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:
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 .
Applicant must be a joint holder or individual account holder of Chartway Federal Credit Union in good standing. Must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.
The Vaughn S. Clauson Public Interest Scholarship is open to students attending a college, university graduate school, or law school located in the United States during the 2021-2022 school year.
Current undergraduate U.S. or Canadian citizens who have disabilities are eligible for this award. Students must pursue a master’s degree in library science at an ALA-accredited institution. The ALA provides more than $300,000 annually for study in a master’s degree in library and information studies from an ALA accredited program.
For nearly three decades, defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman has worked tirelessly to provide quality legal services to those in his community and beyond. Throughout his time working in the criminal justice system, it has become increasingly clear that there are many ills that our society faces, ranging anywhere from economic hardship to substance abuse epidemics. Yet within each community, there exists a group of individuals who go above and beyond in their efforts to combat such ills and eradicate them through initiatives that ignite progress and hope for a better tomorrow.
In an effort to recognize these individuals, we are offering the Law Offices of Jeffrey Lichtman Community Service Scholarship. The purpose of this scholarship is to honor a student who has made a significant effort to better their community in some specific way, meaning they saw a problem, and took the initiative to try to mend it. The Law Offices of Jeffrey Lichtman is proud to work with community members passionate about laying the groundwork for a brighter future. We look forward to awarding a deserving student for their meaningful work.
This $1,000 scholarship drawing is open to legal residents of the United States. Students must plan to attend college at least half time during the academic year.
OFAC Law Group focuses its practice on representing individuals who need assistance with sanctions compliance, export controls, OFAC licensing, and anti-money laundering regulations. The role of an OFAC sanctions attorney is as complex as it is necessary. This is due to a constantly-changing list of rules and regulations as foreign policies are created or revised.
OFAC Law Group understands the importance of complying with the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the effectiveness of cooperation. We also recognize the value of students improving their environment through collaboration. Dedicating personal time to the betterment of others and improving the environment is a quality OFAC Law Group would like to reward by providing financial support and academic recognition.
Whether those good deeds are performed with an organization, local community club, or even just among friends, OFAC Law Group appreciates citizens’ hard work towards the environment. To assist these high-achieving students, OFAC Law Group is proud to announce the OFAC Law Group Eco-Friendly Scholarship. This scholarship will award $500 to a deserving student who has coherently shared ideas for how to best volunteer time to improve the environment or has already completed effective examples for others to follow.
This award is open to all U.S. students who are 14 and older and who are currently enrolled (or enroll no later than fall of 2027) in an accredited postsecondary institution of higher education. One scholarship winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship.
The Global Teletherapy Academic Excellence Award is designed for students who understand the importance of bettering one’s self. Applicants must be enrolled in a college, university, or graduate school during the 2020-2021 academic year with at least a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Empire Resume is offering a $500 scholarship to one deserving student. Eligible applicants must be enrolled at an accredited institution full time, and pursuing a bachelors degree. Employees of Empire Resume and their immediate families are ineligible.
