Are you interested in entering the gratifying field of social work? If so, you’re in great company. In a world where many people are struggling to evolve and adapt to society’s rapidly changing norms, most of us could benefit from professional guidance when attempting to resolve personal, family, and community issues. This thriving field enables well-trained professionals to help people develop problem-solving skills to better navigate their everyday lives.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment for social workers is projected to grow 7% from 2022 to 2032, which is faster than most occupations. If you’re interested in helping others while enjoying many job options and security, you’ll want to consider pursuing a career in social work. Here is a list of 30 grants and scholarships for online social work students to help you get started on your social work education.
30 Scholarships and Grants for Social Work Students
Many students are unaware of how many options they have in terms of funding their degrees. Social work students are eligible for all types of grants and scholarships depending on variables such as cumulative GPA, financial status, career goals, ethnicity, and more. These scholarships can enable students to earn their degrees with little to no out-of-pocket costs. For your convenience, here is a list of some of the top scholarships and grants for online social work students on the web.
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General Scholarships for Online Social Work Students
Adena Health Foundation Scholarships
- Amount: $5,000
- Description & eligibility: Offered to students pursuing careers related to healthcare and the medical field. Scholarships will be awarded to students with the potential to help provide mental health care in their communities.
- Deadline: April 5, 2024
Davis-Putter Scholarship
- Amount: $10,000
- Description & eligibility: Offered to students who are emerging or actively engaged in progressive movements focused on matters such as social and economic justice within their communities. This is a needs-based scholarship, and students must be enrolled in an accredited institution or qualified training program.
- Deadline: April 1, 2024
Harry S. Truman Scholarship
- Amount: Up to $30,000
- Description & eligibility: This is a merit-based scholarship offered to college students pursuing careers in government or public service in general. Applicants must be full-time college juniors or seniors in the top quarter of their class.
- Deadline: February 6, 2024
James F. Reville Scholarship
- Amount: $3,000
- Description & eligibility: This scholarship is offered to students pursuing careers in fields associated with intellectual or other developmental disabilities. Eligible sectors include social work, behavioral sciences, healthcare administration and management, nursing, and psychology.
- Deadline: January 12, 2024
MSSA Scholarship Program
- Amount: $2,500
- Description & eligibility: This scholarship is offered to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in human services or health-related fields. They must be enrolled in an accredited program at a nonprofit academic institution.
- Deadline: January 15, 2024
NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program
- Amount: Up to $80,000
- Description & eligibility: This scholarship is offered to students with a demonstrated financial need. Applicants must also be seeking degrees in behavioral, biomedical, or social science health-related research.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
On A Dragonfly’s Wings
- Amount: $500
- Description & eligibility: Offered to graduating high school students seeking degrees in a mental health field such as social work, psychology, counseling, or recreational therapy. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.5.
- Deadline: April 30, 2024
Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg Scholarship
- Amount: Up to $3,000
- Description & eligibility: Offered to students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service to their communities. The winner also receives an all-expenses-paid trip to present their work during the student session of the Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors conference that is held each spring.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
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Culture-Based Social Work Scholarships
Freemont Foundation Scholarship
- Amount: Varies
- Description & eligibility: Offered to graduate and undergraduate students who are pursuing careers in helping professions. Applicants must be ethnic minorities and attend a historically Black college or university and demonstrate financial need and academic excellence.
- Deadline: February 2, 2024
Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
- Amount: $1,500
- Description & eligibility: Offered to those who are at least 25% Asian or Pacific Islander ethnicity and hold U.S. citizenship. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have demonstrated leadership abilities in innovative ways.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
Indian Health Professions Scholarship
- Amount: $2,500 to $12,000
- Description & eligibility: Offered to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate- and graduate-level students. Applicants must be enrolled in an eligible healthcare program and be members of a federally recognized tribe.
- Deadline: February 28, 2024
The Ron Brown Scholarship
- Amount: $10,000 per year
- Description & eligibility: Offered to African American students who are community-minded individuals, still in high school but accepted into college. Applicants must also demonstrate a financial need, as well as leadership potential and community service experience.
