Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP)
Nebraska State Colleges and University of Nebraska Medical Center (state-funded)
Full-tuition scholarship at Chadron State, Peru State or Wayne State plus guaranteed admission to UNMC for rural Nebraskans heading into health careers.
- How much
- Full tuition at the state college (not summer) + guaranteed UNMC admission
- Who qualifies
- Resident of rural Nebraska; intent to practice health care in rural Nebraska; admitted to a participating state college; must maintain program standards.
- For high school seniors, students starting college
- For healthcare, medicine, dentistry students
- When to apply
- Open now · due December 1, 2026 Annual; Wayne State applications due Dec 1 with interviews in mid-January (for 2027-28 entry). Other campuses set their own dates.
- How to apply
- Apply for admission to Chadron State, Peru State or Wayne State, then submit the RHOP application through the college's scholarship system by its deadline (Wayne State: Dec 1) and interview if selected (typically mid-January)
- What you'll need
- state application + interview + transcript
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (wsc.edu), page 2 and page 3
The details
A state-funded partnership between the Nebraska State Colleges (Chadron State, Peru State and Wayne State; established 1989) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Selected students from rural Nebraska get a full tuition scholarship/waiver for their undergraduate years at the state college (not summer sessions) and guaranteed admission to the matching UNMC program if they meet program standards. Health fields include medicine, dentistry, dental hygiene, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, nursing, medical laboratory science, sonography, radiography, medical nutrition and more (field lists and slots vary by campus). The University of Nebraska at Kearney runs a parallel Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP). Students are expected to return to practice in rural Nebraska.
More money from Nebraska
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (Nebraska State Colleges)$2,000-$15,000 per year
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (community colleges)Up to $15,000 per year
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (private colleges)Up to $10,000 per year
- Community College Gap Assistance ProgramPartial or full tuition, required books and equipment, and fees (no fixed maximum published)
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (University of Nebraska)Minimum $8,000 per year at UNL ($4,000/semester); up to $8,000 per year at UNK; up to four years
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming
- 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
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.