Students who have been granted funding for their Master of Public Health degree (MPH) or Public Health Certificate by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) are part of the effort to strengthen the public health system to meet core functions and essential services and decrease health disparities for underserved communities.
The University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions is the recipient of $1.3 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to be used in the education and training of the nation's future public health workforce.
Western New York suffers from a severe shortage of public health workers, a challenge exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and some parts of the region have the worst health outcomes in the state. Education and training through the Public Health PRACTICE (Prepare, Respond and Collaborate to Address Inequities, COVID and other Emergencies) grant aims to address both of these issues by ensuring that area health departments and community-based organizations have skilled staff to reduce health disparities and lead COVID-19 response.
The program funded graduate tuition for Master of Public Health (all concentrations) and Advanced Public Health Certificate program students from underrepresented backgrounds. The program is rooted in several key objectives, including educating the public health workforce to address public health inequities and health disparities, and incorporate principles of social determinants of health into practice. Another objective involves training the public health workforce to prevent, prepare for, and respond to recovery activities related to COVID-19, as well as other public health emergencies, by providing public health field experience opportunities.
U.S. citizens or permanent residents applying to the University at Buffalo MPH or Advanced Graduate Public Health Certificate, who meet one or more of the eligibility areas below:
I come from an African American or Black, Hispanic, Native American, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander background.
I meet criteria for these federal guidelines for a low income household.
Neither of my parents or caregivers graduated with a 4-year college degree.
I come from an environment that has inhibited me from obtaining knowledge, skills and abilities needed to enroll in and graduate from a public health program.
I will contribute diversity to the program in a way that aligns with the School's diversity statement.
Requests for funding are closed for the 2024-25 academic year. Check back here after Spring 25. If funding opportunities are available, the link to the funding request form will be accessible here. If no funding opportunities are available, the link to the funding request form will not be shown.
Continued funding support is contingent upon availability of funds from HRSA, satisfactory progress in your program which includes earning grades of B or better in all courses, and completing extracurricular HRSA trainee activities described below.
The HRSA training grant will support tuition for part-time and full-time MPH and Advanced Public Health Certificate students.
If you are not a NYS resident, the HRSA training grant will cover tuition and fees at the in-state rate. Out-of-state students are responsible for covering the difference between in-state tuition/fees covered by the grant, and out-of-state tuition/fees not covered by the grant.
Out-of-state students can reduce the tuition and fees they must cover by studying in a fully online MPH Individualized program or a fully online MPH Health Services program.
This information is for general guidance. If you are accepted for HRSA funding, your funding letter will provide you with specific information about which program and tuition/fee rates HRSA funding will cover, and you will be responsible for any balance above that amount.
Yes! HRSA trainees will still follow our satisfactory grade policy. Continuation in the MPH program or Advanced Graduate Public Health Certificate is contingent on students obtaining a grade of B or higher in courses.