It’s back-to-school season, and several students are heading to the classroom with a little extra help on the financial side thanks to immunology drugmaker AbbVie.
This year, the company is celebrating the ten-year anniversary of its AbbVie Immunology Scholarship, which has helped students with immunology conditions relieve some of the financial burdens of higher education since 2016.
The scholarship was created to help out students who live with chronic inflammatory diseases and therefore must balance their studies with medical appointments and related costs—all the while navigating hefty college tuition fees. Over the ten years that the scholarship has been offered, AbbVie has been able to support more than 350 students through its investments of more than $6 million.
Last year, the company raised the bar on the program by allowing students the opportunity to benefit from financial assistance for up to four years through larger, renewable scholarship rewards of up to $20,000 per student. Recipients of the scholarship can opt to renew for up to three additional years or until they earn a graduates or bachelor’s degree, according to AbbVie.
College students with chronic illnesses may experience unique financial barriers and are at a greater risk for educational disruptions and lower graduation rates, AbbVie points out. At the same time, college tuition rates have risen nearly 37% since 2010, the company cites in its press release, further outlining the barriers to education that students face in 2026.
34 students with inflammatory conditions across dermatology, gastroenterology and rheumatology make up the 2026 class of scholarship recipients. The group includes three new beneficiaries and 31 who renewed their scholarships.
This sustained assistance reflects AbbVie’s “commitment to providing meaningful support that aligns with the long-term needs of students living with inflammatory diseases,” Jag Dosanjh, AbbVie’s SVP and president, immunology explained over email.
As Dosanjh pointed out, students who could benefit from the scholarship may be dealing with unpredictable emotional and physical symptoms on top of their coursework and extracurriculars. With the scholarship, “we hope to help ensure their ambitions are not limited by the added burdens associated with living with an inflammatory condition,” he said.
“These students are future healthcare providers, scientists, teachers, business leaders and community advocates," Dosanjh said. "By supporting their education, AbbVie is investing in the next generation of leaders whose perspectives are shaped by lived experience and whose contributions can strengthen communities well beyond the classroom."
With an all-star lineup of immunology medicines including blockbusters Skyrizi and Rinvoq plus former world’s top-selling drug Humira, AbbVie has long been one of the leading players in the immunology disease space. While the development and on innovative treatments remains a core company mission, supporting patients “also means redefining how we help them thrive,” Dosanjh said.
The scholarship comes with certain eligibility requirements, including a list of 12 diagnosed diseases that would qualify. Students with one of these conditions who have completed high school and are planning to enroll in full-time undergrad or graduate studies at a two- or four-year college, university or tech school are invited to apply during the application period each year.
Importantly, prospective scholarship recipients are not required to have taken any AbbVie immunology treatments and the company does not consider treatment history during its selection process, it pointed out in the release.