We live in a world where there is an increasing rate of mental health disorders such as anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc. In fact, according to WHO, 1 in every 8 people, or 970 million people in the world were living with mental disorders.
It tells us we are in desperate need of mental health counselors who will provide the necessary guidance, hope, perhaps cure, and recovery for these patients. However, the path of becoming a mental health counselor comes with its own financial burden which can be discouraging sometimes.
That’s where scholarships for mental health counseling come in, they might not cover all your expenses, but will definitely cut some costs which will relieve you of some financial burden.
Speaking of mental health disorders, we would love to mention the fact that there are several mental health scholarships such as eating disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and even Cerebral Palsy scholarships.
Let’s go on to list these scholarships that can benefit your pursuit.
Table of Contents
Scholarships for Mental Health Counseling
Several Institutions and organizations are interested in helping potential counselors to reduce their financial burden. We encourage you to calmly go through these scholarships, see the ones you’re eligible for, and apply.
1. OSCA Graduate Student Scholarship
Ohio School of Counselor Association is proud to provide scholarships to eligible graduate students to further their education in the field of counseling.
Award: $1,000 each
Number of Recipients: 2
Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in a master’s school counselor program in the state of Ohio, have completed at least six (6) semester hours of graduate work, and maintain an active student membership with OSCA.
2. Women’s Independence Scholarship Program
This is among the scholarships for mental health counseling provided to women who have survived any form of intimate partner abuse and who are economically independent.
Award: Range from $1,000 – $6,000 per academic year
Eligibility: Online applicants who have already applied or students of accredited universities, colleges, or technical schools are eligible to apply. Applicants also must have received services from a non-profit, domestic violence organization for at least six consecutive months.
3. NAJA Graduate Scholarship Program
For more than 6 decades, the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, Inc. has awarded more than 580 scholarships, totaling $1,437,504, for graduate studies in fields addressing the special needs of children and youth.
Award: Varies
Number of Recipients: Varies
Eligibility: Applicants must be either working or intend to work directly with children, pursuing graduate-level studies for one (1) year in fields that address the special needs of children and youth; such as Counseling, Psychology, Mental Health, Special Education, etc.
4. The Family Institute at Northwestern University Scholarship
The Family Institute awards different kinds of scholarships for mental health counseling to eligible students enrolling in Master of Arts in Counseling at Northwestern University.
Award: $25,000 per year toward tuition
Number of Recipients: Varies
Eligibility: Only incoming graduate students at Northwestern University are eligible, and will be notified if they got the scholarship the same period they should accept their offer of admission.
5. American Art Therapy Association Scholarships
Annually AATA provides a handful of mental health counseling scholarships to members that have outstanding contributions of lasting importance to the art therapy community, some of them include;
- Pearlie Roberson
- American Art Therapy Association Anniversary Scholarship Fund
- Myra Levick Scholarship Fund
- Rawley Silver Award for Excellence
- Cay Drachnik Minorities Fund
And many more
6. AAC – Behavioral Health Academic Scholarship
The American Addiction Centers (AAC) understands the growing need for qualified addiction and mental health professionals, which is why they established this scholarship. Which will assist undergraduate and graduate students to pursue careers in the areas of behavioral health and addiction-related studies.
Award: $10,000
Number of Recipients: 3
Eligibility: Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and be enrolled in nursing, counseling, psychology, social work, marriage/family therapy, or other curriculum focusing on the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.
7. APF Violet and Cyril Franks Scholarship
This is one of the scholarships for mental health counseling provided by the American Psychological Foundation to support graduate-level scholarly projects that use a psychological perspective to help understand and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
Award: $5,000
Eligibility: Applicants must be graduates in good standing at accredited universities who have demonstrated commitment to stigma issues. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are advised to apply, regardless of age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography.
8. Joon Scholarship Fund
Joon is one of the teletherapy companies that understands the shortage of mental health professionals that’s why they created this scholarship.
Award: $2,000
Eligibility: Applicants must be 18 years or older, legal residents of the U.S., and graduating high school senior, undergraduate, or masters level students.
9. Master’s Degree Scholarship in Psychology and Counseling
Award: $500 Annual Scholarship
Number of Recipients: 1
Eligibility: Available only to students pursuing Psychology and Counseling master’s degrees.
10. Melanie Merola O’Donnell Memorial Scholarship
The American Psychological Association is partnering with The Melanie Foundation to provide scholarships for mental health counseling.
Award: $2,500
Number of Recipients: 1
Eligibility: Applicants must be pursuing a doctoral or master’s degree in the mental health field in the U.S., and must have participated in extracurricular, volunteer, research, and/or career-related activities.
11. LCCNC Nancy Howell Scholarship
Licensed Clinical Counselors of North Carolina is proud to provide the Nancy Howell Scholarship which is awarded to eligible licensed clinical mental health counselors.
Award: Varies
Number of Recipients: Varies
Eligibility: Only available to LCCNC members who demonstrate leadership potential and advocacy initiatives in counseling.
12. Northwest University Scholarships for Students of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Northwest University provides numerous grants and scholarships for students who intend to major in Social and Behavioral Sciences, some of them include;
- Graduate Referral Credit Program
- International Student Scholarship
- MAICD Online International Student Scholarship
- CCDA Member Organization Scholarship
And many more
13. Behavioral Health Workforce Education & Training Scholars
The BHWET scholarship program is provided by the University of South Florida to underserved populations in the Tampa Bay area.
Award: Stipends ranging from $10,000 to $28,352 depending on your degree
14. USF Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Scholarship Programs
The University of South Florida provides several scholarships for mental health counseling that will their master’s degree students in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. Some of these scholarships include;
- Susan D. Kelley Rmhc Textbook Scholarship
- Dr. Dae Sheridan Endowed Scholarship
- RSA Scholar
- Lynn Bartolotta Scholarship
15. Rollins Clinical Mental Health Counseling Tuition & Scholarships
Besides the fact that Rollins provides scholarships to their Master of Mental Health Counseling program, they also made their tuition affordable.
Award: $1,000
Number of Recipients: Multiple
Eligibility: Fully admitted, degree-seeking students minimum Undergraduate GPA of 3.2 from an accredited Institution. Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need, social justice advocacy, and attempts to maintain a diverse student body.
Key Takeaway
Seeing the demand for professionals for mental health makes these mental health counseling scholarships very important. These scholarships will help to reduce the financial burden that comes with education, and some of them even go ahead to alleviate almost all the tuition fees and other related expenses.
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