Social Work Scholarships

Social Work Scholarships

Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarship

Amount: Up to $5,000 each

Description: The NASW Foundation awards up to 10 Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarships of up to $5,000 each; the 2026–2027 awards were $5,000 each. Applicants are MSW candidates who have applied to or been accepted into an accredited MSW program, are NASW members in good standing, and have a GPA of at least 3.0. They must show a commitment to American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic/Latino populations, or to public or voluntary nonprofit agencies or local grassroots groups in the United States. The online application includes a two-page biographical essay, a financial-need and merit statement, two professional letters and an official transcript. The 2026 application cycle has closed, and the 2027–2028 cycle opens in January 2027.

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund

Amount: Up to $15,000 per year

Description: The Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund awards need-based grants to students who are actively involved in progressive social change movements, with priority for applicants without economic privilege or family wealth. Applicants must be enrolled in or admitted to a degree or certificate program at a college, university or trade or technical school, and the fund names no required field of study. The average grant in 2025–26 was $7,700. Grants are paid each term and must be used in the year awarded, and recipients must reapply every year. The application asks for short essays, two recommendation letters, transcripts and financial information, including a Student Aid Report or FAFSA worksheet. Applications open in January and close at midnight Eastern time on April 1; grants from the 2026 cycle cover fall 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Ima Hogg Scholarships

Amount: Not stated on the program page

Description: The Hogg Foundation at the University of Texas at Austin has awarded Ima Hogg Scholarships since 1956 to graduate social work students who are committed to careers providing mental health services to underserved or underrepresented Texans. Students cannot apply directly: each eligible Texas MSW or MSSW program, accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) or pending accreditation, nominates one student a year through the foundation’s online grant portal. Nominees must have completed or be completing the first year of a two-year program, or be recently admitted to a one-year advanced-standing program, and they describe their financial need in a personal statement. Ask your program’s dean or director about the nomination process.

Jane B. Aron Doctoral Fellowship

Amount: Partial support; no amount stated

Description: The NASW Foundation’s Jane B. Aron Doctoral Fellowship provides partial support to doctoral candidates in CSWE-accredited social work programs whose dissertation research focuses on health care policy and practice. Applicants must be NASW members in good standing. The Foundation says the Aron and Eileen Blackey doctoral fellowship programs are currently paused and that no fellowships are being awarded at this time, so check its page for updates before you plan around this award.

National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, Inc. Graduate Scholarship Program

Amount: Not stated per award

Description: The NAJA graduate scholarship supports students who work or plan to work directly with children and youth and who are pursuing graduate study in fields such as counseling, psychology, mental health, special education and speech pathology. NAJA says its list is not limited to those fields, but social work is not named, so social work students should confirm their eligibility with NAJA. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and permanent residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri or Tennessee, and awards do not fund study in administration or general education. Applications are accepted from September 1 to February 1, and awards are announced in April.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)

Amount: $2,500 – $12,000

Description: The National Italian American Foundation awards nearly 200 scholarships, from $2,500 to $12,000, through a single application that matches applicants to scholarship funds. Applicants need an active NIAF membership (their own or a parent’s, guardian’s or grandparent’s), full-time study at an accredited U.S. institution, a GPA of at least 3.5 (some funds accept lower), U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and a demonstrated commitment to Italian culture and heritage. Most funds are for undergraduates and a few are for graduate study. Individual funds set their own fields of study, and NIAF’s overview does not name social work. The 2027–28 application opens December 1, 2026, and is due March 1, 2027.

Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg Scholarship

Amount: $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000

Description: Phi Alpha Honor Society presents Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg Bachelor of Social Work Scholarships of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 each year to recognize student scholarship, service and leadership. Applicants must be Phi Alpha members in good standing, and applicants for these scholarships must be BSW students when they apply, according to the society’s application guide. The entry deadline is May 31, and Phi Alpha’s page lists the 2026 recipients.

The Point Foundation

Amount: Up to $15,000, with support for up to four years

Description: Point Foundation’s Flagship Scholarship supports LGBTQ+ students and allies in degree-seeking undergraduate, graduate and professional programs at accredited, not-for-profit U.S. colleges and universities. Scholars receive awards of up to $15,000 and support for up to four years, along with leadership and career development that includes workshops, an in-person summer conference and alumni networking. Applicants need a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 and must study full time, and fully online programs are not eligible. The application window runs from September 9 to November 19 for students starting in fall 2027.

