100% funded. Earned through service. Life-changing.
The Next Shift covers every dollar of travel, lodging, in-country transportation, and program costs for selected scholars. Families never pay — the only requirement is showing up ready to serve.
Who can apply
Open to every age
There's no minimum or maximum age — students and parents can both apply. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian's written consent to apply and travel.
3.25 GPA & volunteer hours
Applicants currently enrolled in school need at least a 3.25 GPA; parent applicants are evaluated on relevant experience instead. Everyone shows documented community or volunteer service hours. No prior medical experience required — we look for curiosity, maturity, and a genuine track record of showing up for others.
A personal essay
Every applicant writes a short paper on why they want to go and help — this is one of the most heavily weighted parts of the review, so we get to know the person behind the transcript.
Parents welcome, too
Parents can apply for a fully-funded scholarship of their own, or travel alongside their selected scholar as a chaperone or clinical volunteer — whichever fits your family. Minors' parents or guardians remain reachable throughout the trip.
The scholarship pays for everything.
Once selected, a scholar's family covers nothing. Here's exactly what's included.
Round-trip airfare
International flights, in-country transportation, and travel insurance for the scholar.
Lodging & meals
Safe, vetted group housing and all meals for the full length of the program.
Pre-departure training
Safety briefings, cultural orientation, and basic clinical-support training before the trip.
Adult chaperones
A dedicated adult-to-scholar supervision ratio at every hour of the trip, on top of the licensed medical team.
Application to airport, step by step.
Submit your application
A written application with a log of your volunteer service hours, a personal essay on why you want to go and help, and your current GPA (3.25 minimum) if you're currently enrolled in school — plus parent/guardian contact information if you're under 18.
Committee review
Our full review panel — parents, healthcare professionals, and The Next Shift staff — reads every application and essay together. This is a real selection process, not a single conversation: academics, service record, and essay are all weighed.
Interview (if invited)
Strong candidates may be invited for a short, conversational interview with the panel. No trick questions, just genuine curiosity — and not every scholar needs one to be selected.
Selection or waiting list
Selected scholars attend orientation together; minors bring a parent or guardian along too. Every other qualified applicant is placed on our waiting list and offered the next open spot as one becomes available — no one who qualifies is simply turned away.
Pre-departure training
Cultural context, basic clinical-support skills, and a full safety briefing in the weeks before travel.
Travel & serve
Scholars travel with chaperones and support a licensed medical team on the ground, always under direct supervision.
A dedicated track for the families who make this possible
Doctors, nurses, PAs, EMTs, and other healthcare professionals give so much to their communities. The Next Shift reserves dedicated scholarship spots each cohort for the children of healthcare professionals who want to bring that calling home.
- Open to any licensed healthcare professional's child, any age
- Same GPA, service-hours, and essay requirements, with a dedicated award pool
- Parents may indicate interest in traveling as a chaperone or clinical volunteer alongside their scholar — or apply for a scholarship of their own
Start your application
Fill this out and it opens a pre-filled email to our team — we'll follow up with the full application, and let you know whether the next step is a committee review, an interview, or a spot on our waiting list.
Your email is ready to send
Complete sending the email in your mail app and our team will follow up within a few days with the full application, GPA and service-hours verification, and next steps in the selection process.
Know someone who should apply?
Share The Next Shift with a student or parent who's curious about medicine.