RARE Scholars Program

The RARE Scholars program is an annual scholarship opportunity for people living with a rare genetic condition, including achondroplasia, Batten disease, hemophilia A, mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) or phenylketonuria (PKU). These scholarships recognize and support students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and engagement in school and community activities.

The application period for the 2026-27 academic year will open in February 2026.

Get to Know Our 2024-25 Scholarship Recipients

Alexa Breske University of Minnesota Duluth College of Pharmacy

Alexa is splitting her time between clinical rotations and coursework as she plans to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in the spring of 2026. Growing up with phenylketonuria (PKU) informed her educational and career trajectories, shaping her strong desire to be an advocate for people like her who live with rare genetic conditions. “I am so grateful for the positive impact healthcare has had on me, but I’ve also found that I’ve often had to be my own advocate.” she says “As a future pharmacist, I want to be an advocate for my patients and help them pursue all their healthcare goals.”

Allyson Chan Occidental College

In her sophomore year at Occidental College in Los Angeles, Allyson continues pursuit of a degree in politics while also writing for the school newspaper. After an internship with the Santa Clara County Superior Court, she has renewed her ambition to attend law school. “It was an amazing opportunity and gave me the chance to see the field of law from a different perspective,” says Allyson, who is living with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IVA. “People usually only hear about trials and judgments, so seeing the pre-trial process and all the documents involved gave me a much better understanding of legal procedures.”

Annika Koch Cuesta College

In her first year at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California, Annika aims to strike a balance between her academic pursuits and personal interests. She hopes to one day become a nurse, citing her experience growing up with achondroplasia and the healthcare professionals who made an “immeasurable difference” in her life as her inspiration. “I would like to work toward solutions for healthcare disparity and solve fundamental inequities in care,” she says. “Everyone, regardless of race, gender identity and geographic location, should be entitled to quality healthcare.”

Brian DuVal Vanderbilt University

Brian is on track to earn a Master of Public Health from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in the spring of 2026. Living with hemophilia A has guided Brian’s career goal to use his own experience to positively influence health policy and access to life-changing treatment and care. “I’m really motivated to use all the things I’ve learned, from firsthand experience dealing with health systems, as well as my MPH program, to make it easier for people like me to access life-changing treatment and care,” he says.

Will McClintock University of Washington

Will is spending his junior year at the University of Washinton divided between his computer science studies, an internship and a part-time job. He’s also constantly managing his limited protein intake, a long-term need for many people living with phenylketonuria (PKU). But that hasn’t stopped him from adding even more to his plate, as he’s found new ways to connect with the PKU community by serving as an intern at flok Family Camp. “I had a blast meeting new faces and hanging out with the flok team and my fellow interns,” he says. “I really wish I had been able to make it out when I was much younger, but it’s never too late to start.”

Scholarship Requirements

An annual scholarship opportunity for people living with a genetic condition for those who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and engagement in school and community activities.

The RARE Scholars program will award up to $50,000 in scholarships to eligible students.

$10,000 to students in four-year undergraduate or graduate studies programs

$5,000 to students in two-year or vocational/technical studies

Eligibility

Applicants must be high school seniors, high school graduates or current post-secondary or graduate-level students diagnosed with including achondroplasia, Batten disease, hemophilia A, mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) or phenylketonuria (PKU). Applicants will be asked to provide a doctor’s statement with the diagnosis.

Applicants are not required to have undergone treatment with a BioMarin therapy. Treatment status with any manufacturer products should not be disclosed and will not be considered in evaluating applications.

Applicants must be enrolled or plan to be enrolled as a full- or part-time (minimum 6 credits per term) undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school for the entire 2024-2025 academic year.

Applicants must be U.S. or ex-U.S. residents enrolled in U.S.-based schools, including U.S. territories. Schools may be nonprofit or for-profit.

Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (or equivalent) on a 4.0 scale.

BioMarin employees and their children are ineligible for the program.