Arthritis Champions Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Arthritis Foundation

Overview
The Arthritis Champions Scholarship is awarded each year to students living with arthritis or a related rheumatic condition who demonstrate leadership and positive influence within the arthritis community. Ideal recipients are role models who pursue their goals while helping and inspiring others.

The applicant who earns the highest score on the written prompt about Arthritis Foundation and arthritis community involvement will receive the Ann Palmer Award, named in honor of the Arthritis Foundation’s president and CEO from 2013–2022.

The 2026–2027 program is supported by the Dr. and Mrs. Walter J. Winterhoff Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Elizabeth Hofert Dailey Trust, and the Dr. Smriti Bardhan Scholarship Fund.

Award details
- Amount: $5,000 per academic year.
- Use of funds: Award proceeds must be used for tuition, books, and other academic supplies only. The scholarship does not cover room and board.
- Payment: Funds are sent directly to the recipient’s accredited institution and must be applied to expenses for the current academic year.
- Duration: Eligible recipients may apply to receive the scholarship for up to four academic years in total. There is no guarantee the program will continue in future years, nor that any recipient will automatically receive the award in subsequent years.

Application timeline and process
- When to apply: The online application opens in early January and closes in early March each year. A link will be available on arthritis.org/scholarship in early January.
- What to submit: Applicants complete an online application that includes written responses addressing the impact of arthritis or a rheumatic disease on their life, their educational and career goals, and their Arthritis Foundation/arthritis community involvement and impact. Applicants must upload an unofficial or online transcript. Involvement verification is required via an involvement reference, who will submit confirmation of the applicant’s Arthritis Foundation or arthritis-community activities.
- Additional materials: If selected as a scholarship recipient, a Physician’s Certifying Statement will be required. This form must be completed by the applicant’s Rheumatologist, DO, or Nurse Practitioner and will be provided by the Arthritis Foundation.

Eligibility requirements
To qualify, applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident of the United States.
- Have a doctor’s diagnosis of arthritis or a related rheumatic disease. (A Physician’s Certifying Statement is required only for scholarship recipients; the certifier must be a Rheumatologist, DO, or Nurse Practitioner.)
- Be enrolled as an undergraduate, graduate, or medical student at an accredited technical school, college, or university in the United States for the entire academic year.
- Be enrolled full-time each semester and complete the full-time units required to reapply for the following academic year. The scholarship applies to fall and spring semesters only (summer sessions are not covered). Full-time enrollment is also required for master’s and doctoral programs.
- Maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Be actively involved in the arthritis community—examples include advocacy for the Arthritis Foundation, fundraising, volunteering, or providing other services that benefit people with arthritis.

If you have further questions about eligibility or the application, check arthritis.org/scholarship when the application opens or contact the Arthritis Foundation for assistance.