Scholarships are announced in May and awarded in June for use during the coming academic year.
To Apply:
- Scholarships are available only to POTA student members who are enrolled full-time in an entry-level occupational therapy education program (either OTA or OTR) located in Pennsylvania. If you matriculate in a Pennsylvania OT education program, and are not yet a POTA member, please join now through our efficient online membership registration, then return to complete your application and submit by the deadline.
- Your Program Director must support your application and verify your cumulative GPA is 3.5 or higher by submitting the "Program Director's Eligibility Form” (attached). Once completed, this form should be signed and sent to
- Two confidential reference letters are required, at least one coming from a faculty member in your current occupational therapy education program. These letters should come from individuals who have first-hand knowledge of your current leadership ability (recent or current employers, current professors, recent professors/teachers, current mentors). Reference letters should specifically address aspects of your personal character, leadership qualities you possess, your leadership potential and their opinion as to your appropriateness for contributing to the POTA Board and its committees/task forces. These letters should be printed on letterhead, signed and sent to
- Complete application and submit your essay (up to 750 words, describing realistic and creative methods you will contribute while serving as a student leader in POTA) on POTA’s Scholarship page.
- Ensure that all materials are submitted by midnight, March 31st.
Applicants are responsible to ensure that Program Director's Eligibility Form and two reference letters are submitted on time. Applicants should advise individuals who submit these materials that they will receive e-mail confirmation following their submission. POTA will not follow up to request missing materials from incomplete applications. The Scholarship Committee will review only those online applications that also include the Program Director's Eligibility Form and two confidential references, all submitted by the March 31st deadline.
Application deadline: March 31st.
Program Director’s Eligibility Statement for POTA Academic Scholarship
Please complete this fillable form for the student in your program who is applying for a scholarship from the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association (POTA). The intent of this statement is to verify that the student is enrolled full time and is in good standing in your entry-level academic program. Return this confidential statement to no later than March 31. Applications without this Eligibility Statement will not be considered for awards.
Your name/credentials:
Academic Institution Name and Mailing Address:Click here to enter text.
Work Telephone:Click here to enter text. Work e-mail:Click here to enter text.
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Name of Student:Click here to enter text.
Anticipated Date of Graduation:Click here to enter text.Current GPA: Click here to enter text.
Type of Entry Level Program (check):☐OTA ☐OT Master☐OT Doctoral
Is student matriculating full time? (check)☐Yes☐No
Student Outstanding Characteristics: Rate this student on a 0 (not at all) to 10 (exceptional) scale for each of the following items:
Click here to enter text. - Integrity Click here to enter text. - Dependability
Click here to enter text. - Self-Motivation Click here to enter text. - Leadership
Click here to enter text. - Communication Click here to enter text. - Scholarship
Click here to enter text. - Involvement in Professional Activities (e.g. POTA, AOTA, SOTA, Pi Theta Epsilon, etc.)
Program Director Signature:
Date:Click here to enter text.