What if the school will not finalize enrollment before the application deadline?
Submit the completed application with a letter stating the school’s time line for enrollment decision. As soon as the school verifies enrollment, submit the letter of acceptance to the Missouri Hospital Association.

If I fail to send all attachments, will my application be deemed ineligible?
Depending on the component(s) missing, the application may be deemed ineligible. Applications containing fewer than two reference forms or missing the most recent transcript are examples of an ineligible application.

Point values are assigned to all components of the application. If an application is deemed eligible and has a missing component, the overall score is affected. Applicants will not be notified of missing components. If you have any questions about the completeness of your application, please contact Linda Shields at 573/893-3700, ext. 1375.

Are faxed or e-mailed copies acceptable?
No, original documents are required in all instances. Faxed or e-mailed copies are unacceptable.

How do you determine full-time versus part-time status for payment?
We recognize that the number of hours required varies among the schools. Therefore, the academic institution’s definition of full-time status is used to determine each student’s status.

What constitutes a good personal statement?
The personal statement will be scored for goals, clarity of content, grammar and spelling. The personal statements of past scholarship recipients with the highest scores included the following characteristics.

• personal experience or lifelong dream leading to the career choice
• ultimate professional goal(s) — example, professor, patient care advocate, teacher with advanced knowledge that can be applied to the curriculum,
• why the profession is a good fit for you, such as personality traits
• commitment to the profession
• sincerity

To qualify for a grant, do you have to be a Missouri resident?
Missouri residency is not a requirement for a grant award; however, Missouri nursing licensure is required.

Does the program provide reimbursement for prior tuition and academic fee costs?
Funding is available only for future costs. The fall term immediately following the grant award is the first eligible funding period.

When will I know if I will receive a grant?
A selection committee will review the applications in mid-July, and recipients will be selected at that time. Letters of acceptance or rejection will be mailed to all applicants by July 31, 2008.

Who are the Missouri MHA-member hospitals?
All Missouri acute-care hospitals and some specialty hospitals are members of MHA. A list of member hospitals is available online.

When is the application due?
The application deadline is Thursday, May 22, 2008.