2024 Guide to Counseling Scholarships

Counselors make a career out of providing help to people who need it. But the educational requirements for becoming a counselor often mean aspiring counselors need some help of their own, too. The cost of undergraduate and graduate programs has grown significantly more expensive over the last decade, and salaries haven’t kept pace. Many aspiring counselors turn to scholarships to reduce their financial burden and focus on getting the training they need.

Counseling scholarships are generally grouped into three categories: general, regional, and demographic. General counseling scholarships are available to practically every counseling student, though they may focus on a particular specialty or need area. Regional scholarships are available only to applicants who live, study, or work in a certain region—and that region can be as small as a single county or school, or as large as a multi-state area. Demographic scholarships prioritize particular demographic groups and often focus on the service of those groups, too.

In reading our guide to counseling scholarships, you will note that there is an overlap between groups. In some cases, those overlaps are restrictive, but in others, they make for more inviting and inclusive programs. It’s important to read the eligibility requirements carefully, but don’t get discouraged if they seem confusing or limiting. There are dozens of counseling scholarships, and while they differ significantly, the most important eligibility requirements are often nothing more than passion and financial need.

If you’re ready to see what help is out there so you can work on helping others, check out our guide to counseling scholarships below. Please note that for any passed deadlines in 2023, it is assumed that these scholarships will be offered in 2024 around the same time.

Featured Counseling Programs
Grand Canyon University Graduate Certificate - Christian CounselingProgram Website
Grand Canyon University MS - Clinical Mental Health CounselingProgram Website
Grand Canyon University MS - Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Childhood and Adolescence DisordersProgram Website
Northwestern University Online MA - CounselingProgram Website
Northwestern University Online MA - Counseling: Child and Adolescent EmphasisProgram Website
Lamar University M.Ed. - Clinical Mental Health CounselingProgram Website
Lamar University M.Ed. - Counseling & Development - Marriage, Couple & Family CounselingProgram Website
Lamar University M.Ed. - Counseling & Development - Professional School CounselingProgram Website
Southern New Hampshire University Online BA in Psychology - AddictionsProgram Website
Southern New Hampshire University Online BA in Psychology - Mental HealthProgram Website
Arizona State University Addiction and Substance-Use Related Disorders (Graduate Certificate)Program Website
Arizona State University Behavioral Health - Clinical (DBH)Program Website
Arizona State University Counseling and Applied Psychological Science (BS)Program Website
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Counseling Scholarships: Common Application Requirements

Each counseling scholarship will have its own application requirements, but there are some common requests that applicants should be aware of, such as:

  • Financial information
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement
  • Strong academic transcripts (3.0 or greater)
  • Relevant experience

Outside of other demographic or geographic requirements, a common requirement is service commitment, wherein applicants commit themselves to serving a particular population or working towards a particular research goal.

General Counseling Scholarships

American Counseling Association Tomorrow’s Counselors essay competition

  • About the Donor: Founded in 1952, the American Counseling Association is the world’s largest not-for-profit, professional, and educational organization that is dedicated to the enhancement and growth of the counseling profession. The ACA Foundation (ACAF) is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to support the work of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and to promote and advance the counseling profession. Sponsored by the ACA Foundation, this award recognizes graduate students in counseling with exceptional understanding and insight about the counseling profession and the work of professional counselors in private practice, mental health, community agencies, organizations, or related counseling settings.
  • Amount: Grand prize award ($1,000); first prize award ($750); second prize award ($500)
  • Deadline: February 26, 2024
  • Eligibility: This essay competition is open to any counseling student in a master’s degree or doctoral degree program taking one or more graduate courses at an accredited college or university. Applicants must be ACA members. They must submit an essay of 500 words or less, addressing the theme: “Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly prominent and expanding. What are the strengths and limitations of using AI when counseling clients and what are the relevant practice, ethical, and legal implications of its use in counseling?”