The Roothbert Fund – Fellowship

Amount: Typically $5,000 to $7,000, renewable

Description: Roothbert Fund Fellowships support students whose daily actions are guided by spiritual values. Fellowships typically range from $5,000 to $7,000 and can be renewed while the student stays in the same degree program. The fund says it prefers graduate students and undergraduates who have completed at least one year of college, studying at accredited U.S. institutions. It gives preference, which is not a requirement, to candidates who live in or attend school in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia or West Virginia. Applicants submit an online form, an official transcript, three autobiographical essays and three recommendation letters. Selected candidates must interview, typically in person in New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia or New Haven, with virtual interviews allowed in some cases. Fellows must attend an annual Pendle Hill weekend and complete seven additional program hours. The online portal opens November 1 and applications are due February 1.

Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Leadership Grant

Amount: $5,000 — $15,000

Description: The Sons of Italy Foundation offers 10 to 12 merit-based National Leadership Grants a year, from $5,000 to $15,000, to students of Italian descent (at least one Italian or Italian American grandparent) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in an accredited four-year undergraduate, graduate or professional program. No field of study is required. Applicants pay a $35 non-refundable fee, which includes a one-year at-large membership in the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, and submit transcripts, two professional recommendation letters and standardized test scores from the past five years. The page lists the 2025 cycle as closed and says details for the next cycle will follow. State and local lodges may offer their own awards.

The Kosciuszko Foundation

Amount: $1,000 — $30,000

Description: The Kosciuszko Foundation offers tuition scholarships to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents of Polish descent who study full time at colleges and universities in the United States. Graduate awards, for master’s and Ph.D. students with a GPA of at least 3.0, range from $1,000 to $30,000, and all fields are eligible; the foundation also sets aside funds for specific majors and regions. Applicants document their Polish ancestry and pay a non-refundable $40 fee. The application for the fall 2027–spring 2028 academic year is due February 1, 2027, with recommendation letters due February 15, 2027.

The Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Scholarship (NASW Foundation)

Amount: $4,000 each (two awards for 2026–2027)

Description: The NASW Foundation awarded two Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Scholarships of $4,000 each for 2026–2027, paid in two installments at the start of the fall and spring semesters. Applicants are MSW candidates who have applied to or been accepted into an accredited MSW program, are NASW members in good standing, and have a GPA of at least 3.0. They need an interest in or experience with health or mental health practice and a commitment to working in African American communities. The application includes a two-page biographical essay, a one-page statement of merit and financial need, two professional reference letters and an official transcript. The 2026 cycle has closed, and the 2027–2028 cycle opens in January 2027.

Social Work Scholarships for Minority Students

Native Forward Scholars Fund (formerly American Indian Graduate Center)

Amount: Varies

Description: Native Forward Scholars Fund (formerly the American Indian Graduate Center) administers scholarships and fellowships for American Indian and Alaska Native students, and its listings cover undergraduate, graduate and professional levels, most for students enrolled full time at accredited institutions. Requirements vary by scholarship: some list minimum GPAs of 2.7 or 3.0, some are limited to particular tribal communities, such as members of the 19 Pueblo Nations of New Mexico, and many are tied to specific fields. The listings do not name social work as a field, but several graduate awards, including the Katharine Scallan and Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community scholarships, list any field, so read each listing before you apply.

Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund

Amount: Book scholarships; amount not stated

Description: The Council on Social Work Education’s Board of Directors established the Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund to continue Scott’s work on equity and social justice. The fund awards book scholarships each year to social work students, and the 2026 winners were one BSW student and one MSW student. CSWE announces the winners at its Annual Conference. The page does not list eligibility criteria, an amount or an application deadline, so contact CSWE for details.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)

Amount: $500-$5,000, depending on available funds

Description: The Hispanic Scholarship Fund selects Scholars on merit and may award them $500 to $5,000 based on relative need, depending on available funds and participation in its Fund A Scholar program, so being selected does not by itself guarantee a cash award. Applicants must be students of Hispanic heritage who attend an accredited public or not-for-profit four-year university or graduate school full time, be U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents or DACA recipients, have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in high school or 2.5 in college or graduate school, and complete the FAFSA. Awards are open to any major. The 2026 HSF Scholar Program opened January 5 and closed February 15, 2026.

