Psychology is a science that studies human thought, behavior, personality, development, and emotion, among others. The American Psychological Association describes the subject as a multifaceted discipline that includes varied sub-areas like human development, health, clinical, sports, social behavior, and cognitive processes. Psychology and its related fields have a vital role to play in modern society.
The study of psychology is, therefore, a popular choice for students across the world. However, post-secondary education can be expensive, especially when one calculates the fees and living expenses along with the tuition. This is where psychology scholarships come in to play a supportive role and allow students to pursue their dreams of a career in psychology or counseling.
Numerous institutions offer scholarships for students who are looking to build their careers in the field of psychology. They are merit-based as well as need-based, and often a combination of two. They are designed to aid a deserving student get into the field of their choice and prepare for a successful future of helping others. Though most psychology scholarships are meant for graduate-level and doctoral-level students, undergraduates should not be disheartened. Most students can get substantial financial aid through their schools as they enroll in a program.
In this article, we have explored these choices and listed the top 20 for you. We have provided a brief overview of the psychology scholarships open to students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. You can visit each link to get more details about each. Most of these are endorsed by the American Psychological Association.
#1 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship
The Guggenheim Foundation supports postdoctoral research and also offers over ten dissertation fellowships of $20,000 each. Eligible for students in the final year of their Ph.D. work, the fellowship is typically related to violence and aggression concerning intergroup conflict, war, social change, terrorism, and crime, among others.
#2 Ohio School Counselor Association Scholarship
The Ohio School Counselor Association offers a scholarship of $500 to deserving high school seniors for undergraduate study and up to two $1000 graduate scholarships to deserving graduate students who meet the required qualifications. They are meant for students looking to become professional guidance counselors.
#3 Master’s Degree Scholarship in Psychology and Counseling
The $500 annual scholarship is awarded to deserving students who are pursuing a master’s degree in Psychology and Counseling. Candidates’ eligibility is dependent on their extracurricular activities as well as academic excellence. Students have the option to specialize in fields such as community counseling, family and marriage therapy and clinical psychology.
#4 Bisexual Foundation Scholarship Award
The Bisexual Foundation Scholarship Award is a scholarship of $1,000 provided to students who are keen on studying the psychological aspects of bisexuality. The program is well suited for students who are dedicated to advance the research and analysis of bisexuality and bisexual behavior. The award is offered by American Psychological Association Division 44 and it recognizes the increasing importance of research and studies conducted for a better understanding of LGBT issues in psychology. Students looking to get this scholarship must be enrolled for a full-time program in the Department of Psychology at the graduate level.
#5 Bachelor’s Degree Scholarship in Social Science
The students who sign up for majors in various social science subjects can apply for this particular annual scholarship of $500. The selections are based on extracurricular activities, academic history, as well as employment history. Along with Psychology, they can also pursue Political Science, Sociology, and Anthropology, among other subjects with the financial assistance they get.
#6 HSF Toyota High School Scholarship Fund
This scholarship of $5000 is offered by the collaboration of the Toyota and Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF). Its purpose is to present with financial resources for all deserving high school graduates of Hispanic heritage. The scholarships are offered to all students looking to study counseling and various disciplines related to it.
#7 National Federation of Republican Women National Pathfinder Scholarship
The National Federation of Republican Women National Pathfinder Scholarship was established to honor Nancy Reagan, the former first lady of the US. NFRW provides three scholarships every year to various women who are pursuing careers associated with substance abuse. The scholarship amount is $2500, and it is aimed at helping women looking to major in psychology as well as other related professions.
#8 Pride Foundation Scholarship
Pride Foundation offers more than 50 scholarships each year. Among these, ten scholarships are meant for students pursuing degrees within the health and wellness sectors of psychology and counseling. Students may choose to opt for more than a single scholarship ranging up to $10000. It is applicable for residents of Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Washington or Oregon.