The Melanie Foundation Scholarship

  • About the Donor: The Melanie Foundation was formed in honor of Melanie Merola O’Donnell, who died at the age of 33 whilst pursuing her doctoral degree in psychology. The foundation aims to provide scholarships to those with the best chance of extending Melanie’s legacy: those in graduate study in the mental health field. Through this scholarship award, this foundation seeks to increase awareness about the link between community violence and mental health issues.
  • Amount: $2,500
  • Deadline: March 5, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in a mental health graduate program accredited by CACREP, APA, CSWE, COAMFTE, or ACGME. They must also have experience as a volunteer or researcher in a relevant field. Application requirements include a curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts, two letters of reference, and a typed essay.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)

  • About the Donor: The NIH (National Institutes of Health) is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The nation’s medical research agency makes important discoveries for improving health and saving lives. The NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE) is a division of the Office of Intramural Research (OIR) whose mission is to enhance the training experience of fellows and students on all of the NIH campuses. OITE offers the NIH undergraduate scholarship to students from disadvantaged backgrounds committed to careers in behavioral, biomedical, and social science health-related research. Apart from receiving scholarship support, recipients will receive paid research training at the NIH during the summer and paid employment and training at the NIH after graduation.
  • Amount: Up to $20,000 per academic year in tuition, educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses
  • Deadline: March 29, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents enrolled or accepted for enrollment as full-time students at an accredited four-year undergraduate institution having exceptional financial needs. They must have an undergraduate university grade point average of 3.3 or higher.

NHSC Loan Repayment Program

  • About the Donor: The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is working to address the lack of primary care health workers in the US. They focus on caring for everyone (even if they can’t pay) and preventing disease and illness. The NHSC supports skilled healthcare workers who serve in high-need areas through scholarships and loan repayment programs. Clinicians providing patient care under specialties and disciplines such as primary care medical, dental care, and behavioral & mental health are eligible to apply to the NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
  • Amount: $25,000 to $50,000
  • Deadline: April 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be fully trained and licensed to practice an NHSC-approved mental health discipline. In exchange for loan repayment, applicants will serve two years at an NHSC-approved site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA); half service and half repayment are available.

NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program

  • About the Donor: The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is working to address the lack of primary care health workers in the US. They focus on caring for everyone (even if they can’t pay) and preventing disease and illness. The NHSC supports skilled healthcare workers who serve in high-need areas through scholarships and loan repayment programs.
  • Amount: Up to $75,000
  • Deadline: April 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicant must be a licensed professional counselor (or hold a similar professional title) and specialize in substance abuse disorders. Applicants must also be able to serve a three-year commitment at an NHSC-approved site. Eligible specialties and disciplines include nurse practitioners, physicians, physician assistants, licensed professional counselors, health service psychologists, pharmacists, and registered nurses.

NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program

  • About the Donor: The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is working to address the lack of primary care health workers in the US. They focus on caring for everyone (even if they can’t pay) and preventing disease and illness. The NHSC supports skilled healthcare workers who serve in high-need areas through scholarships and loan repayment programs.
  • Amount: $50,000 to $100,000
  • Deadline: April 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be of an eligible professional role, such as a licensed professional counselor, marriage family therapist, or psychiatrist. Applicants must also be willing to serve a three-year commitment at a rural, NHSC-approved site. Half service and half repayment options are available.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund

  • About the Donor: The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund honors Marian Davis and Norton Putter, who emerged from a life of injustice to become vocal activists for civil rights. Since 1961, it’s awarded well over 1,500 scholarships to students who represent a spirit of and commitment to activism. Early recipients fought for civil rights and against the Vietnam War; today’s grantees participate in the struggle against racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression. This scholarship aids those who are active in movements for economic and social justice. Students who can do academic work at their university or college or are enrolled in a technical or trade program and are active in the progressive movement will be awarded these scholarships.
  • Amount: Up to $15,000
  • Deadline: April 1, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be active in movements for social and economic justice, and attending or planning to attend an undergraduate or graduate program in the United States. Application requirements include a completed application form, a personal statement, two letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a SAR, or FAFSA worksheet.

Violet and Cyril Franks Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Hosted through the American Psychological Foundation, the Violet and Cyril Franks Scholarship supports graduate-level scholarly projects that use psychology to help understand and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. The scholarship funds are meant to address research showing that stigma is a significant barrier to treatment and recovery for many of the 50 million Americans with mental illness.
  • Amount: $5,000
  • Deadline: May 15, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be graduate students in good standing who have demonstrated a commitment to stigma issues. Application requirements include a CV, a letter of recommendation from a faculty advisor, and a detailed budget and justification.

