Alabama Board of Optometric Scholarship and Loan Awards (Rural Optometry Scholarship)
Alabama Board of Optometric Scholarship and Loan Awards (BOSLA), with the UAB School of Optometry
Up to $140,000 for optometry students who commit to at least six years of practice in a rural/small-town Alabama community.
- How much
- Up to $140,000 for a six-year rural Alabama practice commitment
- Who qualifies
- First- to fourth-year UAB optometry student; at least six years of practice in an eligible rural Alabama community. In-state residency not required.
- For grad students
- For optometry students
- When to apply
- Apply any time Applications accepted year-round (per UAB's news story).
- How to apply
- Submit the application linked from the UAB School of Optometry's BOSLA section (Qualtrics form)
- Questions to Dr
- Gerald Simon (gsimonod@uab.edu)
- Finalists present a business plan and interview with the board
- What you'll need
- state application + interview
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (uab.edu) and page 2
The details
State board award for first- through fourth-year optometry students at UAB: up to $140K in return for at least six years of service in an Alabama small town or rural community with optometry workforce needs. A UAB news story says the award approximates the total of optometry school tuition and fees, that funds can cover tuition or seed money for a practice, and that selection includes a business plan presentation and an interview with the board. Eligible counties named in that story: Monroe, Henry, Washington, Sumter, Coosa, Wilcox, Bullock, Lowndes, Perry, Greene, Russell and Chambers (subject to change). In-state residency for UAB is not required. The first recipient (2026 graduate) received $134,000.
More money from Alabama
- (Re)Engage Alabama Grant ProgramUp to $1,500 per semester (community college, associate) or $3,000 per semester (university, bachelor's) for full-time students; prorated for 6-11 hours
- Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP)$300 to $5,000 per academic year
- Alabama Student Grant Program (ASGP)Up to $3,000 per academic year (amount varies with available funds)
- Senior Adult Scholarship (Tuition Waiver) - Alabama Community College SystemTuition waived (fees, books and supplies not covered)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
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