#9 Undergraduate Scholarship Program (CIA)
The Undergraduate Scholarship program offered by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) funds education and summer work sessions with the CIA for undergraduate students. The CIA provides students with the opportunity to explore how various fields in intelligence work, including psychology and counseling. The amount of the scholarship is $18,000 annually, along with benefits. Recipients are expected to work with the agency for some time after completing their degrees.
#10 American Psychological Foundation (APF) Graduate Student Scholarships
American Psychological Foundation currently provides 21 annual scholarships that range between $2000 and $5000 for students enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs. Granted by the American Psychological Association Science Directorate, the aim of these scholarships is to help the graduate psychology students with the research costs needed to pay for a doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis.
#11 Benton-Meier Scholarships
Benton-Meier Scholarships offered by the American Psychological Foundation or APF are meant for graduate students studying various facets of neuropsychology. The two annual scholarships of $2500 each focus on innovative research by students that might create a difference in the lives of people. Students who have completed doctoral candidacy and have demonstrated research competence and commitment to psychology are eligible.
#12 California Psychological Association Foundation (CPA-F) Scholarship
The scholarship offered by CPA-Foundation can provide financial support to students who have a keen interest in psychology. The CPA-Foundation is dedicated to increasing the number of minority professional psychologists and specialists in leadership roles within the minority communities as well as in the state of California. The amount of the scholarships is $2000.
#13 David Pilon Scholarship for Training in Professional Psychology
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The David Pilon Scholarship for Training in Professional Psychology funds future leaders in the field of psychology. The program has been named after David Pilon, who was one of the notable founding members of the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students or APAGS way back in 1988. The program offers a scholarship for $1,000 which is meant for supplemental education and training opportunities in psychology.
#14 George C. Thornton, III Graduate Scholarship
The $3000 scholarship is intended for doctoral students who are interested in following the scientist/practitioner model. It is presented by SIOP or Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Candidates who enroll for this program must show achievements in the field of science as well as the practice of organizational and industrial psychology.
#15 Malyon Smith Scholarship Research Award
The Malyon Smith Scholarship Research Award is presented to graduate students in the field of psychology who are conducting research on gender identity and sexual orientation. The $1000 scholarship aims to increase awareness of LGBT psychology and prepares future counselors to help more people within the community and beyond.
#16 Master’s Student Minority Scholarship
The AAMFT or American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Research and Education Foundation offers three scholarships to all Masters A level minority students to up to $2000 for every candidate. The AAMFT is looking specifically for minority individuals who show great promise as well as a commitment to a career in the field of family and marriage therapy education, practice, and research.
#17 Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students
The Scholarships from HRSA or Health Resources and Services Administration are usually reserved for students coming from low-income backgrounds but belong to a HRSA participating school. Students looking to pursue counseling as well as degrees within the mental health sector can apply for these scholarships. Graduates are encouraged to practice in diverse settings and deliver health care in communities that lack access to basic health care needs.
#18 Texas Counseling Association Scholarship
The $500 scholarship offered by the Texas Association of Counselor Education and Supervision is meant for all graduate students who stand out for their academic excellence and enhanced abilities in counseling education. Reserved for current students in a graduate counseling program in Texas, applicants need to be a member of both TCA and TACES to be considered and demonstrate their thorough commitment to the sphere of counseling education.
#19 Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Scholarship
The Japanese American Citizens League or JACL is by far the largest and oldest Asian American organization of civil rights in the United States. JACL has been offering the National Scholarship and Awards Program since 1946 to help students achieve their educational dreams in various fields, including psychology. The program provides over 30 one-time awards to qualified students nationwide with an annual total of over $70,000.
#20 Arizona School Counselors Association Scholarships
The Arizona School Counselors Association offers a non-renewable $1,000 scholarship to assist a student pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling within the state of Arizona. The association also provides three high school seniors a non-renewable $1,000.00 scholarship to assist with post-secondary education costs. Students need to be a public or private secondary school in the state of Arizona.
The programs discussed above are some of the best in the industry and can help students looking to have a successful career in psychology. Students need to check the eligibility standards for each by visiting the association websites.
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