William White Scholarship

  • About the Donor: The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) represents the professional interests of over 100,000 addiction counselors, educators, and other addiction-focused health professionals. Its William White Scholarship was created to promote student addiction studies research. This scholarship will be awarded annually to one undergraduate and one graduate NAADAC student member with the best student addiction research paper on the topic assigned that year. It will be directly applied to the student’s educational debt.
  • Amount: Undergraduate ($1,000); Graduate ($2,000)
  • Deadline: May 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program for addiction studies or an addiction-related field. They must also be current NAADAC members. Application requirements include a completed application form, unofficial academic transcript, three letters of recommendation, original and individually created APA-formatted research paper, a 10-12 page essay for graduate students, and a 5-7 page essay for undergraduate students.

Psi Chi Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Founded in 1929 with a mission to encourage excellence in scholarship and advance the science of psychology, Psi Chi is an international honor society in psychology. It offers more than $400,000 in grants, awards, scholarships, and yearly stipends.
  • Amount: Eight scholarships of $3,000 each
  • Deadline: July 1, 2024
  • Eligibility: To be eligible, applicants must be Psi Chi members. The Psi Chi undergraduate and graduate scholarships help defray the direct educational costs (e.g., institutional fees, required textbooks, and tuition) of exceptional Psi Chi undergraduate and graduate students. Eight scholarships of $3,000 each are awarded annually.

David H. and Beverly A. Barlow Grant

  • About the Donor: Hosted through the American Psychological Foundation, the David H. and Beverly A. Barlow Grant aims to support innovative research into anxiety and anxiety-related disorders done by graduate students or early-career researchers.
  • Amount: Up to $8,000
  • Deadline: September 18, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be graduate students and be able to demonstrate knowledge of anxiety and anxiety-related disorders, either basic or clinical. Proposals will be evaluated based on applicant competence, the criticality of funding, and the potential impact on the field of anxiety.

Grungo Law Giving Back to the Community Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Grungo Law is a law firm that believes it’s essential to lead by example and serve one’s community, and, through its scholarship program, they hope to encourage students to do the same. This scholarship will be awarded to the applicant whose essay best describes their experienced commitment to community service and what role their experience with community service played and will play in their academic career.
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: September 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program in the United States, and be able to expound upon the role of community service in their lives. Application requirements include an updated resume, a 750-word essay, and current transcripts. Incoming first-year college students who have graduated high school or have a GED may also apply.

Scott and Paul Pearsall Grant

  • About the Donor: Hosted through the American Psychological Foundation, the Scott and Paul Pearsall Grant supports graduate and early career work that can increase the public’s understanding of the pain and stigma experienced by adults living with visible physical disabilities.
  • Amount: $10,000
  • Deadline: October 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be full-time graduate students in good standing at an accredited university, and working towards improving the public’s understanding of physical disabilities. Application requirements include a detailed budget and justification, an abbreviated CV, and letters of recommendation from faculty advisors.

Regional and School-Specific Counseling Scholarships

Cheryl Hamel School Counseling Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Through the generosity of community members and other supporters, the WCU Foundation and West Chester University provide thousands of dollars in scholarships and other resources to students at both the West Chester and Philadelphia Campuses. This Cheryl Hamel School Counseling Scholarship is for West Chester University’s master of education in school counseling (MEd) program students.
  • Amount: Varies
  • Deadline: The application deadline will be announced in 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be full or part-time graduate students pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling with a GPA of at least 3.50. They must have completed at least nine credits. One letter of recommendation and personal statement is required.

National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA) Graduate Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Since 1962, the NAJA Graduate Scholarship Program has awarded more than 579 grants that total nearly $1.4 million for graduate study in fields that address the special needs of children and youth. NAJA was formed in 1941 to unite members to render charitable services that are beneficial to the general public, with particular emphasis on children, and to cooperate with other organizations performing similar services.
  • Amount: TBD
  • Deadline: February 1, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be planning to work directly with children, and pursuing graduate studies in a field such as counseling, psychology, or mental health. Applicants must also be permanent residents of a state with a JA chapter: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, or Tennessee.

