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2026 CVS Health Foundation / AACP Community Pharmacy Award

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Program Information

The CVS Health Foundation / AACP Community Pharmacy Award for Student Pharmacists, funded by the CVS Health Foundation, will be awarded to 21 outstanding student pharmacists who face financial barriers in their pursuit of education. For the 2026-27 academic year, scholarship applicants must be enrolled as a (P1) or (P2) in a 3-year OR 4-year Pharm.D. program; OR enrolled as a (P3) or (P4) in a 0-5 OR 0-6 Pharm.D. program at an American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) member institution. Selected awardees must demonstrate leadership, academic success, and a commitment to care for patients. Each awardee will receive a single $20,000 scholarship. 

Goal of the Program

The CVS Health Foundation / AACP Community Pharmacy Award is intended to support students who will care for the needs of patients, the profession, and the public, both within and outside healthcare settings. The purpose of the scholarship is to reduce financial barriers for student pharmacists in pursuit of a Pharm.D. degree who are committed to addressing the well-being of individual patients in communities across the United States. 

The 2026 application is now open

Download the Application Instructions

Eligibility Requirements

Qualified applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Eligible student statuses during the 2026-27 Program:
    • For the 2026-27 academic year, scholarship applicants must be enrolled as a (P1) or (P2) in a 3-year OR 4-year Pharm.D. program; OR enrolled as a (P3) or (P4) in a 0-5 OR 0-6 Pharm.D. program.

  • Students must be able to demonstrate that they face financial barriers in their pursuit of education. To qualify, students must have filed independently OR be claimed as a dependent on the most recent Federal Income Tax Return Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ with an adjusted gross income that falls below the Low-Income Level listed below. The Low-Income Level is based on 200 percent of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines and used to determine what constitutes a low-income family. (Table 1) 

    Table 1: 2025 Low-Income Levels
    Persons in Family or HouseholdIncome Level
    1$31,300
    2$42,300
    3$53,300
    4$64,300
    5$75,300
    6$86,300
    7$97,300
    8$108,300
    *For each additional person, add $11,000
  • Student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  • Students must demonstrate leadership, academic success, and a commitment to advancing the pharmacy profession and patient care.
  • GPA for current degree program must be 2.5 or greater on a 4.0 scale. Applicants from schools with other grading systems are still eligible to apply for the scholarship.
  • Students must submit a completed application by the deadline.
  • A student may only receive the CVS Health Foundation / AACP Community Pharmacy Award once. 

Scholarship Notification

  • Completed applications are due Monday, June 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Time (HT).
  • Completed applications will be reviewed by August 2026.
  • Scholarship recipients will be notified via email during Fall 2026.
  • Funds will be forwarded to the student’s institution in December 2026.
  • Additional information will be requested from awardees (e.g., media release, photo) during Fall 2026. Students must share a photo and name for promotional purposes as indicated in the application. 
  • AACP will announce the scholarship recipients on the AACP and Pharmacy Is Right for Me websites and social media in Fall 2026.
  • CVS Health and its Foundation may also release related announcements about the scholarship recipients via the company’s communication channels.

Scholarship Payments

A single scholarship in the amount of $20,000 each will be awarded to twenty-one (21) outstanding students. AACP will pay the scholarship funds for each awardee directly to the pharmacy college or school where the student is currently enrolled. Funds will be dispersed in December 2026 after the 2026-2027 academic year begins. Each institution will exclusively apply the scholarship funds to the awardee’s tuition and/or fees. 

Scholarships Questions

See FAQ section below. For any other questions, please contact AACP at scholarships@aacp.org with questions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How is “Persons in Family or Household” determined for low-income eligibility?

Household size is determined based on the tax return used to assess financial need. If you file an individual tax return and are not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return, your household size will be considered one (1)—even if you financially support other family or household members who are not listed as dependents on your tax return.

Is there a requirement to work for CVS to be eligible for this scholarship?

No. There is no requirement to have worked for CVS Health in the past, to currently work for CVS Health, or to work for CVS Health in the future. While the scholarship is funded by the CVS Health Foundation, there is no employment obligation tied to the award.
 

If I am claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, am I eligible to apply?

If you are claimed as a dependent, the tax return on which you are claimed will be used to determine eligibility. That tax return must meet the program’s low-income criteria. Simply being claimed as a dependent does not, by itself, meet the eligibility requirement.
 

Are international students eligible to apply?

No. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents to be eligible for this scholarship. International students, including F-1 visa holders, are not eligible.
 

Are students in extended PharmD programs eligible?

For the 2026–27 academic year, applicants must be enrolled in their first or second year of the professional phase of a Pharm.D. program at an AACP member institution. For extended programs, P1 and P2 students in the professional phase are eligible. On the application, these students should select: “P1 in a 3- or 4-year program” or “P2 in a 3- or 4-year program (An extended program option is not currently available on the application.)

Are reference letters due on the same due date as the rest of the application?

Yes, reference letters are due on the same deadline as the application - June 15. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all references are submitted on time. Extensions will not be granted for missing or late reference letters, even if the application itself is submitted by the deadline.
 

Can reference letters be submitted by non-pharmacy faculty or advisors?

Yes. The first recommendation may be submitted by non-teaching faculty, and academic advisors are also acceptable. The second recommendation must come from a pharmacist, pharmacy scientist, pharmacy researcher, pharmacy school faculty member, or another healthcare professional or educator.

I filed my own taxes independently. Am I still eligible to apply?

Eligibility is based on the most recent Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) and the adjusted gross income (AGI) listed on that return.

  • If you were claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, we will use that return to determine your eligibility.
  • If you were not claimed as a dependent and filed independently, we will use your individual tax return to determine eligibility.

In all cases, the AGI must fall below the listed Low-Income Level to qualify.

I was claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return. Am I still eligible to apply?

Eligibility is based on the most recent Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) and the adjusted gross income (AGI) listed on that return.

  • If you were claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, we will use that return to determine your eligibility.
  • If you were not claimed as a dependent and filed independently, we will use your individual tax return to determine eligibility.

In all cases, the AGI must fall below the listed Low-Income Level to qualify.

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