2024 Guide to Counseling Scholarships

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.

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.