Harvey Neal Kretzer Memorial Scholarship Fund

  • About the Donor: The Youngstown State University Foundation, with an endowment of over $321.5 million, is committed to providing this “edge of excellence” for the University and the students it serves. The sole purpose of this foundation is to benefit Youngstown State University by providing more than $8 million in scholarship assistance annually for its students. The Harvey Neal Kretzer Scholarship was established by Harvey Neal Kretzer’s family. Harvey was a former teacher in the Youngstown City Schools who worked ceaselessly to provide opportunities for children from impoverished backgrounds.
  • Amount: $2,500
  • Deadline: February 1, 2024
  • Eligibility: This scholarship will be awarded to graduate students enrolled in the counseling program. Applicants must have the desire to work with disadvantaged students and show evidence of financial need. Non-school counseling students who wish to work with disadvantaged children and adolescents will also be considered.

Ida M. Pope Memorial Scholarship

  • About the Donor: The Hawaii Community Foundation helps people make a difference by inspiring the spirit of giving and investing in people and solutions that benefit every island community. In 2022, the foundation distributed over $86 million in grants to the community from funds at HCF, contracts, and private foundations statewide, including $12.5 million in scholarships. This scholarship was established to benefit female students of Hawaiian ancestry studying science, health, education, or mathematics.
  • Amount: Varies
  • Deadline: February 29, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be female, of Hawaiian ancestry, living in the state of Hawaii, and pursuing a full-time degree in counseling or social work.

Lorraine Walker and Sabrina Ware Rehabilitation Counseling Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Each year Emporia State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid to help students pursue their education. The Lorraine Walker and Sabrina Ware Rehabilitation Counseling Scholarship Fund was established to assist in the financial support of graduate students majoring in rehabilitation counseling in the Department of Counselor Education at Emporia State University. The Department of Counselor Education at Emporia State University is committed to excellence in the preparation and continuing development of professionals in the counseling field.
  • Amount: Varies
  • Deadline: February 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: This scholarship financially supports graduate students majoring in rehabilitation counseling in the Department of Counselor Education at Emporia State University. Applicants must meet general scholarship requirements established by the Department of Counselor Education scholarship committee, and only current students and future Hornets who have completed the undergraduate or graduate application for admission can log in to the scholarship portal to apply for the scholarship.

Emeliza Swain Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Emeliza Swain was a long-time counselor educator at the University of Georgia, and her work was instrumental in the early years of the Georgia School Counselors Association (GSCA), which hosts a scholarship in her name. The recipients of this scholarship are selected by the State School Counselor of the Year and the President.
  • Amount: Up to two $1,000 scholarships
  • Deadline: February 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must earn a master’s degree in guidance or school counseling from the University of Georgia.

Ab Irvine Scholarship Program

  • About the Donor: The Santa Fe Civitans are a group dedicated to improving their communities by helping others. They’re involved in various service projects designed for deserving organizations and schools, primarily those in New Mexico. Internationally, along with thousands of other chapters, the Civitan International Research Center focuses on researching and treating autism and other developmental disabilities. This scholarship honors Ab Irvine, who dedicated himself to working on the Special Olympics. Through this scholarship program, the foundation awards scholarships to students who are either college, junior, senior, or graduate students in fields such as special education, deaf or blind education, learning disabilities, allied health professions, and mental health professions. Winners can use the money earned through this scholarship for books or tuition.
  • Amount: Two scholarships of $2,000 each
  • Deadline: The 2024 application window will open in March 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be legal residents of New Mexico, Colorado, or Texas (El Paso County), and enrolled as a junior, senior, or graduate student at a college or university in one of those three states. They must also have career plans to work with children with special needs.

Marie C. Quinn Memorial Scholarship

  • About the Donor: The Nassau Counselors Association is a regional professional society that supports students pursuing a master’s degree in counseling. A chapter of the New York Counseling Association, it has over 700 members. NCA awards this scholarship to students graduating from counseling programs to assist them in their studies. Scholarship money is available to those who qualify.
  • Amount: Varies
  • Deadline: April 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must either attend school, intern, or reside in Nassau County in New York, and must be enrolled in a full-time or part-time master’s degree counseling program. Applicants must also be a member of the Nassau Counselors Association.

Stephanie Nicole Ross Foundation Graduate Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Born on June 6, 1987, in Lakeland, Florida, Stephanie Nicole Ross was a 2005 graduate of Lakeland High School. Dedicated to working with people with neurological conditions, she hoped to spread her enthusiasm by teaching others about the complexity and wonders of the human brain. While conducting a home visit, she was attacked by a client and could not survive the attack. The Stephanie Nicole Ross Foundation (SNRF), formed by those who loved her, honors Stephanie’s life and celebrates her passions and strengths. This scholarship supports graduate students studying psychology, cognitive or behavioral science, or any related field at a college or university in Florida.
  • Amount: $1,500
  • Deadline: April 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be enrolled as graduate students at a Florida college or university studying psychology, cognitive or behavioral science, or any related field.

