Scholarship

On a sidewalk in winter, four smiling service dog teams of different sizes are lined up into the distance.

Learning and training together is a priceless opportunity for service dog teams.

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Why PSDP scholarships matter

The disability community has a disproportionate number of people with economic and other hardships. With the help of individual donors and convention sponsors, we want to lighten the burden of those hardships when it comes to making our life-changing convention experience available to everyone. (Prospective donors, see our donation page. Prospective sponsors, see our sponsor page.)

We also want to encourage applications from underrepresented groups among our service dog community members. We believe welcoming diversity helps us bridge cultural divides by catalyzing the open exchange of ideas. This more effectively integrates all of our people into broader communities. The more we can come together, the more our teams can become the best versions of themselves!

From behind, a group of service dog teams walks along a sidewalk sandwiched by grass.

Convention scholarships help bring together service dog teams from all walks of life.

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Before you apply

You may apply for a PSDP convention scholarship at any time of the year. However, any given year’s convention scholarship application is due by January 1st of that year. For example, the application for the 2025 convention would be due by January 1st, 2025. Any application received after that would only be for a future convention. We may not alert candidates of their award status until 2–4 weeks after the deadline.

Pastel text box with pink background and yellow and teal lines. Text says: "Efthimiou Award. The Efthimiou (eff-THEM-you) family has generously supported PSDP's conventions. Started in 2021, the Efthimiou Award is a yearly convention scholarship designation for a first-time convention-goer who is likely to positively contribute to the convention. By helping recipients attend their first convention, we hope this award will foster diversity in various forms and keep our in-person meetings invigorated with the excitement that comes with finding one's community."

Some of these application answers require research. We recommend saving your answers in another document ahead of time, then pasting them here when you have them all ready.

There is a $5 application fee, due on the day you submit your application. You can use the PayPal button below after you submit your application form. Scholarship applications are not valid until we’ve received your completed form and fee payment.

PSDP scholarships are for those who have shown a clear commitment to their psychiatric service dog journey and are willing to invest what they can in it. If you are unsure whether you should attend a PSDP convention or apply for a scholarship, leave plenty of time for us to get back to you and contact us.

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Nominal application fee payment




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Scholarship application form

Please give concise, forthright answers. We appreciate brevity as much as thoughtfulness! A security prompt may appear when you click submit, so you may have to scroll up to complete it.

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Fine print (terms and conditions)

This paragraph is a non-binding, plain-language summary of the main points of the terms and conditions. (1) If PSDP pays for something that you get a refund on or someone else ends up paying for, you have to return the money to PSDP. PSDP scholarships are for the convention only, and there’s no “double dipping”. You would have to seek refunds in a reasonable way, and if you’re reasonable, don’t worry about cancellation fees. If you get a travel credit instead of a refund, we’ll work it out in the way that makes the most sense, given that PSDP convention scholarships are to help people attend PSDP conventions. (2) Be honest and give us the relevant info to evaluate your application. (3) PSDP decides who gets any scholarships, and may get help from sponsor(s). Tell us in your application if you or your family might be connected with anyone who might be a sponsor (especially companies in the travel/lodging industry).

Below is the governing language for the terms and conditions, in “legalese”. By submitting a PSDP convention scholarship application, you consent to be bound by these terms and conditions.

(1) If Psychiatric Service Dog Partners (hereafter, “PSDP”) reimburses (or otherwise pays) a convention scholarship recipient (hereafter, “you”) or any party on your behalf for expenses that are later refunded or paid for by another party, you are obligated to return the balance of those funds to PSDP. If you become unable to attend the convention after paying for convention-related expenses that are reimbursed by PSDP, you must seek the maximum refund as soon as practicable. If this refund is equal to or exceeds the total amount PSDP reimbursed or paid to you or on your behalf, you must return the total amount PSDP reimbursed (or paid) to PSDP. If the refund is less than the total amount PSDP reimbursed or paid to you or on your behalf, and you have good reason for not attending the convention and have reasonably sought the maximum refund (each in PSDP’s sole determination), you must return the entire refunded amount to PSDP. In that case, you would not be liable for the difference between what PSDP paid and the refund obtained. If a refund is not available, but a transferable travel credit is, the appropriate amount (per above reasoning) should be transferred to PSDP. If a refund is not available, but a non-transferable travel credit is, you would be obligated to resolve this with PSDP on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with PSDP’s sole determination. Options would likely include either you using the non-transferable travel credit for future PSDP convention travel, or you returning scholarship funds to PSDP as if you had received a refund in the amount of the retail value of the non-transferable travel credit, per the above method.

(2) If PSDP determines, in its sole discretion, that you have been less than forthright in whatever information you have provided to PSDP related to convention scholarships, PSDP reserves the right to recover any scholarship payment made to you, or to enlist your reasonable assistance to recover any scholarship payment made to another party on your behalf.

(3) PSDP reserves the right to exercise its sole discretion in determining how funds or vouchers are to be allocated for scholarships, but PSDP may partner with other parties for assistance in making these determinations. To help us avoid any conflict of interest, you are obligated to alert us in your application if you or your family member(s) are an employee, contractor, or other agent of a convention sponsor or reasonably suspected convention sponsor, such as an airline or hotel chain. Such a connection would not automatically disqualify you from consideration, but it may disqualify you from being awarded funds or vouchers specifically from a connected sponsor.

Use of likeness or story: By submitting a convention scholarship application, you consent to PSDP using your likeness or story in promotions or activities connected with PSDP conventions or convention scholarships. This consent is in effect in perpetuity, irrevocably, and non-exclusively.

Limitation of liability: Except as noted above, PSDP is not responsible for and cannot be made to pay for any costs or damages arising from your use of this scholarship application or any associated activities, such as booking nonrefundable travel. You agree not to bring suit against PSDP and to hold PSDP harmless for any such costs or damages. Please exercise due caution with your planning.

Severability: If any portion of these terms and conditions are determined null or unenforceable by a relevant legal authority, any other portion shall remain in effect to the extent possible.