Indian Health Service – Health Professions Scholarship Program

Amount: Not stated on the program pages

Description: The Indian Health Service Health Professions Scholarship Program funds undergraduate and graduate students who are members of federally recognized tribes or Alaska Native villages and who are U.S. citizens or nationals. Applicants must be accepted into or enrolled in an accredited U.S. program and have at least a 2.0 GPA, according to the program’s eligibility page, which also lists a minimum two-year commitment: recipients agree to full-time clinical practice at an Indian health program. This scholarship is separate from IHS’s preparatory and pre-graduate awards. The program pages do not list scholarship amounts or an application deadline. IHS’s priority list for academic year 2027–2028 includes licensed clinical social work (LCSW), alongside mental health counseling and clinical and counseling psychology.

Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship

Amount: $2,000

Description: The NAACP’s Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship is a one-time, non-renewable $2,000 award for NAACP members under age 25 who are full-time students at, or accepted to, an accredited U.S. college. Applicants must be U.S. residents or citizens, need a minimum GPA of 3.0 and demonstrated financial need, and any field of study is eligible. The NAACP lists graduating high school seniors and undergraduates as eligible and says graduate students should apply for applicable scholarships, so graduate eligibility is unclear. The 2026 application period ran from April 13 to May 22, 2026.

National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW)

Amount: $500 to $2,500 (2025 awards)

Description: The National Association of Black Social Workers offers tuition and book scholarships, including the Cenie “Jomo” Williams Tuition Scholarship (two awards of $2,500), to NABSW members enrolled for at least six credit hours in an undergraduate, master’s or doctoral social work program at an accredited school. Applicants need a GPA of at least 2.5, community service and an interest in social work in the Black community, and they submit a 500-word essay, two recommendations and a transcript and take part in a Zoom interview. Some awards are limited to students at historically Black colleges and universities, to macro social work and public policy students, or to members of a specific circle. NABSW’s published packet covers students starting in fall 2025, with a January 27, 2025 deadline; email scholarship@nabsw.org to confirm the current cycle.

Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance (ONNSFA) – Graduate Award

Amount: $2,500 to $5,000 per term

Description: The Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance lists graduate awards of $2,500 to $5,000 per term for Navajo students pursuing master’s, education terminal or doctoral degrees. Full-time status means at least nine semester credit hours and a term GPA of at least 3.00, while medical, veterinary and law students must be full time with a GPA of at least 2.00. Awards are limited to one degree per level. The awards page says deadlines are strictly enforced but does not list them, so check with ONNSFA for the current dates.

The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

Amount: Up to $90,000 over two years

Description: The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships fund graduate education for New Americans, with up to $90,000 in financial support over two years, according to the sponsor’s homepage. The sponsor defines New Americans by specific immigration categories on its eligibility page, and applicants must be 30 or younger at the deadline, be enrolled full time in an accredited U.S. graduate or professional program for 2027–28 and not have started the third year of the funded program. Online programs are eligible. The 2027 application closed October 29, 2026, at 2 p.m. Eastern, and the application process page lists the 2028 opening as mid-April 2027. The foundation says its fellows have studied in fields that include medicine, science, law and policy, and no field of study is required.

Military Financial Assistance

Post-9/11 GI Bill

Amount: Varies

Description: The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides education benefits to eligible veterans, service members and, in some cases, their dependents. Benefits cover tuition and fees (up to a cap at private and foreign schools), a monthly housing allowance for students enrolled more than half time, and a books and supplies stipend for undergraduate and graduate degrees at approved institutions. The level of benefit depends on the length of qualifying active-duty service. For the 2026–27 award year, from August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027, the VA lists a private and foreign school tuition cap of up to $30,908.34, a books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per academic year and, for students enrolled only online, a housing allowance of up to $1,198 a month.

