Social Work Scholarships

Many young social workers reach a point where they feel a Master of Social Work (MSW) would accelerate their career and broaden their options; however, some are deterred by the potential cost of a master’s program. Fortunately, there are many scholarships and grants available to social work graduate students that can lighten the financial load. Following is a list of some of those scholarship and grant opportunities.

Truman Scholarships
Amount: Up to $30,000
The Harry S. Truman Foundation scholarships support students looking to make a difference in advocacy, nonprofit, and public service. Truman Scholars receive the scholarship as well as the opportunity to participate in leadership development courses and special internships.

John A. Hartford Foundation Fellowship Grants
Amount: Varies
The foundation is primarily focused on furthering the field of gerontology and has various active grants available in universities all over the United States.

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) Awards
Amount: Varies
ISTSS has various awards and scholarship opportunities for students who have made significant contributions to the field of traumatic stress through clinical work, research, or advocacy.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund
Amount: Up to $10,000
This is a need-based scholarship fund for students actively advocating for peace and social justice in their community and on campus. Grantees are often active in the struggle against homophobia, racism, and sexism, or in building foundations for economic justice and peace.

Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial MSW Scholarship
Amount: $5,500
This scholarship is available through the National Association of Social Workers and is awarded to master’s candidates committed to working in African-American communities. Recipients usually have experience working in health and mental health organizations.

Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial MSW Scholarship
Amount: $4,000
These scholarships, available through the National Association of Social Workers, are awarded to master’s candidates who have a commitment to working with American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic/Latino populations.

National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) Scholarships
Amounts: From $250 to $2,500
The NABSW offers various scholarships based on merit, community involvement, and interest in furthering the development of African-American students. The scholarship with the highest award ($2,500) is the Cenie “Jomo” Williams Tuition Scholarship for full-time students in accredited social work programs.

Ron Brown Scholar Fund
Amount: $40,000
This fund is for young African Americans with leadership potential who are interested in civic engagement and community. In addition to the scholarship, recipients are connected with service and leadership development opportunities.

Point Foundation
Amount: Varies
Point funds help promising LGBTQ students overcome obstacles in order to make a significant impact on society. Scholarships are “last providers” — which means they are awarded after applicants have secured as much outside funding as possible. In this way, Point scholarships cover the final gaps that may keep students from achieving their academic goals.

American Association of University Women (AAUW)
Amount:Varies
There are various grants, fellowships, and scholarships available through the AAUW, including funding specifically for women working in social work fields, such as social justice and women’s rights and equity.

Philanthropic Educational Organization International Peace Scholarship
Amount: Up to $10,000
This program awards scholarships to women from countries other than the United States and Canada who are pursuing a graduate degree in the U.S. Recipients are committed to advocating for peace and women’s equity.

Jane B. Aron Doctoral Fellowship
Amount: Varies
This fellowship is for doctoral candidates conducting research for dissertations on health care policy and practice. Dissertations with a diversity component are preferred.

Judith Holm Memorial Student Awards
Amount: $2,000
Holm Awards are for final-year graduate students who will pursue a career in clinical social work. Students compete through submission of papers about interventions from final-year field placements.

Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarship
Amount: $5,000
This grant is awarded to graduate and undergraduate students with proven commitments to reducing tobacco consumption in underserved communities. Recipients have strong backgrounds in community service, activism, outreach, and peer counseling.

Ruth Fizdale Program
Amount: Up to $3,000
This program aims to underwrite research projects targeted to emerging issues in social justice policy and practice.

Carl A. Scott Book Scholarship
Amount: $500
The Scott fund is dedicated to students of color pursuing a social work degree who plan to work in equity, social justice, or community development.

This is just a sample of some of the many social work scholarships and other funding opportunities available to MSW students. For more information, visit our SocialWork@Simmons financial aid page.