- Deadline: January 9, 2024
The Tanette Goldberg Memorial Scholarship for Social Justice
- Amount: $500 to $1,250
- Description & eligibility: Offered to Jewish women enrolled in eligible undergraduate and graduate programs. Must be permanent residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, or Sonoma County and studying, volunteering, or working in the sector of social justice.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
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Location-Based Scholarships
ACF Davis-Kozoll Scholarship
- Amount: Up to $5,000
- Description & eligibility: This scholarship is offered to students who live in Northwest New Mexico pursuing associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees in science or human service-related fields. This scholarship can be renewed annually with proof of satisfactory completion of coursework.
- Deadline: April 6, 2024
The Alexander Foundation Scholarships
- Amount: $3,000
- Description & eligibility: This scholarship is offered to members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are also Colorado residents. Applicants must be attending an accredited institution of higher education in the state of Colorado and seeking degrees in general education, counseling, education, social work, and mental health.
- Deadline: March 21, 2024
The Arc New York Scholarships
- Amount: $3,000
- Description & eligibility: This scholarship is offered to students pursuing careers in physical or occupational therapy, special education, or fields linked to intellectual or developmental disabilities. Applicants must be full-time Arc New York Chapter employees seeking to further their education.
- Deadline: January 12, 2024
Beverley Yip Scholarship
- Amount: $2,500
- Description & eligibility: Offered to students in San Diego requiring financial aid to pursue postsecondary degrees in behavioral health, social work, or other human services-related fields. Students must also demonstrate leadership and community involvement.
- Deadline: April 1, 2024
Future Mental Health Professional Scholarship Program
- Amount: $8,000
- Description & eligibility: This scholarship is offered to those U.S. citizens or permanent residents who live in Centennial’s 10-county catchment area in Colorado. Applicants must be seeking a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health-related field.
- Deadline: March 5, 2024
MidMichigan Health Bailey Scholarships
- Amount: $2,500
- Description & eligibility: Offered to students seeking clinical health care careers at accredited colleges. Applicants must be residents of mid-Michigan counties or have immediate family living in the area. Students must be enrolled or accepted in the program to be eligible.
- Deadline: March 1, 2024
Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program
- Amount: Varies
- Description & eligibility: Offered to those who are pursuing careers in primary healthcare disciplines as a means of offering culturally competent health services to Hawaiian Natives living in the state. Students must be enrolled full-time to maintain eligibility.
- Deadline: March 15, 2024
SVCF James A. McCavitt and Annie LePors McCavitt Scholarship
- Amount: $1,000
- Description & eligibility: Offered to high school seniors in the Tussey Mountain School District in Pennsylvania. Applicants must have a demonstrated financial need and be seeking careers in nursing, education, social work, law enforcement, or medical research.
- Deadline: April 21, 2024
Veralene Garrett Memorial Scholarship
- Amount: $2,500
- Description & eligibility: Offered to applicants enrolled in two-year or four-year colleges seeking associate or bachelor’s degrees in social sciences. Must possess a minimum GPA of 3.0 and plan to have a career in public service.
- Deadline: March 31, 2024
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School-Based Scholarships for Social Work Students
Active Military and Veteran Scholarships, University of Cincinnati Online
- Amount: Varies
- Description & eligibility: The University of Cincinnati online offers various school-based scholarships for its dozens of programs, including for military active members and veterans. Social work is one of the programs they offer funding for. Students must demonstrate a financial need and good academic standing.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
Burkland Scholarship Award, University of North Dakota
- Amount: Varies
- Description & eligibility: The University offers various scholarships for social work majors. For instance, they offer the Burkland Scholarship award, which offers social work students with at least a 3.0 GPA $1,500 per year.
