Navy Psychology Health Professions Scholarship Program

Eligibility:

• Must be a United States citizen (dual citizenship not permitted)
• Must be less than 42 years of age when starting the pre-doctoral internship (which will commence in August of 2028).
• Must be medically qualified.
• Must meet Navy height/weight standards.
• Must be able to pass a security background check (be eligible for a Secret security clearance).
• Must be a full-time student.

Applications:

• Students should apply for HPSP during their first (or second) year of graduate school. For those applying in their third year, applications will be accepted as long as a candidate can remain on scholarship for at least two years (1-year scholarships are typically not awarded). Students who have not yet started graduate school should not submit an application.
• Interviews are conducted during the second half of the academic year (This year interviews are tentatively scheduled for February 17-19, 2026). This is to provide the interviewers with maximum information about applicants’ graduate school performance up to that time.
• Selection of scholarship students takes place annually in March. 

Benefit Start Date:

• Oath of Office
• HPSP Contract
• Academic Year Start Date

Benefits:

• Full tuition (no upper limit) paid via contract between the Navy and your school. (If you are brought into the program prior to the last day of the term, the Navy will pay tuition for the entire term)
• A stipend of approximately $2,600.00 per month (this represents 2025 figures, and will potentially increase for 2026)
• All required fees with some exceptions (e.g., parking, cap and gown, student union fees, etc.)
• All required books and equipment
• Reimbursement for health and dental insurance, if required by your school
• Full pay and allowances of an Ensign (0-1) for 45 days per year (amounting to approximately $4,600), which is completed during Annual Training (AT). HPSP students may complete one sponsored AT per year. Travel and per diem are paid by the Navy if the AT is performed in a location other than your school. However, AT can also be completed at your school under “School Orders.”

HPSP Obligated Service:

• The HPSP service obligation is 3 years post-internship. Students are obligated to serve one year of active duty (not counting training years) for each year on scholarship, with a three-year minimum. So, scholarship recipients who receive 3 years of tuition will serve three years on active duty after their pre-doctoral internship.

Entry Grade Credit:

• Scholarship students receive 4 years of “entry grade credit,” so they start the pre-doctoral internship as Navy Lieutenants (O-3).
• Entry Grade Credit determines Date of Rank. It does not affect pay.
• Applicants with prior commissioned service earn EGC at a rate of ½ year for every year of service.

Internship:

• It is anticipated that all scholarship students will match with one the Navy’s three APA-accredited doctoral internships. These are located at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD; Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia (NMCP).
• The Navy’s internship application process is fully compliant with the procedures outlined by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (AAPIC). 

Coming on Active Duty - Orders:

• Scholarship students attend a 5-week Navy orientation program (Officer Development School [ODS]) at some point during the three years they are on scholarship. ODS is a one-time training, and can be attended during the first, second, or third year of the scholarship. Students are strongly encouraged to complete this requirement in the first or second year of the scholarship if possible. ODS must be completed prior to starting internship, and there are a limited number of seats in each class.
• Arrangements to attend ODS are made through the HPSP Accessions Program office.
• Once orders to internship are in hand, students can arrange to have their household goods moved to the Portsmouth area. This move will be funded by the Navy.

Coming on Active Duty - Superseding:

• Prior to starting the doctoral internship, students supersede from Ensign (O-1) in the Individual Ready Reserve, to Lieutenant (O-3) in the active-duty Navy.
• Students are not eligible for active duty pay until they report to Portsmouth for their internship. If they attend ODS immediately prior to starting their internship, their active duty pay will begin when they report to ODS.