Endowed Scholarships
Scholarship applications will open in April and close in May each year for awards made that following academic year. Student affairs will communicate the open date and application deadline via email during the spring semester.
The UAB School of Optometry offers scholarships and awards that provide financial support for our outstanding Optometry students. Currently, the School has numerous endowed optometry scholarships which were generously given by alumni and friends of the School of Optometry. Some scholarships provide multiple awards. Most awards range in value between $500 and $1500 each, though there are exceptions that have higher award amounts.
All scholarship applications must be submitted using the application link sent by Student Affairs in the spring. The scholarship application deadline is May 1st of each year. Awards will be posted to student accounts at the beginning of the fall semester.
For additional information about the scholarship process, please contact Jakobe Perry,
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Scholarship Qualifications
- Applicants must be admitted and have paid their deposit or be enrolled in the UAB School of Optometry.
- All scholarships require at least a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for all coursework; incoming students MUST use the undergraduate GPA they submitted with their application.
- Applicants must submit a resume showcasing their extracurricular activities, job and/or volunteer experience, and leadership involvement.
In addition to applying for these scholarships, all applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens a new website through the UAB Financial Aid Office to be considered for financing assistance, federal loans, and need-based scholarships.
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Endowed Scholarships List
- The Abel Family Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Abraham Azman Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Aharon Sternberg Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Arol Augsburger, O.D. Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Birmingham Area Optometric Society Endowed Optometry Award Fund
- The Bob and Hulene Crosby Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Clark F. Amos Endowed Optometry Presidential Scholarship
- The Day Family Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Douglas & Connie Clark Endowed Optometry Leadership Scholarship
- The Dr. Bradford W. Wild Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Catherine S. Amos Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Charles A “Scotty” McCallum Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. E.C. Overton Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Elbert A. (Bert) Coshatt / Alumni Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Ernest DeBakey Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Jess Boyd Eskridge / UABSO Alumni Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Jimmy Bartlett Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Kristine Hopkins Vision Therapy Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. L. Don Snellgrove Endowed Scholarship in Optometry
- The Dr. Lester Caplan / CIBA Vision Corporation Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Dr. Terrence N. Ingraham Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Paul S. Worrell Endowed Memorial Optometry Scholarship
- The Drs. Debi & Rod Nowakowski Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Drs. James & Robin Marbourg Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Drs. John and Catherine Amos Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Edgar M. Warr Endowed Alumni Scholarship
- The Energen / Alagasco Endowed Scholarship
- The Essilor of America Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Eydie C. Jones Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Faculty of Optometry and Vision Sciences Student Optometry Scholarship Endowment
- The Florence Lions Club Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Fredric and Marion Rosemore Family Foundation Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Helen and David Bunkin Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Heersink Family Foundation Scholarship in Optometry
- The Heersink Family Optometric Scholarship Endowment in Optometry
- The Henry B. Peters Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The HOYA Vision Care Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The John & Jeanne Classe’ Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The John A. Williamson Endowed Scholarship in the School of Optometry
- The Lee Dickerson Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Luxottica Eye Care Student Leadership Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Marin & Rita Gaffney Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The New Orleans Contact Lens Society Scholarship (2)
- The Richard B. Booth Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Robert and Judy Rutstein Binocular Vision Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Sara Fran Hanan Endowed Award Fund for Low Vision
- The Schaeffer Eye Center Endowed Award Fund
- The SECO International Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The SECO University Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Smith-Hammonds Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Southern Council of Optometrists Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Sylvia D. Worrell Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Vision Care Institute Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Whitewater Creek Symposia Endowed Optometry Scholarship
- The Zeiss Endowed Optometry Scholarship
Alabama Board of Optometry Scholarship and Loan Awards
The Alabama Board of Optometric Scholarship and Loan Awards (BOSLA) considers candidates for an upfront award of up to $134K in return for at least six years of service in an Alabama small town/rural community in need of an optometry professional.
Selected candidates will be interviewed by the Board of Optometry Scholarships. Applications should be submitted via the link below. Questions should be submitted to Dr. Gerald Simon at
Apply for ABOSLA Scholarships Opens an external link.
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Scholarship Requirements
The Board of Optometry Scholarships considers candidates for an upfront award of up to $134K in return for at least six years of service in an Alabama small town/rural community in need of an optometry professional.
The award money is in addition to any regular earnings – it does not replace or constitute an awardee’s practice income. First through fourth year students are eligible to apply. In-state residency for UAB is not required.
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Application Requirements
Personal Statement: The personal statement represents a significant portion of the candidate’s application score. Please provide a typewritten, 12 font sized, double-spaced, one-page essay that briefly explains:
- Why you are applying to the Board of Optometry Rural Service Program.
- How your professional goals relate to the eye health/healthcare workforce needs in Alabama.
- Please describe in detail what you think makes you a good fit for practicing optometry in a small-town setting.
Resume: Please provide a one-to-two-page resume (12-point font, double spaced) outlining your relevant professional and volunteer experience only. Only resumes meeting specifications will be evaluated.
Recommendation letters from two (2) professional or educational references (Please do not include recommendations from relatives, employees or acquaintances). One recommendation must come from an optometrist who can attest to the applicant’s fit for this program. Note: Professional references that are specific, varied and representative of the candidate’s past will be weighed most favorably.
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Why Practice in a Rural Community?
Small town life has many unique advantages. The local optometrist is viewed as a pillar of the community, benefiting from stronger connections. They face less practice saturation and less competition, while incurring relatively low overhead costs. And they can develop a broad range of clinical skills by engaging in a wide variety of procedures. Small town optometrists make a huge difference.
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Qualifying Counties
The qualifying counties are subject to change depending upon workforce metrics:
- Bullock
- Chambers
- Coosa
- Greene
- Henry
- Lowndes
- Monroe
- Perry
- Russell
- Sumter
- Washington
- Wilcox