- Deadline: TDB 2024
Dr. Marianne Pennekamp Memorial, Humboldt State University
- Amount: $500-$4,000
- Description & eligibility: Humboldt State University offers several scholarships, including the Dr. Marianne Pennekamp Memorial scholarship to social work students pursuing either a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Students must be in good academic standing.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
E. Daniel and Margie Egbert Edwards American Indian Scholarship, University of Utah
- Amount: Varies
- Description & eligibility: The University of Utah offers various scholarships to social work students, including the E. Daniel and Margie Egbert Edwards American Indian Scholarship. The school also offers several social work-funded practicum opportunities.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
Evelyn J. Black Memorial Fund Scholarship, University of Kentucky: College of Social Work
- Amount: $2,500 to $12,500
- Description & eligibility: The University of Kentucky offers various scholarships to social work students, including the Social Work Evelyn J. Black Memorial Fund scholarship. The school offers scholarships for both residents and nonresidents for online, traditional, and hybrid programs. All scholarships have different criteria and require students to be in good academic standing.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
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Grants for Social Work Students
AAUW Community Action Grants
- Amount: $3,000-$10,000
- Description & eligibility: This grant is offered to students who are pursuing training and degrees in the social work/community action sectors. The AAUW is an organization that empowers women and girls; applicants must be female.
- Deadline: November 15, 2023
Pell Grants
- Amount: Up to $7,395 per year
- Description & eligibility: Federal Pell grants are for students who demonstrate an exceptional financial need. This is one of the easiest grants to receive as long as you fill out the application properly, submit it by the deadline, provide all necessary documentation, and are in financial need.
- Deadline: June 30, 2024
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Amount: Varies
- Description & eligibility: While this is not a grant, this program is for public service workers. It allows them to get reimbursed for student loans in exchange for taking on careers in the sector of public service. Once students have made 120 payments under a qualified payment plan, the remainder of the loan is forgiven.
- Deadline: TBD 2024
Key Ways to Increase Your Chances of Earning a Social Work Scholarship
Given that social work is a popular, highly competitive sector, going above and beyond to boost your chances of earning a scholarship is essential. Although there is no way to guarantee that you will win, there are plenty of ways to improve your chances of winning scholarships for online social work students.
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Highlight Community Involvement & Extracurriculars
Community involvement, volunteering, and participating in extracurricular activities can be an instrumental part of your postsecondary education. According to Grand Canyon University, these activities can help you learn new skills, uncover potential careers, boost your resume, get accepted into your chosen school, and establish you as a more qualified scholarship candidate. Demonstrating your commitment to giving back to your community also shows scholarship decision-makers that you are serious about bettering your community. Make sure you take the time to describe your volunteer work, community service, and any initiatives you’ve started or been part of in detail. Additionally, if you have tangible metrics, testimonials, and reviews, you can also include those as proof of your effectiveness.
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Write an Impactful Essay or Personal Statement
Your essay is a window into your world and a chance to let your personality shine. Focus on creating an authentic and engaging narrative, weaving in personal stories that underscore your passion for psychology. Start by creating a list of topic ideas based on some of your memories that offer a good story to tell. Talk about specific moments in your life that sparked your interest in the field and how those moments have fueled your desire to pursue a psychology degree. Use relatable examples and help the reader paint a picture in their minds when applicable. Address the essay prompt directly, making every effort to stand out from the crowd. A well-crafted essay can leave a lasting impression on the scholarship committee and significantly boost your chances of success.
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Source Solid Letters of Recommendation
Another great way to improve your chances of earning a scholarship is to collect quality letters of recommendation. Finding the right people to write these letters is a delicate balance. On the one hand, you want someone who knows enough about you to speak highly about you in a meaningful way. On the other hand, you also want to make sure that the person themselves is reputable and someone who will impress the reviewers. For instance, a letter from a public figure or politician will hold more weight than one written by a former teacher. Make sure you search your phone and social media contacts to find the best people for the job. Lastly, be sure to provide them with information about the scholarship and your goals to help them write strong letters.
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Follow Directions and Submit Early
Earning a scholarship isn’t as complicated as it seems. Typically speaking, the committee simply reviews the materials submitted and selects the best applicants. Given the fact that applications are reviewed by relative or total strangers, they base the decision on the materials you provide them with. Therefore, you should make sure that you read the directions ahead of time and determine how long it will take to compile the requested information. From there, make sure you work as swiftly as possible to ensure that you submit the application before the deadline. This is how you ensure you have time to double-check information before submitting and don’t mistakenly miss the deadline by waiting until the last minute.