Yellow Ribbon Program

Amount: Varies

Description: The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplement to the Post-9/11 GI Bill that helps cover tuition and fees above the GI Bill cap at participating colleges and universities. Under this program, schools voluntarily contribute a set amount toward remaining tuition; the VA matches that contribution. To qualify, students must generally be at the 100% eligibility level under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Availability and award amounts vary by institution and program, so students should check with their school’s veterans’ affairs office.

Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)

Amount: Varies

Description: The Montgomery GI Bill provides a monthly education benefit to eligible active-duty (MGIB-AD) and Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) service members. Most MGIB-AD recipients receive up to 36 months of benefits. From October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, full-time college students receive $2,601.00 a month with three or more years of service or $2,110.00 with two to three years, according to the VA’s rates page. MGIB-SR requires a six-year Selected Reserve obligation that began after June 30, 1985, completion of initial active-duty training and good standing in an active Selected Reserve unit, and it pays for up to 36 months.

Survivors and Dependents Assistance (DEA)

Amount: Varies

Description: Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35) provides education benefits to spouses and children of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled because of a service-connected disability or who died of a service-connected disability or in the line of duty, as well as families of some service members who are missing, captured or detained. Eligible students receive up to 36 months of benefits for training that begins on or after August 1, 2018, and up to 45 months for earlier training. Children whose eligibility begins on or after August 1, 2023 have no age limit. The VA’s page refers to a separate rates page for monthly payment amounts.

Tuition Assistance Top-Up

Amount: Varies

Description: Tuition Assistance Top-Up lets eligible active-duty service members use MGIB-AD entitlement to pay tuition and fees that exceed what the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance (TA) program covers; the TA and Top-Up payments together cannot exceed the total course cost. The VA deducts one month of MGIB-AD entitlement for each Top-Up payment equal to the full-time monthly MGIB-AD rate, and Top-Up can pay for up to 36 months. Because the months used reduce the benefit available for later study, talk with an education counselor before choosing this option.

Social Work Scholarships for Women

American Association of University Women (AAUW)

Amount: $25,000 stipend for American Doctoral Fellowships

Description: AAUW’s American Doctoral Fellowships provide a $25,000 stipend to women completing a first doctoral degree full time. The program lists seven eligible degree types, including the Ph.D. in all fields; the DSW is not among them, so DSW students should confirm eligibility with AAUW before applying. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals or permanent residents, online programs are not eligible, and the program sets start-and-end-date requirements on its page. The 2027–2028 cycle closed September 30, 2026.

Fraternity and Sorority Scholarships

Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Scholarship

Amount: Varies (most scholarships are for $3,000 for one year)

Description: The Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation lists scholarships for undergraduate and graduate Kappas, and most are $3,000. The Foundation’s page says the 2025–26 application cycle is closed and that information for 2026–27 will follow, so confirm the current window with the Foundation before you plan around this award.

Pi Gamma Mu Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Description: Pi Gamma Mu, the international honor society in social sciences, awards $2,500 graduate scholarships to members who are first-time graduate students. Social work is among the eligible fields, along with anthropology, criminal justice, psychology, sociology and other social sciences; business administration is excluded. Applicants must be enrolled in the fall of the award year, cannot already hold an advanced degree and cannot be previous recipients, and the society gives no more than three awards per discipline each year. The application requires a form, a 500–750 word statement, a résumé, at least three recommendations and unofficial transcripts. The deadline is May 1 each year, winners are notified in late spring, and awards are paid in the fall.

Omega Psi Phi – George E. Meares Memorial Scholarship

Amount: Up to $5,000

Description: The George E. Meares Memorial Scholarship, listed in the Omega Psi Phi Foundation’s 2025–26 scholarship guidelines, provides up to $5,000 to full-time students in an accredited graduate or professional school who are seeking a graduate degree in social work, the social sciences or criminal justice. Applicants need a cumulative GPA of at least 3.1 and good standing. Candidates submit an application packet to their district scholarship chairman, and each district selects one candidate to put forward for national recognition. Deadlines are set by each district. These terms come from the 2025–26 guidelines, so confirm the current year’s terms with the foundation.

