42 Possible Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for Psychology Students

Choosing to earn your degree in psychology means entering a field that not only has a meaningful impact on the lives of others but can offer you advancement opportunities and potential for growth. In fact, the job growth for psychologists is expected to grow by 6.1% through 2032—a rate that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says is on track with the national growth average for all occupations.
If you’re looking to join the psychology field—whether it’s in general, clinical, forensic, organizational, or school psychology—you’ll need to complete years (and in some cases, more than a decade) of education to be eligible for a license in your specialty. Figuring out how you’re going to pay for that education can often be overwhelming, but there are options for funding that go beyond student loans. We’ve discovered 42 scholarships, grants, and fellowships tailored to psychology students to help you start your search. Some are reserved for students conducting research that involves people which requires approval by an institutional review board, and some require documentation of exceptional financial need. But all can help ease the financial burden of your education.
Undergraduate Psychology Scholarships and Grants
Pursuing a career in psychology begins with earning a bachelor’s degree. This level of education can set you up for entry-level roles in human resources and social services, as well as prepare you to advance to a graduate degree. With bachelor’s tuition on the rise—an annual average of roughly $20,000 for public institutions—securing scholarships and other financial aid can be more important than ever.
Scholarship Name
Amount
Deadline
APF Brehm Undergraduate Psychology Scholarship
$5,000
July 1
Fontana Transport Inc. First-Generation Scholarship
$5,000
Mid-March
NIH Undergraduate Scholarship
Up to $20,000
Mid-March
Pilot International Scholarships
Up to $1,500
Mid-March
Psi Chi Undergrad Research Grant
Up to $3,500
January 15, May 1, and October 15
Psi Chi Undergraduate Scholarship
$3,000
July 5
Graduate Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships
With a social work master’s or doctoral degree, you open the door for more career possibilities and
Scholarship Name
Amount
Deadline
APA Science Directorate Dissertation Research Award
$1,000
September 1
APAGS Psychological Science Research Grant
$1,000
Early December
APF Graduate Student Scholarship
Up to $5,000
June 30
APF McGuigan Dissertation Award
$2,000
June 1
APF Visionary Grant
Up to $20,000
April 1
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
$138,000
Late October
Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society Scholarships
$1,000–$2,000
Mid-February
Psi Chi Graduate Research Grant
Up to $1,500
January 15, May 1, and October 15
Psi Chi Graduate Scholarship
$3,000
July 15
Psi Chi Junior Scientist Fellowship
$1,000
Late June
Psychologists in Independent Practice Steven O. Walsh Grant
$2,000
September 30
Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy Gelso Research Grant
$2,000
April 1
Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships by Area of Specialty
In addition to scholarships for general studies, many organizations offer funds to focus in a specific subfield of psychology. From addiction to child psychology, an array of scholarships, grants, and fellowships could be available based on your concentration.
Scholarship Name
Amount
Deadline
American Addiction Centers Behavioral Health Scholarship
$2,500–$5,000
May 30
APA Barlow Grant for Anxiety Research
Up to $8,500
September 15
APF David Grant for Human Reproductive Behavior/Population Research
$1,500
February 15
APF Franks Scholarship
$5,000
May 15
American Psychological Foundation Koppitz Graduate Student Fellowship
$25,000
November 15
APF Pearsall Grant for the Study of Physical Disability and Stigma
$10,000
October 1
$10,000
March 1
Up to $50,000
March 1
APA Rymer Scholarship
$5,000
February 1
Foundation for Rehab Psychology Dissertation Award
$1,500–$4,500
October 15
Morris K. Udall Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship
Up to $7,000
Early March
NASP Graduate Student Research Grant
Up to $1,000
Mid-September
SIOP Thayer Graduate Fellowship for I/O Psychology
$10,000
June 30
Society for Military Psychology Research Grant
$1,500
October 31
SPSOGI Maylon Smith Research Award to Study Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Up to $1,000
March 30
SPSSI Clara Mayo Grant to Study Sexism, Racism, or Prejudice
$1,000
May 15 and October 15
SPRS Research Grant to Study Religion and Spirituality
$500
June 10
Scholarships & Fellowships for Minority Students
Scholarships designed for minority students not only support educational opportunities for underrepresented students, but also increase the impact of the field by bringing a greater understanding of the issues that affect diverse groups of people. Some scholarships are open to all minorities, while others are intended to provide funding for particular groups or areas of study.
Scholarship Name
Amount
Deadline
APF Queen-Nellie Evans Scholarship
$4,000
November 15
Ford Foundation Predoctoral Minority Fellowship
$72,000
Mid-December
HRSA Native Hawaiian Scholarship
Up to four years tuition and stipends
Early to mid-March
MFP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Fellowship
Up to three years of financial support
Mid-January
Indian Health Service Health Professions Scholarship
One-year tuition plus stipends
Late March
NASP Minority Scholarship
$5,000
October 30
SIOP Goldstein & Schneider Minority Scholarship
$3,000
June 30
More Help with Financing Psychology School
There are other a few other financial options beyond scholarships and fellowships for psychology studies that can help alleviate the cost of education by helping you repay your student loans or forgiving them.
Need Even More Resources?
For additional funding, check the APA’s extensive database of scholarships, grants, and fellowships, or look to local and state-level organizations for more options.