ETSU Pharmacy Receives $3.2 Million Federal Grant
The HRSA funding will support scholarships for disadvantaged student pharmacists over the next five years.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Financial Aid
The ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy will receive $3.2 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration over five years for its scholarship program. HRSA has awarded $646,411 for the first budget period through its Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program.
Why it matters
The grant aims to strengthen the pharmacist workforce serving rural and underserved communities. It adds to state-funded tuition reductions that have lowered costs for pharmacy students at the college.
The HRSA award totals $3.2 million over five years, with $646,411 committed for the first budget period. Scholarships cover half of annual tuition and required fees, and future-year funding is not guaranteed.
The players
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is a public university in Johnson City, Tennessee, whose Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy received the grant.
Health Resources and Services Administration
The Health Resources and Services Administration is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency that funds programs to expand access to health care and strengthen the health workforce.
The details
The ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy announced the funding, which supports roughly 40 student pharmacists each year from disadvantaged backgrounds. The scholarships cover half of annual tuition and required fees for eligible students.
Timeline
2023: ETSU pharmacy tuition was first reduced through a state investment approved by the Tennessee General Assembly.
Nov. 9, 2026: ETSU announced the $3.2 million HRSA scholarship funding.
Over the next five years: The HRSA funding period covers the scholarship program.
Culture Shift
The ETSU award is a direct application of the federal HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program to a pharmacy school in East Tennessee. It reflects a pattern of targeting pharmacist shortages in rural and underserved areas through scholarship funding tied to student need.
Eligible students from disadvantaged backgrounds may be able to offset half of their annual tuition and required fees through these scholarships. Prospective pharmacy students in the Johnson City area should check with the college about eligibility and how to apply.
The takeaway
Federal scholarship funding can meaningfully reduce the cost of pharmacy school for students who might otherwise be priced out. Students who qualify as disadvantaged should ask their program about available awards early in the admissions process.
Further reading
Explore more on Financial Aid in Johnson City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WJHL.