Social Work Loans and Loan Repayment

For loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, the Department of Education no longer makes new Grad PLUS loans, according to its final rule implementing Public Law 119-21. A student keeps earlier terms only if enrolled in the program as of June 30, 2026 and had received a Direct Loan for that program before July 1, 2026; the exception lasts for the lesser of three academic years or the remaining program length and ends if the student withdraws or stops being enrolled. Under the rule, graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 a year in Direct Unsubsidized Loans, with a $100,000 aggregate limit that is adjusted for prior professional study, and the limits are reduced in proportion for less-than-full-time enrollment. A lifetime cap of $257,500 also applies, with listed exclusions and an exception. The higher professional-student limits of $50,000 a year and $200,000 in total apply only to programs on the department’s professional degree list, and social work does not appear on the version updated October 23, 2026. The department calls that list interim while court cases continue, so confirm with your school’s financial aid office how your program is classified and how much you can borrow.

Borrowers with loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2026 repay under either the Tiered Standard plan, which sets payments over 10 to 25 years depending on the balance, or the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), which has a $10 minimum payment, according to the same rule. Compare what you plan to borrow with typical pay in our guide to social work salaries.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program

Amount: $50,000 for full-time behavioral health service, up to $55,000 with the Spanish-language enhancement

Description: The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program pays down qualifying student loans for health professionals who work at NHSC-approved sites in high-need areas for a two-year commitment. For behavioral and mental health clinicians, base awards are $50,000 for full-time service and $25,000 for half-time service, and eligible applicants with Spanish-language proficiency can receive up to $5,000 more, for totals of up to $55,000 and $30,000. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals and hold current, full, unrestricted licensure by the cycle deadline. The program’s FY2026 application guidance lists licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) among eligible behavioral health providers; LCSWs must serve in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, hold an MSW or doctoral degree from a CSWE-accredited school and have passed the ASWB Clinical exam. The guidance also lists specific earlier and alternative pathways, including a California examination route, so read its eligibility section. Continuation contracts can add up to $20,000 per additional year but are not guaranteed. The 2026 application cycle is closed, and the next window has not been announced.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Amount: Varies

Description: Public Service Loan Forgiveness forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments made while working full time for an eligible government or nonprofit employer under a qualifying repayment plan; many social service organizations are eligible employers. Federal Student Aid says it is implementing significant changes to student loan forgiveness. A Department of Education final rule, with a technical correction, takes effect July 1, 2026. It sets a process through which the Secretary can determine that an employer has a “substantial illegal purpose” and is no longer eligible, and borrowers keep credit for qualifying payments made before the effective date of that determination. Confirm that your loans, your employer and your repayment plan all qualify before you rely on forgiveness.

Paying for a Social Work Degree: Common Questions

Can scholarships and grants cover a social work degree? Awards on this page range from the $500 book scholarships NABSW listed for its 2025 cycle to the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships’ support of up to $90,000 over two years, so many students combine several sources: scholarships and grants, military education benefits, federal loans and, after graduation, loan repayment or forgiveness through programs such as the NHSC Loan Repayment Program and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Are there scholarships for BSW and other undergraduate students? Yes. The Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg Scholarship is a Phi Alpha award for Bachelor of Social Work students, and the Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund’s 2026 book scholarships went to one BSW student and one MSW student. Several awards above also accept undergraduates in any field, including the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the Point Foundation and the NAACP’s Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship. Our BSW degree guide explains what the degree involves.

Are there scholarships for doctoral social work students? Options include the NASW Foundation’s Jane B. Aron Doctoral Fellowship, which is currently paused, AAUW’s American Doctoral Fellowships, which list the Ph.D. but not the DSW among eligible degrees, Native Forward’s awards for American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students and the Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund, which accepts students in any degree program. Our DSW degree guide includes a section on paying for a doctorate.

Do I need to file the FAFSA? Some sponsors on this page ask for FAFSA information: the Hispanic Scholarship Fund requires applicants to complete the FAFSA, and the Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund asks for a Student Aid Report or FAFSA worksheet. Federal Student Aid reports that the 2027–28 FAFSA opened to the public on September 23, 2026.

State-by-State Social Work Scholarships

Find social work scholarships specific to your state by clicking on your states name below:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming
• Washington, D.C.

Weighing whether to enroll? Our guide to whether an online MSW is worth it covers flexibility, accreditation and career benefits.