OSCA Graduate Student Scholarships

  • About the Donor: The Ohio School Counselor Association (OSCA) is committed to supporting post-secondary excellence and offers scholarships for school counseling students at the graduate level.
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: April 30, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be currently enrolled in a master’s school counselor program in the state of Ohio, having completed at least six semester hours of graduate work. Applicants should maintain an active student membership with OSCA.

Harry and Susanne Clay Scholarship for Graduate Study in School Counseling

  • About the Donor: Chartered in 1964, the Michigan School Counselor Association is Michigan’s leading advocate for professional school counselors. It’s Harry and Susanne Clay Scholarship is awarded annually to a Michigan student pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling. This scholarship is intended for books or tuition and will be awarded annually.
  • Amount: $2,000
  • Deadline: May 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be current members of the Michigan School Counselor Association, and be accepted as a student in an approved preparation program for school counseling. Application requirements include a written statement, a letter of recommendation, and a completed scholarship application form.

AITCOY

  • About the Donor: AITCOY (Association of Illinois Township Committees on Youth) is an incorporated, statewide, non-profit organization of township-affiliated family/youth service agencies and programs. It is a statewide resource and voice for community-based human services agencies. The mission of this organization is to advance the professional identity of Township Committees on Youth by providing professional training, leadership, networking, and community education to enhance the quality of life for families and youth in the Townships throughout Illinois. AITCOY offers an undergraduate scholarship for high school seniors planning on attending a four-year college and a graduate scholarship to support the education of students pursuing a master’s degree program.
  • Amount: $500 (Undergraduate); $1,000 (Graduate)
  • Deadline: Undergraduate (May 2024 estimated); Graduate (September 2024 estimated)
  • Eligibility: Undergraduate students must be interested in serving the community, have at least a B grade point average, and plan on majoring in fields such as counseling, social work, psychology, youth prevention, sociology, or youth recreation. Graduate students must be enrolled or accepted in an approved master’s program (master of social work, master of science or arts in psychology, counseling, family therapy, recreation, or prevention with a focus on youth), have experience in youth programs or social services, and have a career plan in social services with youth. Applicants must be residents of Illinois.

LCCNC Nancy Howell Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Created in 1997 and incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 2005, Licensed Clinical Counselors of North Carolina (LCCNC) is dedicated to helping all licensed clinical mental health counselors have successful and rewarding careers in counseling while assisting with mental health needs of North Carolina citizens. This association benefits student counselors by awarding annual scholarships to deserving counseling student association members. The Nancy Howell Scholarship was created in 2004 to honor the life of a LCCNC Board member who died tragically that year in a car accident. Created to honor her life, passion, and dedication to the counseling profession, this scholarship recognizes counseling graduate students who demonstrate leadership as counseling students and potential as practicing LCMHCs.
  • Amount: $500
  • Deadline: July 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be North Carolina residents who are student members of LCCNC. They must submit a letter verifying counseling graduate program enrollment in a CACREP-accredited program, a current resume, two letters of recommendation, and a statement of their professional goals.

Demographic Counseling Scholarships

Garden State Master’s Counseling Initiative Fellowship

  • About the Donor: The National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation (NBCCF) is dedicated to improving the mental health of the underserved and never-served by increasing the number of counselors working with high-priority populations. The Garden State Master’s Counseling Initiative Fellowship was created to increase the number of Black or African American counselors available to serve underserved populations in New Jersey’s inner cities. Financial support will be provided to one student who is currently enrolled in a CACREP-accredited counseling master’s program and will commit to serving underserved populations in New Jersey’s inner cities within one year of graduation for the duration of a minimum of at least two years post-graduation.
  • Amount: $10,000
  • Deadline: January 1, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must identify as Black or African American currently living in New Jersey. They must be US citizens, permanent residents, or international students with an F-1 Visa currently enrolled full-time and be in good standing in a CACREP-accredited master’s-level counseling program. Applicants must not already possess a master’s degree in a behavioral health field.

