Scholarships

The 2024 Scholarship submission deadline will be announced later.

Watch for updated criteria/information/forms for all scholarships.

The originators of the Georgia Foundation for Physical Therapy had the foresight to recognize a need for financial support of physical therapy and physical therapist assistant students in Georgia. The Foundation's purpose is to provide scholarships to students and support high quality scientifically based clinical research in Georgia.The Founders Scholarship recognizes these early organizers for their dedication and vision.  We honor Glory Sanders, Marcia Pearl, Pearl Pettersen, Patterson Wolfe, Steve Hensley, David Pittman, Jr., and Diane Spencer.

The Georgia Foundation for Physical Therapy (GFPT) offers several scholarships to support physical therapy students in Georgia.  

• The Founders Scholarship (formerly the GFPT Scholarship) is offered to one Student Physical Therapist (SPT) and one Student Physical Therapist Assistant (SPTA) in Georgia who demonstrate superior capabilities and the potential to significantly contribute to the growth of the Physical Therapy profession.

• Team Rehabilitation, our inaugural scholarship partner, will award a $2,000 scholarship for one SPT from EACH accredited PT school in GA and one SPTA $2,000 scholarship from ONE accredited PTA school in GA. This scholarship is intended to recognize and reward Georgia SPTs and SPTAs who exhibit superior scholastic accomplishments and demonstrate promising potential as a practical clinician. 

• New in 2023: The Foundation welcomes our newest corporate partner, PT Solutions (PTS). This year, PTS will offer four $2,000 scholarships to Student Physical Therapists in Georgia through the PT Solutions Future Leaders Scholarship Program. This scholarship is intended to recognize and reward Georgia physical therapy students who express an early interest in leadership, whether that be through clinical leadership or advocating for their profession.   

• The Phyllis D. Palma Scholarship is available for a deserving PT/PTA student with interest in the field of Aquatics, Pediatrics or Neurology and/or wheelchair sports, especially wheelchair rugby. This scholarship is offered in memory of Phyllis D. Palma who passed away in 2019. 

• New in 2023: The Foundation is honored to offer the Sunshine Scholarship in memory of Jaclyn N. Maxwell. The Sunshine Student Scholarship will offer $2,000 to one student Physical Therapist in their third year of professional training who is planning to pursue a career in pediatric physical therapy. The Sunshine Post-professional Scholarship will support one practicing physical therapist who has successfully obtained their board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy within the last five years. These scholarships are offered in memory of Jaclyn N. Maxwell who passed away in 2022.

Please carefully review the Eligibility section for the full list of criteria for each scholarship.

The GFPT Scholarship is offered to one Student Physical Therapist (SPT) and one Student Physical Therapist Assistant (SPTA) in Georgia who demonstrate superior capabilities and the potential to significantly contribute to the growth of the Physical Therapy profession:

• Applicants must have completed one year of the credit hours required for graduation and/or the degree awarded by this department by the application deadline.  
• There is no minimum number of applicants per school required to be considered for a GFPT scholarship.
• Students will apply using the GFPT application

Team Rehab will award one $2,000 scholarship for one SPT from EACH accredited PT school in GA and one SPTA $2,000 scholarship from ONE accredited PTA school in GA. This scholarship is intended to recognize and reward Georgia SPTs and SPTAs who exhibit superior scholastic accomplishments and demonstrate promising potential as a practical clinician. Scholarships are awarded to students based on the following criteria:

• Two or more applicants per school must apply for a school to be considered for a Team Rehab scholarship
• Applicants must have completed one year of the credit hours required for graduation and/or the degree awarded by this department by the application deadline  
• GPA 
• Desire to excel and practice in a clinical environment
• Contributing to patient satisfaction during clinical education
• Ability to be a team player in the clinical environment
• Evidence of advancing practical knowledge of physical therapy
• Students will apply using the GFPT application

PT Solutions Future Leaders Scholarship will offer four $2,000 scholarships to Student Physical Therapists in Georgia. This scholarship is intended to recognize Georgia physical therapy students who express an early interest in leadership, whether that be through clinical leadership or advocating for their profession. Applicants should demonstrate promising leadership potential as practical clinicians. Scholarships are awarded to students based on the following criteria:

• Evidence of leadership behavior
• Desire to excel and practice in the clinical environment
• Contribution to patient satisfaction during clinical education
• Ability to be a team player in the clinical environment 
• Evidence of advancing practical knowledge of PT
• Applicants must be in their last year of the credit hours required for graduation and/or the degree awarded by the department by the application deadline
• Students will apply using the GFPT application

The Phyllis D. Palma Scholarship 

The Phyllis D. Palma Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 is scheduled to be awarded annually. This scholarship is intended for those individuals who have been inspired by Phyllis’ life work and who reflect her passion and zest for life. To gain insight on Phyllis’s life and work, click here:

