AHEAD Scholar Tuition Waiver for Students from Underrepresented Groups
The purpose of the Allied Health Education and Discovery (AHEAD) Scholar Tuition Waiver is to reward new allied health students from under-represented groups:
- For academic success in the classroom,
- Who have demonstrated leadership, and
- Who have shown a continued commitment to community service.
A total of eight AHEAD Scholar Tuition Waivers will be available each year.
The award amount shall equal the amount of in-state tuition. Recipients are responsible for paying required university fees, including the non-resident or out-of-state fee. The duration of the tuition waiver is for the length of the recipient’s respective program.
Who is eligible for a waiver?
- Must be an incoming student accepted into the School of Allied Health Professions at LSU Health Shreveport, including programs in cardiopulmonary science, medical laboratory science, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and speech-language pathology.
- May have an in-state or out-of-state residency classification for tuition purposes.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or have Permanent Resident citizenship status.
- Must self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group.
- Underrepresented can be defined as a group whose percentage demographic representation in the academic program is lower than their percentage demographic representation in the larger population(s) in the state of Louisiana and/or their respective health profession. This group includes students from the following racial/ethnic groups (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multiracial from one of these groups) plus students from other groups and categories such as LGBTQIA+, disadvantaged background, from a rural/underserved geographic area, first-generation college student, non-traditional student, military or veteran status, and/or students who speak English as a second language (ESL). In specific instances, other groups of students may be considered underrepresented. For example, in female-dominated health professions, males may be considered underrepresented.
What is the Application Process for a waiver?
- AHEAD Scholar Tuition Waiver recipients are selected through a competitive application process.
- Students must complete all sections of the electronic application by the deadline to be considered for the AHEAD Scholar Tuition Waiver.
- Priority deadline for consideration: April 1 – Summer semester, July 15 – Fall semester, and December 1 – Spring semester. No interview is required.
- Due to the limited number of available waivers, not all students from underrepresented groups are guaranteed an AHEAD Scholar Tuition Waiver.
- Preference will be given to Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students, or other profession- or program-specific underrepresented group.
APPLY HERE
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In the School of Allied Health Professions’ admissions and recruitment processes, we pursue diverse cohorts of students in each program to enhance the learning experiences of all of our students, and foster an open and welcoming environment that promotes inclusion, respect, and compassion.
LSU Health Shreveport adopts a definition of diversity that embraces a broad spectrum of human expression and characteristics that include but are not limited to race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, social and cultural attributes, abilities, sexual orientation, religion, rural or metropolitan background, military or veteran status, and age. In addition, diversity also includes life experiences, record of service, and other talents and personal attributes that enhance the work and learning atmosphere. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse community through the recruitment, enrollment, hiring, and retention/graduation of students, faculty, staff, and leadership who meet this definition of diversity.
Meet our current and previous Scholars