semesters. 
  • Paid work experience on faculty-led grant opportunities at the Centers for Excellence in Disabilities.