Top Veterinary Scholarships in 2021
Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa will be graduating from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.Loving animals is an important, but not the most vital part of becoming a veterinarian. Veterinarians are ultimately doctors that require around eight years of higher education to do what they do. This much schooling can be expensive. This is why veterinary scholarships should be prioritized to reduce the cost of their education.
Keep on reading to find out more about the top scholarships for prospective veterinarians, including eligibility criteria, awards, and deadlines!
Jump ahead to…
- Top veterinary scholarships
- Summary of veterinary scholarships
- Upcoming veterinary scholarships
- Frequently asked questions about veterinary scholarships
Top veterinary scholarships
K9 Carts Social Influencer Micro-Scholarship
- Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate students studying Veterinary Medicine or a related field
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: August 31, 2021
Dr. Joseph and Sonya Landholm Scholarship
- Eligibility: Veterinary students originally from Nebraska or Nebraska licensed practitioners who are members of the NVMA (Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association)
- Amount: Up to $4,500
- Deadline: January 1 or September 1 (every year)
RIVMA Veterinary Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Third-year (junior) veterinary students who have graduated from a Rhode Island high school and have a minimum 2.5 GPA
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: October 15, 2021
NVMA Veterinary Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Nebraska high school graduates who have completed at least two semesters of veterinary education (and are pursuing completion of the program). Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: October 15, 2021
Vince’s Pre-Veterinary Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students enrolled in an accredited pre-veterinary or animal sciences program in the U.S. Applicants must have a minimum 3.33 overall GPA
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: October 15, 2021
L. Dwight Schwartz Travel Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students enrolled in DVM/VMD programs in AVMA-accredited colleges of veterinary medicine who have demonstrated an interest in poultry medicine
- Amount: Up to $1,500
- Deadline: November 1, 2021
VSTONE Scholar Award
- Eligibility: Veterinary students in their final year of their programs from any of the six New England states. Applicants must reside in New England, attend an AVMA accredited vet school, and plan to return to New England after graduation
- Amount: $5,000
- Deadline: December 1, 2021
Rover Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors or college freshmen, sophomores, or juniors in pursuit of an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and have grown up with a pet
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: May 1, 2022
Summary of veterinary scholarships
K9 Carts Social Influencer Micro-Scholarship
Dr. Joseph and Sonya Landholm Scholarship
RIVMA Veterinary Student Scholarship
NVMA Veterinary Student Scholarship
Vince’s Pre-Veterinary Student Scholarship
L. Dwight Schwartz Travel Scholarship
VSTONE Scholar Award
Rover Scholarship
Upcoming scholarships
Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Second and third-year veterinary students
- Amount: $5,000
- Opens: November 2021
Charles Shelton Veterinarian Scholarship
- Eligibility: Black, African-American high school seniors or college students. Applicants must attend school full-time and have a minimum 3.0 GPA
- Amount: $2.000
Oxbow Animal Health Academic Undergraduate Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students enrolled in a university who have demonstrated a career interest in companion animals
- Amount: $1,000
Oxbow Animal Health Academic Veterinary Technology Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students who show a strong interest in pursuing a career in exotic animal medicine. Applicants must attend or plan on attending a university within the U.S.
- Amount: $500
Oxbow Animal Health Academic Veterinary Medicine Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in veterinary school who demonstrate an interest in small and exotic animal medicine
- Amount: $2,000
Frequently asked questions about veterinary scholarships
Can you go to vet school for free?
Yes! While there are ways to attend vet school for free, you should keep in mind that there are a few strings attached. For example, one can receive full tuition (plus a $2,000 monthly stipend!) while in school by serving in the Army as a veterinarian. Alternatively, if you’ve already graduated and then decide to sign up for the Army, you can partake in a loan repayment program that can pay off up to $50,000 of your student debt (over the course of three years). If you’d rather not serve in the army, you can also take part in the USDA’s Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment Program. For each year (for up to three years) that a student works in an area with a shortage of practitioners, they can receive up to $25,000 towards their student loans.
Additionally, if you aggressively apply for veterinary scholarships, you may be able to attend vet school for free through your collection of scholarship awards.
Is veterinary school expensive?
Unfortunately, yes. The cost of vet school largely depends on whether your school is public or private. Cost also depends on whether you reside in the state of your university. The estimated total cost of attendance for four years of vet school ranges from $150,000 to $420,000. To get a better understanding of cost, by location, we recommend checking out this helpful “Cost of Education Map” provided by the VIN Foundation.
