2022-2023 Guide to Counseling Scholarships

General Counseling Scholarships

Grungo Colarulo Giving Back to the Community Scholarship

• About the Donor: Grungo Colarulo 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: November 14, 2022
• 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.

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 the 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: December 2022 (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: December 2022 (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: December 2022 (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.

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’s goal is 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, 2023
• Eligibility: Applicants must be currently 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 who are 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 31, 2023
• 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.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund

• About the Donor: The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund honors Marian Davis and Norman Putter, who emerged from a life of injustice to become vocal activists for civil rights. Since 1961, it’s awarded well over 1,200 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, 2023
• 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: $1,000
• Deadline: May 2023 (estimated)
• 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.

AAC Behavioral Health Academic Scholarship Program

• About the Donor: Since its founding in 2007, the American Addiction Centers (AAC) has grown into the largest network of rehab facilities worldwide, and the AAC Behavioral Health Academic Scholarship Program addresses the growing need for qualified behavioral health, addiction, and mental health professionals in this area. Undergraduates and graduates will be provided with financial assistance to pursue careers in behavioral health and addiction-related studies. The programs that are eligible for this scholarship include social work, nursing, psychology, counseling, substance abuse, mental health, and marriage and family therapy training programs.
• Amount: $2,500 to $5,000
• Deadline: May 2023 (estimated)
• Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in accredited psychology, counseling, social work, or marriage and family therapy programs focusing on mental health and substance abuse disorders.

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 2023 (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: $3000
• Deadline: July 26, 2023
• 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 undergraduate and eight graduate 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 disorder done by graduate students or early-career researchers.
• Amount: Up to $7,500
• Deadline: September 2023 (estimated)
• 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.

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 2023 (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.

Demographic Counseling Scholarships

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 28, 2022
• 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.

NBCCF Minority Master’s Fellowship (Addiction)

• 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 NBCC minority fellowship program for addictions counselors will administer up to 40 master’s degree-level counseling fellowships of $15,000 for addictions counseling students and the travel expenses to participate in other program-related training.
• Amount: $15,000
• Deadline: January 1, 2023
• Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited master’s program, and demonstrate knowledge and experience in addressing substance abuse within underserved minority communities. Applicants must also commit to serving those communities for two years within a year of graduation. 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.

NBCCF Minority Fellowship for Mental Health Counselors (Master’s)

• 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 minority fellowship program for mental health counselors will administer up to 30 master’s-level counseling fellowships of $10,000 and the travel expenses to participate in program-related training for mental health counseling students.
• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: January 1, 2023
• Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in a CACREP-accredited master’s program. Applicants should have knowledge and experience with underserved minority communities, and commit to serving them for a minimum of two years within a year of graduation. 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.

NBCCF Minority Fellowship for Mental Health Counselors (Doctoral)

• 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 minority fellowship program for mental health counselors will administer up to 20 doctoral-level counseling fellowships of $20,000 and the travel expenses to participate in program-related training.
• Amount: $20,000
• Deadline: January 1, 2023
• Eligibility: Applicants must be board certified by holding the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential, and be enrolled in a CACREP-accredited doctoral program. Applicants must have knowledge and experience in serving a minority community, and commit to serving such a community for two years within a year of completing the program. 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.

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 more than $7 million to over 2,200 students in Idaho, Alaska, Montana, Washington, and Oregon. Pride Foundation has over 60 scholarship funds, 10 of which are geared towards health, wellness, counseling, and psychology. 
• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: January 2023 (estimated)
• 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: $10,000
• Deadline: January 15, 2023
• 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.