• PT/PTA students with interest in the field of Aquatics, Pediatrics or Neurology and/or wheelchair sports
• PT or PTA students in good academic standing in their second or third year of study
• Students will apply using the GFPT application

Sunshine Scholarship in memory of Jaclyn N. Maxwell 

Sunshine Student Scholarship

The Sunshine Student Scholarship will offer $2,000 to one student Physical Therapist in their third year of professional training who is planning to pursue a career in pediatric physical therapy. Scholarships are awarded to students based on the following criteria:

• 3rd year PT student in good standing at the time of application
• Intent to pursue Pediatric Physical Therapy
• Personal character: brings joy to others, serves others first, builds community
• Students will apply using the Sunshine Scholarship Application

Sunshine Post-professional Scholarship

The Sunshine Post-professional Scholarship will support one practicing physical therapist who has successfully obtained their board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy within the last five years. Up to $1,500 of specialty exam registration fees will be reimbursed. 

• Working in Georgia at the time of application
• Reimbursement if successfully passed PCS exam within past five years
• Applicants obtaining initial certification or recertification are eligible
• Reimbursement only up to $1,500 (APTA member rate)
• Personal character: brings joy to others, serves others first, builds community
• Applicants will apply using the Sunshine Scholarship Application

Award rule:

The GFPT will determine the number of Sunshine Scholarship awards to be given each year up to $5,000 per year.  If the Committee determines there is not a worthy nominee in any one scholarship category, the award may be allocated to another scholarship category or not given.

• Nominees must be members of APTA/APTA Georgia.
• Nominees must be enrolled as full-time students in a PT/PTA school in Georgia that must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education 
• Scholarships may not be awarded on an annual basis.  The decision to award the scholarship and the amount of the scholarship is at the discretion of the GFPT Scholarship Committee. 
• The department chair at each institution must attest to the completion of one year and identify the student as being a second- or third- year student at the time of the application
• Nominees will exhibit the superior scholastic ability and past performance.
• Nominees must exhibit a strong commitment to physical therapy through participation in state and national associations related activities, community service activities involving physical therapy, and pro bono/voluntary service.
• The scholarship check will be mailed to each school's financial aid department in the first quarter of 2024
• Awardee will be notified in late December, 2023, and will be  recognized at APTA GA’s annual meeting, ImPacT 2024.  Watch for information from APTA GA regarding the date and status of the 2024 ImPacT meeting. 

• Instructions for scholarship application will be distributed to the directors of all CAPTE accredited PT and PTA programs in Georgia via e-mail. 
• The Director of the program will be responsible to provide the information to eligible students.   
• Eligible students will submit their application documents in one PDF file and attach their photo separately via e-mail by deadline coming soon.
• Incomplete nomination packets will not be considered by the GFPT Scholarship Committee.
• Extraneous documents (those that are not required or in excess of requirements) will not be considered by the scholarship committee.
• Applicants not selected for the award may reapply in any subsequent year by the completion and submission of a new packet.  Previously submitted nomination forms and supporting documents may not be used.

• Click here to download the GFPT application.
• Click here to download the Sunshine Scholarship in memory of Jaclyn N. Maxwell
• Send all materials via e-mail to (click for) GFPT email

• The  Scholarship Committee shall consist of no less than three members.  
• Two  members of the GFPT Board of Directors who are not employed in an academic  institution, and one Georgia clinician who is an APTA GA member and not associated with any academic institution in Georgia.
• The  Scholarship Committee with the permission of the GFPT Board may request consultation with appropriate clinicians and/or content experts.

The Scholarship Committee will review nominations and recommend recipients to the GFPT Board of Directors for final approval.

• The GFPT will determine the number of awards to be given each year.  
• Georgia  PT/PTA schools must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education to be considered for any GFPT scholarship offered.
• Members of the GFPT Board of Directors, or the Scholarship Committee who are closely associated with a nominee in either by a personal or professional manner in which a conflict of interest may exist, will be required to be absent during discussion and voting concerning that nominee.  
• Applications are redacted to prevent identification of the school and student by the committee.
• The decision of the GFPT Board of Directors pertaining to the selection of the awardee will be final and reasons for the decision will not be disclosed. 

• Scholarship recipients will be notified after selection by the GFPT Board of Directors in mid-December.
• If the 2024 APTA GA Impact meeting is an in-person meeting, the recipients will be recognized during the meeting.  
• Recipients will be contacted regarding their attendance at the ImPacT meeting.
• Nominees who are not selected will be notified of their non-selection and will be thanked for their participation.
• The scholarship monetary award will be sent to the financial aid department at the college or university where the student is enrolled in the first quarter of 2024.
• An announcement of the award will appear in an APTA Georgia e-blast, and posted on GFPT’s Facebook page after all recipients have been notified.  The recipient’s info will be provided to the Student network newsletter for publication.