ASPCA offering new scholarship

A new scholarship for veterinary and veterinary technician students aims to ease the financial burden of student debt and encourage participation in animal welfare-related fields.

In January, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)  launched the ASPCA Veterinary Scholarship Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen the veterinary workforce in shelters and nonprofit settings, expand access to veterinary care, and cultivate a community of professionals dedicated to improving the lives of animals.

How much scholarship funding is available?

• Veterinary programs: students are eligible to receive up to $33,333 per year, up to a maximum total of $100,000.
• Veterinary technician programs: students are eligible to receive up to $10,000 per year, up to a maximum of $20,000.

Through the program, the ASPCA is attempting to address the nationwide shortage of veterinary professionals working in the animal welfare sector and the growing problem of crushing student debt.

And, with new federal borrowing limits that will go into effect July 1, the scholarships could be a game-changer for those unable to either pay for—or borrow enough to cover—the cost of a veterinary education.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled for the entire 2026-2027 academic year in an AVMA-accredited veterinary or veterinary technician program whose graduates are immediately eligible to sit for their licensing exam.
• Be in year two or later of their program of study during the 2026-2027 academic year (students entering their first year are not eligible).
• Hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their program of study.
• Commit to working for at least three (3) years post-graduation in the animal welfare field. This could include working in non-profit or municipal shelter medicine, community-centered medicine, for a HQHVSN (high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter program), with at-risk equines, or in the field of pasture-based or humane agriculture.
• Demonstrate financial need.

The cost of a veterinary education is high, and the vast majority of students take out loans to cover some or all of the price of tuition.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the cost for annual in-state tuition for U.S. veterinary colleges ranged from $24,400 to $73,631, and the cost for annual out-of-state tuition ranged from $26,409 to $81,252, according to data from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.

The average debt from earning a veterinary degree was $212,499 for the  class of 2025 among those with at least some debt, or $174,484 for all new graduates combined, including those with zero debt, according to data from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Specifically, 40% of last year’s graduates owed over $200,000 in educational debt from veterinary college, with 5.9% indicating they owed $400,000 or more.

Additionally, a 2024 demographic survey by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America found that more than one-third of credentialed veterinary technicians carry student loan debt averaging $24,000.

“The acute shortage of veterinary professionals is one of the greatest threats to animal welfare today,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA President and CEO. “While the need for care continues to grow, too many new veterinary graduates are unable to enter animal welfare because of overwhelming student debt. The ASPCA Veterinary Scholarship Program will help remove those barriers, strengthen the veterinary workforce, and expand access to lifesaving care for animals nationwide.”

The ASPCA will award up to $1 million in scholarships this year to veterinary and veterinary technician students who demonstrate financial need, academic excellence and are committed to working in mission-driven work supporting animals or the animal welfare field after graduation.

The 2026-27 ASPCA Veterinary Scholarship Program application deadline is March 3, 2026. For more information, including detailed eligibility criteria and a link to the online application, visit https://www.aspcapro.org/aspcascholarsaspcapro.org/aspcascholars.

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