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Psychology is one of the most popular degrees in the world. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 126,900 bachelor’s degrees in Psychology in various specializations are conferred annually.
After earning your undergraduate degree, paying for a master’s and a Ph.D. program is an overwhelming challenge. In this article, we review some of the most impactful scholarships for students considering these programs – either due to the sheer magnitude of the scholarship prize or due to the low effort needed to be considered eligible.
March 2025 Deadline
The Melanie Foundation Graduate Scholarship
The Melanie Foundation Scholarship is awarded to graduate students who are pursuing a master’s degree or a doctorate in the mental health field. Candidates should be currently enrolled in a graduate program with mental health majors.
The application for this $2,500 scholarship will be in March 5, 2025. And by June 30, 2025, the scholarship recipients will be notified personally or publicly.
May 2025
May 2025 Deadline
National Register of Health Service Psychologists Credentialing Scholarship
Students interested in starting their career as National Register credentialed Health Service Psychologists are encouraged to apply for the Credentialing Scholarships for ECPs due May 15, 2025. This scholarship covers the application fee, allowing you to activate your credentials quickly. In addition to monetary gains, recipients also benefit from job opportunities, patient attraction, professional development, and networking.
Applicants must be within ten years of graduating from a psychology doctorate program and must have earned a doctoral-level internship.
June 2025 Deadline
F.J. McGuigan Dissertation Award
Applicants to the F. J. McGuigan Dissertation Award must have completed their doctoral candidacy with dissertation approval on topics related to mental function. Application materials, including a project proposal with a timeline and budget, must be submitted by June 5, 2025. The $2,000 scholarship amount can be used for dissertation-related purposes.
The American Psychological Foundation
APF offers 21 annual scholarship programs with amounts ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, with most adopting a June 26, 2025 deadline. Among the scholarships are:
- Harry and Miriam Levinson Scholarship
- William and Dorothy Bevan Scholarship
- Charles and Carol Spielberger Scholarship
- Peter and Malina James & Dr. Louis P. James Legacy Scholarship
- Ruth G. and Joseph D. Matarazzo Scholarship
- William C. Howell Scholarship
- Clarens J. Rosecrans Scholarship
- Raymond K. Mulhern Scholarship
Application requirements include active APF membership, clarity and strength of research proposal, and academic performance and potential. Applicants who will use the scholarship for research purposes will be prioritized. Anyone with diverse background can apply for their scholarships.
July 2025 Deadline
Marian R. Stuart Grant
Early career psychologists are welcome to apply for the competitive Marian R. Stuart Grant, which focuses on graduate research about the connection between physical and mental health. Applicants vie for the award amount of up to $20,000 and must submit their complete application by July 10, 2025. Psychologists employed in medical schools will be given preferential consideration.
The Rachel Tanur Prize for Visual Sociology
The Rachel Tanur Memorial Prize for Visual Sociology is designed to encourage undergraduate and graduate students in the social sciences to present their findings on the social phenomenon of human existence in a visual medium using photography. The deadline for application is in July 2025.
The first-place winner will earn $5,000, the second-place winner $2,500, and the third-place winner $1,500. Awards will be awarded biennially.
September 2025 Deadline
Bruce and Jane Walsh Grant
APF has established the Bruce and Jane Walsh Grant in Memory of John Holland to investigate the impact of personality, culture, and environment on work behavior and health. Eligible applicants are those affiliated with organizations for charitable and educational purposes. While this is open to all graduate students, priority will be given to early career psychologists with ten years or less post-doctoral.
All requirements must be met and submitted by September 18, 2025, to be considered for the 2026-2027 funding. Application materials include the project proposal, timeline, detailed budget, and justification.
October 2025 Deadline
Predoctoral Fellowship in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services – American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is offering a Predoctoral Fellowship in mental health and substance abuse services. Graduate students enrolled full-time in APA-approved doctoral graduate programs in clinical, counseling and school psychology, among others, are eligible to apply; be sure to check the other application requirements.
Selected fellows will receive the following monetary and non-monetary benefits:
- Up to three years of financial support, renewable annually
- Travel support
- Dissertation support and internship application assistance
- Access to professional development opportunities and industry information and resources
Applications have started but the deadline will be on January 2026.
November 2025 Deadline
Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Child Psychology Graduate Student Fellowship
APF’s Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Child Psychology Graduate Student Fellowship program awards $23,900 for graduate psychology students involved in child psychology and its research. The deadline for application is November 27, 2025.
Applicants must have completed their doctoral candidacy while also having demonstrated a commitment to the field of child psychology. Special priority is given to students who demonstrate success in the following fields: Child Clinical Psychology, Pediatric, School Psychology, and Developmental Psychopathology.
December 2025 Deadline
The SMART Scholarship Program
Funded by the Department of Defense, the SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program is a combined academic and workforce development program. Applicants must submit a personal statement, proposed award details, and a privacy act statement, among others, and submit their complete application packets by December 1, 2025 (5 pm EST).
Scholars receive generous benefits, including:
- Full tuition and other education-related expenses
- Annual stipend $30,000-$46,000
- Summer research internships
- Up to $2,500/academic year health insurance allowance
- Up to $1,000/academic year miscellaneous allowance
Scholars also receive summer research internships, one-on-one mentoring, and DoD employment placement upon degree completion.
Rolling Basis/Year-round Deadlines
The F. Edward Hébert Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)
The US Army offers among the most extensive scholarships available for its members pursuing advanced education and training in healthcare professions, including clinical psychology. Their scholarship programs are on a rolling basis.
- The Clinical Psychology Internship Program is intended for active duty service members who have completed their Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree or a doctoral program in Counseling Psychology and who want to participate in advanced training and clinical experiences at a military medical facility.
- The Clinical Psychology Post-Doctoral Supervision Program and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences Army Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program are for active duty service members and civilians in the five-year F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine’s Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology program.
These scholarships provide full tuition coverage, funding for school books, equipment and supplies, a $2,608 monthly stipend, up to $20,000 in signing bonus, and salary increases, among other perks.
The DoD National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Program
The DoD NDSEG Fellowship Program offers an incredibly extensive fellowship program for students seeking advanced education in cognitive, neural and behavioral sciences, among other fields of study. This program accepts applicants on a rolling basis. Selected fellows will be provided with the following financial support for three years:
- Full tuition and mandatory fees
- Up to $5,000 travel budget
- $3,600 monthly stipend
- Minimum institutional health insurance coverage or private insurance up to $1,600
Between 150-350 fellowships will be awarded for all degree levels.
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Fellows of the NSF’s GRFP are outstanding graduate students pursuing their research-centric master’s and doctoral degrees in the STEM fields.
NSF provides the following fellowship benefits for selected fellows:
- $16,000 coverage for tuition and fees directly paid to the institution
- $37,000 annual stipend for three years
- Access to unique professional development opportunities
This program accepts applicants on a rolling basis. Applicants must be at the early stages of their graduate career (i.e., no more than one academic year) and be either a US citizen or national or permanent resident, among other requirements.
Finding scholarships intended for graduate psychology students is the easy part! Speak with your academic advisors and mentors for any related opportunities. Be aware of the financial support options that your area of research has.
It also pays to maintain memberships in both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychology Foundation. Attend conferences to see what topics and lines of research are most successful within the organization and without. This is one of the best strategies for targeting a specific scholarship and preparing to win it!
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