RSA Scholar Program
Application Process
Applicants to the RSA Scholar program must first be admitted to the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling graduate program at USF.
Applicants are expected to have earned a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on all course work beyond 60 credit hours at the bachelor's degree level from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent from a foreign institution. Enrollment is limited and applications are judged competitively. Meeting minimum admission standards does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Students typically enter the Program after earning a bachelor's degree in a social, behavioral or health sciences related disciplines, but no specific undergraduate major is required.
Approximately five (5) scholarships are awarded annually. Applications are accepted and reviewed each spring for the following fall term. Awards are based upon an appropriate match of a person's career objectives in relation to the purpose of the scholarship program. Potential for graduate work as indicated by educational background, work experience, and financial need is also considered in selecting scholarship recipients.
Persons receiving a scholarship must:
- Document United States residency or citizenship status;
- State an interest in a career in vocational rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities;
- Agree to complete an internship in an approved Vocational Rehabilitation agency;
- Agree to the employment obligation described in this summary;
- Not be concurrently receiving any other federal, state or local public or voluntary agency educational allowance when that allowance is conditional on a conflicting employment obligation;
- Not be in default on a debt to the federal government under a non-procurement transaction;
- Not be declared by a judge (under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988) ineligible to receive federal assistance;
- Be a full-time graduate student in the RMHC program (Part-time maybe be a possibility. Contact program director to discuss);
- Maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or above;
- Must apply for FASFA to receive scholarship funds;
- Must agree to pay back 3 years in time.
Application Deadlines
Award notifications will be sent via email within 8 weeks of the deadline.
Application Submission Instructions
- Complete RSA Scholar Application* (All application materials due via this link.)
- Attach Current Resume
- Attach Statement of Interest: Describe your career goal and interests and relate them to the purpose of the RSA scholarship (no more than 1 double-spaced page).
* The RSA Scholar application is only for the RSA Scholar program. Acceptance to the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program at the University of South Florida is required prior to admission to the RSA Scholar program.
Resources
If you are a person with a disability and need accommodations for completing the application process including alternative formats, please contact the CRMHC Program at 813-974-2855 or you may contact the RSA Program Director directly via email.