NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The application window is officially open for current and prospective graduate and professional school students to apply for Sallie Mae’s® $20,000 Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students. The company will award four $20,000 scholarships to students who creatively describe their unique journey to graduate school, who or what influenced them to pursue an advanced degree, and what they hope to accomplish after graduate school. Students can apply at SallieMae.com/BridgingTheDreamGrad through Feb. 14, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Graduate school is becoming the new norm according to “How America Pays for Graduate School,” a national study by Sallie Mae and Ipsos. Nearly two thirds (64 percent) of grad students believe an advanced degree is the new minimum standard level of education for any professional occupation, and nearly all (95 percent) say an advanced degree is necessary to enter, advance, accelerate, or remain competitive in their chosen career. Scholarships and grants, however, are far less available for graduate students than for undergrads, covering just 15 percent of grad school costs.
“The Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students is all about helping our next generation of doctors, teachers, nurses, lawyers, and business leaders reach their potential and create the lives they’ve imagined for themselves and others,” said John Volpini, vice president, Sallie Mae. “Since the start of this program, we’ve met incredible students and young professionals who are well on their way to building prosperous futures, not just for themselves, but for their communities.”
Felipe Hernandez, a 2019 Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students recipient, is completing his law degree at Harvard University and aspires to assist and advocate for low-income communities and minorities.
“As a first-generation student, and a son of immigrants, I never thought college, let alone graduate school, was a possibility,” said Hernandez. “Sallie Mae’s Bridging the Dream Scholarship is helping me continue my education, which gives me the tools, knowledge, and experience to help not only my family, but also those who are struggling to overcome barriers to success.”
In addition to the Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students, Sallie Mae offers a free, online Graduate School Scholarship Search tool, which offers access to 950,000 graduate school scholarships worth more than $1 billion. Available scholarships and fellowships run the gamut of graduate school disciplines, including business, law, medical, healthcare and nursing, engineering, and education, and range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
For more information about the Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students, see the official rules. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Sallie Mae expects to announce the winners this spring. Students can apply through Feb. 14, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Sallie Mae (Nasdaq: SLM) believes education and life-long learning, in all forms, help people achieve great things. As the leader in private student lending, we provide financing and know-how to support access to college and offer products and resources to help customers make new goals and experiences, beyond college, happen. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