NBCC Foundation Rural Scholarship

  • About the Donor: The National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation (NBCCF) is dedicated to improving the mental health of the underserved and never-served by increasing the number of counselors working with high-priority populations. Their primary strategies towards this end include scholarships, fellowships, and grants. The NBCC Foundation rural scholarships were created to increase the number of counselors available to serve people in rural areas. Financial support will be provided to students who are currently enrolled in a CACREP-accredited counseling master’s program, live in a rural area, and commit to serving rural populations within one year of graduation for the duration of a minimum of at least two years post-graduation.
  • Amount: $8,000
  • Deadline: January 1, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in a CACREP-accredited master’s program. They must reside in a rural area as defined by the HRSA and must commit to becoming board-certified by applying for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification prior to graduation. Moreover, they must commit to providing mental health services in a rural area in the United States within one year of graduation and for the duration of a minimum of at least two years post-graduation. Applicants must not already possess a master’s degree in a behavioral health field.

A Dream Decided (ADD) Scholarship

  • About the Donor: The National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation (NBCCF) is dedicated to improving the mental health of the underserved and never-served by increasing the number of counselors working with high-priority populations. Their primary strategies towards this end include scholarships, fellowships, and grants. The ADD Scholarship hopes to encourage undocumented counselors-in-training to pursue their decided dream of becoming a counselor by offering some financial assistance during their educational journey. Financial support will be provided to an undocumented or DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) counseling student committed to serving underserved populations.
  • Amount: $8,000
  • Deadline: January 1, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must be undocumented or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) born outside of but currently living in the United States. They must be enrolled full-time in a CACREP-accredited counseling master’s program and must not already possess a master’s degree in a behavioral health field. Moreover, applicants must commit to providing mental health services to underserved populations in the United States within one year of graduation and for a minimum of at least two years post-graduation.

Pride Foundation Scholarship

  • About the Donor: Pride Foundation provides financial resources and community support to LGBTQ+ and allied student leaders across the Northwest. Since 1993, it’s awarded over $8.5 million to over 2,400 students in Idaho, Alaska, Montana, Washington, and Oregon. Pride Foundation has over 60 scholarship funds, 10 geared towards health, wellness, counseling, and psychology.
  • Amount: $10,000
  • Deadline: January 5, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must live in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington, and identify as LGBTQ+, questioning, or an ally. They should also demonstrate financial need, leadership skills, and a strong commitment to social justice and LGBTQ+ issues.

Services for Transition Age Youth (STAY) Fellowship

  • About the Donor: Hosted through the American Psychological Foundation, the STAY Fellowship is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The fellowship is designed for students in terminal master’s programs in psychology who are being trained to provide mental health services to transition-age youths (16 to 25 years) and their families.
  • Amount: $13,000
  • Deadline: January 15, 2024
  • Eligibility: Applicants must strongly commit to a career in mental health services with ethnic minority transition-age youths and their families. They must be enrolled full-time in a program housed in the same department as a doctoral program accredited by the American Psychological Institute. Applicants must sign a commitment to work for two years in a capacity that addresses the needs of racial and ethnic minority populations. While the scholarship is not limited to minorities, it does prioritize individuals from the following demographics: African American, Alaska Native, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander.

NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship Program

  • About the Donor: The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) supports and represents the profession of school psychology by advancing effective practices to improve students’ learning, behavior, and mental health and maintaining essential standards for ethics and practice. Established in 1995 to support the graduate training of minority students pursuing careers in school psychology, the NASP-ERT minority scholarship program seeks to lower the financial barriers of promising future professionals.
  • Amount: $5,000
  • Deadline: October 2024 (estimated)
  • Eligibility: To be considered for this scholarship, candidates must be full-time or part-time minority students enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in a school psychology program that is NASP-approved or located in an institution that is accredited by the appropriate institutional regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. They must be US citizens in good academic standing, having a minimum cumulative overall GPA of 3.0, and must also be NASP members. Students enrolled in doctoral programs will not be considered for this scholarship award.
Matt Zbrog

Matt Zbrog

Writer

Matt Zbrog is a writer and researcher from Southern California. Since 2020, he’s written extensively about how counselors and other behavioral health professionals are working to address the nation’s mental health and substance use crises, with a particular focus on community-driven and interdisciplinary approaches. His articles have included detailed interviews with leaders and subject matter experts from the American Counseling Association (ACA), the American Mental Health Counselor Association (AMHCA), the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).