Scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 school year opening soon. Applications due March 15, 2026.
Presidential scholarships are awarded to students with demonstrated leadership qualities, academic achievement, and an interest in independent community pharmacy. The recipient will receive a $5,000 scholarship as well as a complimentary registration to the NCPA Annual Convention in October. A $300 travel stipend may be provided.
Award Criteria
The NCPA Foundation Presidential Scholarship will be evaluated on the following basis:
- Leadership Qualities: Leadership qualities and accomplishments with a demonstrated interest in independent pharmacy, as well as involvement in extracurricular activities. These qualities will be measured by the required supporting documents.
- Academic Achievement: Scholastic success is a necessary condition for consideration and will be measured using current college transcripts.
The following information will be requested:
- Most recent transcript. Official or unofficial transcripts are accepted, but must be issued directly by the institution (downloaded from the school’s system). Handwritten or manually typed transcripts will not be accepted.
- Letter from School Official or Pharmacy Owner/Manager (2-page max) Ask a reference to answer 3 short questions about you. Responses must be typed (letterhead preferred but not required) and include the reference’s signature, name, email, address, and phone number. Choose someone who knows your work well (employer, professor, supervisor, preceptor, etc.).
The letter should:- Have an introduction that identifies the recommender and their relationship to the student.
- Describe the student’s commitment to independent community pharmacy and patient care with specific examples.
- Describe what makes the student stand out from their peers.
- Describe the strengths or qualities the student possess that would make them a strong scholarship recipient. Please provide specific examples.
- Resume or CV listing student’s work experience, advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) and peer-reviewed research and other major publications, as well as extracurricular activities.
- *Presidential Scholarship Statement from Applicant. (up to 200 words) Briefly describe:
- School and civic accomplishments and goals for the future;
- Demonstrated interest in independent pharmacy and vision for the development of innovative pharmacy practices that stress quality patient care leading to improved patient health outcomes.
Eligibility
Multiple scholarships may be awarded. All pharmacy students who are national NCPA student members are eligible to apply for NCPA Foundation Scholarships. The student must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. school or college of pharmacy on a full-time basis during the term that the scholarship is awarded. The student must be within 24 months of graduation (Oct 2026-Oct 2028).
Students may apply for multiple scholarships but will not be awarded more than one scholarship per year and will not be awarded a particular scholarship more than once.
Children of NCPA Foundation Officers, NCPA Officers, or NCPA Executive Committee members are not eligible to participate in the program.
Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the NCPA Foundation Awards Ceremony on the Sunday of the NCPA Annual Convention in October. It is highly recommended the scholarship recipient attend the NCPA Annual Convention. Scholarship winners who are able to attend the convention in the year the scholarship is awarded, will receive a complimentary registration to the NCPA Annual Convention in October. A $300 travel stipend may be provided.
Payment Process
The scholarship is awarded on an individual basis and is non-transferable.
The NCPA Foundation disburses the funds directly to the school at the time of the NCPA Annual Convention in October to be put towards the recipient’s account in accordance with the school’s policies.
The NCPA Foundation typically allocates the funds to the Spring semester, but the scholarship recipient may request the funds be allocated to the Fall semester.
The NCPA Foundation will not change the academic year in which the scholarship is awarded.
If the recipient drops out of their program for any reason, NCPA Foundation will likely be notified by the school’s financial aid office and the return of funds will be requested.
Transfer from one accredited school or college of pharmacy to another is permitted, provided the academic standards of the previous institution have been met at the time of transfer.
It is the student’s responsibility to consult with their Financial Aid office on how this scholarship might affect their other financial aid.
*Please Note
For each scholarship you are applying for, please ensure every scholarship statement is unique and genuinely your own. Take the time to share what makes your story and perspective distinctive.
A note on authenticity: Our scholarship committee reviews many applications and identifies repetitive answers or AI-generated content. Submitting this type of content, whether duplicated across multiple questions or artificially generated, may result in substantial point deductions.
Here’s what matters most: This scholarship is about understanding who you are as an individual. Each question is an opportunity to share something different about yourself and your experiences. We genuinely want to know about YOU—your real voice, your unique perspective, and your authentic story. Thoughtful, personal responses that reflect your genuine experiences will always score higher than generic or duplicated content.
Take your time with each question. This is your chance to stand out by being yourself.
