Online Resources & Scholarships for Social Work Students | EduMed.org
Social work students can reduce tuition and keep loan amounts at a minimum with scholarships designed for social work programs. This guide offers five helpful tips for scholarship applicants and includes a list of resources to help you be financially prepared for school and beyond.
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Scholarships and Grants for Social Work Students
Whether pursuing a baccalaureate or an advanced degree social work program, the journey requires money. When it comes to paying for college, the more financial aid options, the better. Scholarships and grants are attractive because, unlike student loans, they don’t have to be paid back. Scholarships are competitive and commonly awarded based on factors like academic achievement, voluntary participation with community and charitable causes, and other impressive components in the candidate’s background. Grants are typically based on financial need. Scholarships and grants for social work students come from a variety of sponsors, including professional associations, nonprofit organizations, special interest groups, businesses, individuals, and schools.
Boston University Scholarships
To support students’ academic goals, Boston University offers exclusive scholarship opportunities to social work students in all its MSW programs. Scholarships are awarded based on academic record and merit taken from the applicant’s admissions packet. Awards for current students are made based on GPA and fund availability.
Amount: Up to $6,000
Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund
One BSW and one MSW student demonstrating commitment to promoting equity, racial, economic, and environmental justice receive a book scholarship through this fund. This memorial continues Carl A. Scott’s legacy of furthering the well-being of individuals and their communities. The scholarships target but aren’t limited to minority/BIPOC students.
Amount: $500
Charles Richard Drew Memorial Scholarship Commission
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity has scholarship as one of its cardinal principles and created this commission to recognize future leaders of society. It rewards those with high academic achievement through its many scholarship opportunities. Encouraging meaningful research and creative productivity is another of the commission’s aims.
Amount: Up to $5,000
Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to master’s degree candidates in social work committed to working with American Indian/Alaska native and Hispanic/Latino populations. Those interested in working with public or volunteer nonprofit agencies or local grassroots groups are also eligible. Students can reapply if they are in a master’s program for a second year.
Amount: $4,000
James F. Reville Scholarship
This scholarship is for full-time college students in programs related to the intellectual and developmental disability field, including social work. It’s offered through The Arc New York along with a variety of other funding opportunities for students and those going above and beyond in related fields.
Amount: $1,500 to $6,000
Jane B. Aron Doctoral Fellowship
Awarded to a social work doctoral candidate whose dissertation focuses on health policy and practice, this fellowship includes funding for National Association of Social Work (NASW) conference attendance, participation in leadership development, and administrative funding. Applicants must be NASW members and plan to submit a final dissertation to the NASW Foundation.
Amount: Up to $5,500
Latino Social Work Coalition & Scholarship Fund
Supporting passionate social work students interested in serving low-income and underserved communities, this fund caters specifically to second or third year MSW bilingual and Latino/x/e students facing significant financial constraints in New York City. Additional benefits include a mentorship curriculum and opportunities to network with elected officials and non-profit leaders.
Amount: $500 to $1,500
Lawanna Renee Barron Scholarship Endowment Fund
This endowment supports MSW students to help them make long-term commitments to support and grow the social work profession. It began with an emphasis on students demonstrating interest in working in rural settings or health/mental health in African American communities. MSW students enrolled for more than a year can reapply.
Amount: $1,000
MFP – Master’s Students Program
This program enhances the training of full-time master’s social work students in their final years and who are passionate about meeting the mental health and/or substance abuse and disorder needs of racial/ethnic minority communities. Applicants must be committed to seeking employment in these areas immediately after graduation for at least two years.
Amount: Varies
Verne LaMarr Lyons Scholarship
For master’s degree candidates in social work demonstrating interest with health/mental health practice and commitment to working with African American communities, this scholarship requires membership to the NASW. Students enrolled in an MSW program for more than one year may reapply for funding.
Amount: Varies
The Keys to Succeed on Social Work Scholarship Applications
Scholarships are a great way to make your degree more affordable, but landing scholarships takes some real thought and effort. The single most important key when it comes to winning scholarships is to pay attention to the details. Here are five tips to help you impress scholarship boards.
Key #1: Select Your Contests Carefully
Every scholarship has its own purpose, application requirements, and criteria for selecting winners, and it’s crucial that you have a clear understanding of those elements when selecting the scholarships to pursue. Don’t waste time going after ones you have little chance of winning.
Key #2: Get to Know Your Sponsors
Lots of scholarships specifically for social work students are sponsored by social worker professional associations, and membership is often a requirement for scholarship applicants. Join as soon as possible and start participating in association activities. Networking within the group sponsoring a scholarship is a great way to increase your chances of winning.
Key #3: Make Your Application Package Shine
Scholarship contests are competitive, so it’s crucial to find a way to stand out. Do that with an impressive application package. Put in the extra time and effort to find the best writers for your letters of recommendation and be sure to write a compelling personal statement or essay.
Key #4: Go After the Tough Ones
Some scholarship contests have a lot of requirements, like multiple letters of recommendation, essays, interviews, etc. Don’t let that stop you from applying. If you’re turned off by all the extra work, others will be, too. That means there will likely be fewer applicants, less competition, and better chances of winning.
Key #5: Meet Your Deadlines
Knowing and meeting all contest deadlines is beyond crucial. If you miss just one deadline, you’re out. Put application deadlines in your calendar and track the status of each scholarship application in a spreadsheet that you update regularly.
Essential Funding Resources for Social Work Students
Being prepared financially for school goes well beyond scholarships. Fortunately, there are excellent resources, including application fee waivers and guides for working adults, to support you before, during, and after the time you spend on your social work degree program. The following is a list of some of the best resources to get you started.
7 FAQs About Income-Driven Repayment Plans
From Federal Student Aid, this article gives the details on income-driven repayment (IDR) plans for students struggling to pay off their federal student loans. Includes a loan simulator and step-by-step guide.
7 Financial Wellness Podcasts for College Students
Whether you want to learn more about budgeting, paying off debt, or saving money, there is a lot of information available. Check out Ascent’s list of podcasts just for students.
Michigan State University (MSU) School of Social Work
MSU’s School of Social Work is a great example of how schools support their social work students. Resources include those for repaying loans, graduate student travel, scholarships, and emergency funding.
Phi Alpha Honor Society
As the national honor society for social work students, faculty, and practitioners, Phi Alpha sponsors activities, events, scholarships, grants, and more to help its members succeed in their careers.
R/socialwork
This community is for current and future social workers. It’s a place to ask for advice, share frustrations, and receive support on a variety of topics, including finances.
School Social Work Association of America (SSWA)
This professional association provides evidence-informed services that connect, equip, and empower school social workers. Its variety of information includes finance topics like college access for low-income students of color.
Social Work to Wealth
This site covers financial wellness for social workers, with information on how to leverage their degrees for career growth. You’ll find information on paying off debt, exploring side hustles, and more.
Therapistaid
Save money to be able to repay your loan more quickly with sites like this offering free resources you can use as a social worker. Includes videos, worksheets, interactives, and articles.
