Scholarships for social work students in the USA
Below is a list of scholarships and bursaries that MSW students across the USA may apply for. Note that this list includes application deadlines, location requirements, and a brief overview of the scholarship requirements and funding amount, as well as links to learn more about each program.
Please practice discretion when exploring resources and links on this page. MSW Helper does not endorse the legitimacy of any of the following resources and viewers are responsible for their own actions on external links.
National Scholarships for social work students
Carl A. Scott Book Scholarship
Amount: $500
Deadline: April
Two $500 book scholarships that will be awarded to one BSW and one MSW student who have demonstrated their commitment to promoting equity, racial, economic, and environmental justice in their social work careers.
Learn more about this social work scholarship
Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarship
Amount: $4000
Deadline: MSW Scholarship Applications accepted between January - March
The Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarship is awarded to master's degree candidates in social work who have demonstrated a commitment to working with, or who have a special affinity with, American Indian/Alaska Native and Hispanic/Latino populations. Candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to working with public or voluntary nonprofit agencies or with local grassroots groups in the United States are also eligible.
Verne LaMarr Lyons Scholarship
Amount: The Lyons Scholarships are awarded based on projected annual earnings and contributions. The number of scholarship awards - and amount - for the 2024- 2025 academic year will be announced in January 2024.
Deadline: MSW Scholarship Applications accepted between January - March.
The Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Scholarship is awarded to Master's Degree candidates in social work who demonstrate an interest in or has experience with health/mental health practice and have a commitment to working in African American communities. Previous recipients now work in hospitals, medical clinics, and social services agencies that provide treatment and specialized services to African American clients and others have gone into broader leadership services.
Apply to this social work scholarship
Lawanna Renee Barron Scholarship Endowment Fund
Amount: $1000
Deadline: MSW Scholarship Applications accepted between January - March.
This endowment will help support the students by reducing their financial stresses; in turn, Barron hopes the boost will help them make long-term commitments to support and grow the social work profession. Initially, the endowment will help fund the education of one BSW or one MSW student with demonstrated interest, or experience working in, rural settings and/or health and mental health in African American communities.
Learn more about this social work scholarship
CSWE Minority Fellowship program
Amount: Stipend: MFP stipends are contingent upon funding from SAMSHA which is anticipated to be awarded in Summer 2024. Therefore, stipend amounts are subject to change yearly.
Deadline: MSW Scholarship Applications accepted between January - March.
CSWE’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) opportunities support the mission of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to reduce the effects of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities by increasing the number of individuals trained to work with underrepresented and underserved racial/ethnic minority persons with or at risk for mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
The MFP targets but is not limited to racial/ethnic minority individuals pursuing a doctoral degree in social work. Applicants must hold a social work master’s degree from a CSWE-accredited program. Their career goal must be to provide leadership in practice, research, teaching, and policy promulgation in government or private organizations serving underrepresented and underserved persons with or at risk for mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
The purpose of the program is to reduce health disparities and improve health-care outcomes of racially and ethnically diverse populations by increasing the number of culturally competent behavioral health professionals with doctoral degrees available to underserved populations in the public and private nonprofit sectors.
Robert F. Lawson Fund for Careers that Care
Amount: $1000
Deadline: April 2024
About: This scholarship seeks to support high school and undergraduate students who intend to spend their careers helping other people.
Any low-income high school senior or undergraduate student who is planning to pursue a career in healthcare, social work, government, education or a related field may apply for this scholarship.
To apply, tell us about yourself and how you hope to help the world with your career.
2K Annual Drug Rehab USA – Mental Health Scholarship
Amount: $2000
Deadline: Jan 1st, 2025
About: The United States is experiencing a significant and growing deficit of psychiatrists, intensifying the already overwhelming demand for mental health services. This shortage has profound implications for individuals seeking timely and accessible psychiatric care, creating extended wait times for appointments, limited access to specialized services, and straining our mental health infrastructure.
In response to this pressing challenge, Drug Rehab USA is proud to introduce the Mental Health Scholarship, a $2,000 award designed to support aspiring mental health professionals dedicated to making a positive impact on individuals and communities. We believe in the transformative power of education and recognize the profound influence that mental health professionals can have on societal well-being.
Learn more about this scholarship here
State NASW chapter scholarships
Each NASW Chapter may have their own Scholarship/Bursary program for MSW students. Here is a list of NASW Chapters by State.
Do you know of any other scholarships of bursaries for social work students in the US? Send us an email at info@mswhelper.com to add it to this list!
School specific scholarships
Check with your school for internal scholarships for students within the School of Social Work.
How do I write my scholarship essay?
Many scholarships require an essay as part of the application process. What you include in the essay will depend on what the school is asking for. However, in my experience many scholarship essays ask you to talk about your career aspirations, goals, and your commitment to your community and social justice.
As an MSW student these themes might sound familiar. For many scholarships I actually just ended up submitting the personal statement I wrote for my MSW application because there was a lot of overlap between my initial MSW application and scholarship applications. As a busy student, it wasn’t feasible for me to write an entirely different essay for each scholarship I applied for. If you are applying to your MSW be sure to keep copies of your personal statement so that you can use it for inspiration later.
If you don’t have a personal statement you can use our personal statement template or watch our webinar on how to write a compelling personal statement. Although these resources are meant for the MSW application personal statement you can also apply a lot of the same elements to your scholarship applications!
