Attention full-time Rehabilitation Services Undergraduate Students:

The Rehabilitation Services Program at Penn State University is pleased to announce a training grant that provides one semester of tuition to ten qualified, full-time students.  This grant is a federal training grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).  The grant is intended to provide tuition support ($3,000/semester) for students who want to work with persons with disabilities in non-profit, public rehabilitation settings.  Persons who receive RSA support must agree to work in these settings immediately following graduation.  For every one month of RSA training support, students are required to work for two months in a non-profit rehabilitation setting.  Consequently, students who receive five months of tuition support must work at least 10 months after graduation.  Once students complete their employment requirement, they have fulfilled their obligation.

Students should consult their advisors for the deadlines for submitting their materials to apply for the grant.  Those interested in applying for the RSA training grants must submit the following materials:

1.  Letter of interest for the grant that describes their intended employment setting, career goal/objectives after graduating, and statement of financial need; and

2.  Recent transcript (E-lion transcript format is acceptable)

 

Centre County Human Services Agencies

We are starting the fourth year of a five-year grant from the Rehabilitation Services Administration that enables us to provide funding for professionals working in the community who provide services to people with disabilities. What this means for your agency is that your staff may be eligible to receive tuition to take one course per semester through the Rehabilitation Services program at Penn State University. Designated courses include 400 level courses offered through the Department of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology, and Rehabilitation Services (CNED or REHAB course prefix). More specific information about the program is listed below.

Who qualifies for tuition reimbursement?

The intent of the grant is to provide professional development in the form of 3-credit courses for people who are directly providing services to people with disabilities. People are eligible to take one 3-credit course per semester at Penn State University. Professionals who have a master's degree or higher are not eligible for this program.

How many people from any agency can be funded in a semester?

Given the current interest in this program, at this point it looks like we will have to limit the number of people funded from any one agency to two people. This may change as the grant continues so we will update agencies each semester.

What courses apply to this program?

Designated courses include those offered through the Department of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology, and Rehabilitation Services (i.e., courses with a CNED or REHAB designate), or courses that could lead to a baccalaureate degree in Rehabilitation Services. As long as a course is relevant to providing services for people with disabilities, it would be a legitimate course to use the grant money for. For example, taking a pottery course would not apply, but taking a course in abnormal psychology would. The list of courses changes each semester, so people should review the Penn State courses available at: http://soc.our.psu.edu/soc/. The courses must be 400 (or possibly 500) level courses, and most of them will be offered only through the University Park campus. It is our expectation that people who are funded on this grant will earn at least a B in the course they take. 

What is the application process? Are there deadlines for applying for the program?

People interested in receiving the tuition grant will need to send a letter addressed to Dr. Brandon Hunt explaining what course they want to take and how the course relates to their current job. Again, the purpose of our grant is to provide professional development for professionals who are working with people with disabilities so the course must be applicable to working with people with disabilities. People who are currently enrolled in a degree-granting program at Penn State (or some other university) are not eligible for the tuition grant. The deadline for applying for the tuition grant for Summer 2004 is March 31, 2004. The deadline for applying for the tuition grant for Fall 2004 semester is July 15, 2004. The deadline for applying to take courses in Spring 2005 will be October 1, 2004.

How does the reimbursement work?

The funding will be provided on a first come, first served basis. After we receive letters from interested people, the rehabilitation faculty will review them and decide who will receive funding. We will then send letters to everyone who applied letting them know whether they will receive the tuition grant, and if so, how they can apply to take the course through Penn State. Tuition will be paid directly by our department so applicants will not need to pay any money towards tuition to Penn State, however, the grant does not cover the activity and technology fees charged each semester by Penn State. 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the program further, Jim Herbert can be reached at 814-863-3421 or jth4@psu.edu.