DOTW Grant

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Grant # T08HP39287

In July 2020, the Department of Occupational Therapy at Chicago State University received a 5-year, $3 million grant that awards Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the U.S. Department of Human Services.

Purpose

The Diversifying the Occupational Therapy Workforce Grant (DOTW) will provide financial assistance for tuition, fees, books, and living expenses to economically disadvantaged students completing their Master’s degree in occupational therapy at CSU. This initiative aims to increase the diversity and inclusivity of the profession of occupational therapy as well as train a diverse workforce to work in medically underserved communities.  The grant will fund up to 30 students per academic year.

Eligibility

Students accepted to the Masters of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program may apply for the grant just prior to the start of the Fall semester. To be eligible for this SDS grant, the OT student applicants must:

1. Be admitted and enrolled in the occupational therapy program at CSU on a full time basis (9 credit hour minimum), as a graduate student.

2. Have submitted the FAFSA form (Federal Student Financial Aid)

3. A student receiving support from grant funds must be a citizen or national of the United States, or a lawful permanent resident of the United States, or a foreign national having in his/her possession a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States, or a non-citizen national.Have a low income level (see chart below)
   1. You must come from a family with an annual income below a level established for low income thresholds according to family size, published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. (Family size includes parents and dependents listed on Federal income tax form). See chart below.
   2. If you are an independent student, age 24 or older, your eligibility as economically disadvantaged is determine by your income.  You must prove independent status which means you have not been listed on your parent’s income tax for 3 years.  Applicants must provide 3 years of their filed tax forms.

The following income figures from the Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines 2021 determine what constitutes a low-income family for purposes of the SDS program for FY 2022/2023:

Size of family Includes parents and dependents listed on Federal income tax form	Income Level
1	$25,760
2	$34,840
3	$43,920
4	$53,000
For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $9,080 for each additional person.

SDS grant recipients may receive funds to support:

1. Tuition
2. Fees
3. Books
4. Reasonable living expenses

Award decisions will be determined each semester and will be based on the number of students eligible, the unmet needs of eligible students, the student’s year in the program, and the amount of funding available.  Priority for awards is given to students with the most unmet financial need and students in their final year of the OT program. Students’ unmet financial needs are determined by the Office of Student Financial Aid and based on the FAFSA. 

FAQs

For additional information, please contact:

Dr. Stephanie Zuba-Bates

Projector Director

Department of Occupational Therapy, DH 132

OT Department Phone: (773) 995-2366

Email: szuba@csu.edu