Scholarships for Master’s Degrees

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CAN YOU GET SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MASTERS DEGREE?

If you are heading to grad school, there are a wide range of master’s degree scholarships available. Scholarships for masters degrees may help you go to graduate school for free. They could offset other expenses such as the cost of researching for your thesis.

Financial aid for graduate school is different than it is for an undergrad degree. Federal financial aid is available to grad students in the form of work study and loans. Pell Grants are only for undergraduates. As such, finding a master’s degree scholarship may make the most financial sense.

Unlike federal loans, graduate school scholarships are money you receive but typically don’t have to pay back. As long as you abide by the terms and conditions.

Is it hard to get Masters Degree Scholarships?

Some masters degree scholarships may be more competitive than other awards. Master degree scholarships come with their own criteria for eligibility. Getting a scholarship that helps pay for your master’s degree may require:

  • Merit (E.g. academic talents, athletic ability, creativity)
  • Financial need
  • Desire to study a specific topic (E.g. Oncology Nursing, Architecture, Project Management, etc.)
  • Intention to research in a chosen area (E.g. Archaeological Research)
  • Demonstrated qualities (E.g. Leadership or Public Service)

Some scholarships for master’s degrees are also open to undergrads. So, you’ll be up against both sets of students who are competing for the awards.

One example is the Davis-Putter Scholarship. Scholarships from the Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund pay $15,000. The grants help students who are active in movements for social and economic justice.

You’ll also find master’s degree scholarships that may fund grad students who are women or minorities. The Holly A. Cornell Scholarship is one example. This $7,500 award is from the American Water Works Society. It goes to talented female and/or minority students. The recipient needs to be pursuing a degree and research in the field of water supply and treatment.

Another example is the Jonathon Lax Scholarship Fund for Gay Men. These tuition scholarships come in amounts of $5,000 or $10,000. They are set aside to help gay men who live in the five-county Philadelphia region obtain more education.

There are also scholarships for graduate students in specific fields of study. One example is the Frederic G. MELCHER Scholarship. Two candidates receive $7,500 each.

To apply, you need to be a student pursuing a Master’s in Library Science (MLS) degree. And plan to work in children’s librarianship.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation offers a similar type of scholarship. Their awards are $5,000. They go to grad students in communication science and disorders.

WHAT BENEFITS ARE THERE TO PURSUING MASTERS Degree SCHOLARSHIPS?

As a graduate student, getting a master’s degree scholarship may come with many benefits. For one, the money might cover tuition, books, living expenses and research.

This may free you up to focus on completing your master’s degree. Without having to take out loans or get a job to pay for your classes.

You may also reap rewards of attaining a master’s degree when you graduate. Employment in master’s-level occupations is on the rise by almost 17 percent from 2016 to 2026. That’s the fastest of any education level.

This may explain why in the 2017 to 2018 period alone, 775,000 students earned a master’s degree. Yet many students weigh the cost of pursuing a master’s degree with the cost of attaining it.

For sure, the average costs of graduate tuition and required fees has been climbing. What does graduate school cost? The National Center for Education Statistics has been tracking this data.

On average, the tuition and fees associated with pursuing a master’s degree are:

  • Private institution: $20,368
  • Public institution: $8,763
  • Average overall: $14,537

It is no surprise that recently, 70.4% of graduate students received some type of financial aid. Almost half of these students (43.8 %) took out loans. Take away? if you are trying to go to graduate school for free, securing a scholarship or grant may be ideal.

LIST OF MASTER’S DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS

Check out our list of scholarships for masters degrees. There are awards worth .

NBCUniversal Tony Coelho Media Scholarship

If you have a disability and are interested in pursuing a career in communications, media or entertainment, click to learn more and apply to this scholarship!
Award Amount

Total:  $360000

Awards:  8

Deadline

Deadline:  May 20

APF Violet and Cyril Franks Scholarship

The APF Violet and Cyril Franks Scholarship is a $1,000 award that supports graduate level research into mental illness.
Award Amount

Total:  $1000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  May 15

NBCC Foundation Military Scholarship (Master’s)

The NBCC Foundation military scholarships are $8,000 awards for service members, veterans, and their spouses pursuing a career in professional counseling in exchange for a work commitment.
Award Amount

Total:  $8000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  May 15

NBCC Foundation Rural Scholarship (Master’s)

The NBCC Foundation Rural Scholarship (Master’s) are $8,000 awards for rural students enrolled in a CACREP accredited master’s program in return for a work commitment.
Award Amount

Total:  $8000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  May 15

NBCC Foundation Dr. Nichola Vacc Scholarship (Doctoral)

The NBCC Foundation Dr. Nichola Vacc Scholarship (Doctoral) is a $8,000 award for a doctoral level counseling student.
Award Amount

Total:  $8000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  May 15

APF Queen-Nellie Evans Scholarship

The APF Queen-Nellie Evans Scholarship is a $4,000 award that supports minority students going for a master’s or doctorate degree in an accredited program.
Award Amount

Total:  $4000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  January 23

Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington / State Association Scholarship

Daughters of the Pioneers of Washington / State Association Scholarship grants two scholarships ear of $1,500 to qualifying descendants of certain states.
Award Amount

Total:  $6000

Awards:  2

Deadline

Deadline:  April 01

Walter Rundell Graduate Student Award

The Western History Association offers a graduate student award for $1500 for a PhD student whose dissertation is on the North American West.
Award Amount

Total:  $1500

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  June 15

GradSchools.com $1,000 Scholarship

This scholarship is for eligible applicants must be planning to or currently enrolled in a graduate school program. Click to learn more and apply today!
Award Amount

Total:  $1000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  April 02

Active Minds’ Emerging Scholars Nash Family Scholarship Application

Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Through our presence in more than 1,000 high school and college campuses, communities, and workplaces, and with a wide-reaching public audience, Active Minds is creating communities of support and saving lives. Founded in 2003 by Alison Malmon after the tragic suicide of her brother, Brian, Active Minds is dedicated to supporting a new generation in ending the silence, helping to make mental health as highly valued as physical health. We approach our work with a racial equity lens and are committed to the continued process of being and becoming a more anti-racist and inclusive organization. Through our many programs, we are changing social norms and behaviors related to mental health across the country.
Award Amount

Total:  $270000

Awards:  3

Deadline

Deadline:  February 28