Scholarships and Grants

• Scholarships Offered
• Important Scholarship Information
• Natural Health and Holistic Nutrition Research Grants
• Scholarship FAQs

Scholarships Offered

Peg Clayton Natural Health and Nutrition Scholarships

Marguerite “Peg” Clayton co-founded Dr. Clayton’s Herbs and helped establish the Clayton College of Natural Health. Peg encouraged exercise and relaxation, teaching on-site yoga classes for coworkers.

CCNH proudly honors Peg’s lifelong commitment to holistic health by awarding two scholarships annually, each for the value of 12 courses, available to prospective or newly enrolled (within one year) students. Criteria listed below:

• Interest in natural health or holistic nutrition courses;
• Future potential in the natural health/holistic nutrition field; and
• Personal characteristics such as integrity and professionalism.
• Read Important Scholarship Information

Nella B. Oppenborn Herbology Scholarship

“The herbal renaissance is changing the world, as new American herbalists deeply explore the earth’s vast wisdom, reclaiming its bounty for everyone.”

Thus said the late Nella Oppenborn, who designed CCNH’s first herbal studies specialization program. Our Nella B. Oppenborn Memorial Herbology Scholarship offers an annual scholarship, for the value of 12 courses, to students currently enrolled in either the Herbal Studies courses or to prospective students who are interested in the Herbal Studies courses. Criteria listed below:

• Interest or experience pertaining to herbs;
• Future potential as an herbalist; and
• Personal characteristics such as integrity and professionalism.
• Read Important Scholarship Information

Sarah Shelton Scholarship

Sarah Shelton joined cousins Peg and Lloyd Clayton at CCNH in the early 1980s after retiring from her career in healthcare. CCNH honors Sarah’s lifelong commitment to learning and to the many contributions she made to our school by awarding an annual scholarship.

Each year an annual scholarship award, for the value of 12 courses, will be made to a prospective or newly enrolled (within one year) student with a story similar to Sarah’s — someone aged 60 or older at the time of application and whose personal path has led them into natural health. Criteria listed below:

• Interest in natural health or holistic nutrition;
• Future potential in the natural health/ holistic nutrition field;
• Personal characteristics such as professionalism and integrity; and,
• Aged 60 or older, at the time of application.
• Read Important Scholarship Information

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Important Scholarship Information

• Applications are accepted no sooner than October 1st and no later than December 1st. Submissions received before or after the acceptance dates will not be considered. No exceptions will be made.


• Individual components of the application will not be returned. They will be forwarded to an assigned admissions advisor.


• You must enroll and/or begin your courses within the first 2 months of the scholarship award. If you do not begin your courses within this timeframe, you will be contacted by a member of the scholarship committee.


• Scholarship finalists will be contacted to set up telephone interviews with the scholarship committee.


• The scholarship application must contain all items listed below in order to be considered for the award. Your application will not be considered if it is incomplete. All items must be submitted together at the same time. If newly enrolled, please include your student ID number on your scholarship application materials. Please do not submit your application materials in a binder.

In order for your application to be considered it must contain (please check off):

1. Completed scholarship application form
2. Letter outlining reasons for applying for the scholarship;
3. Copies of Transcripts (Please do not send Official Transcripts)
4. Resume or curriculum vitae;
5. Essay focusing on your vision for natural health, holistic nutrition or American herbalism, and your role in teaching others to be healthy (When writing your essay and letter, please note that financial need and community service are taken into consideration by the Scholarship Committee);
6. Three signed letters of reference; and
7. Copy of driver’s license or birth certificate — only applicable to those applying for the Sarah Shelton Memorial Scholarship.

If you would like to apply now, click here to download the PDF version of the application materials.
Mail to 2140 11th Avenue South, Suite 305, Birmingham, AL 35205.

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Natural Health and Holistic Nutrition Research Grants

CCNH’s Commitment to Scholarly Research (Students only, must log in to view page.)

Clayton College of Natural Health is proud to annually award two Cheraskin Research Grants. Each grant award is $1,000 and is available to a Ph.D. candidate from the School of Natural Health and a Ph.D. candidate from the School of Holistic Nutrition.

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