Scholarships for Psychology Majors

Earning a psychology degree can prepare you for a variety of professions focused on making a positive difference in people’s lives. You’ll also learn how to analyze data, understand human behavior, and communicate effectively.

The ever-increasing cost of higher education has made financial aid resources for psychology students more important than ever. These resources may include subsidized federal loans, grants, and general or psychology degree scholarships.

This page offers answers to a few frequently asked questions, an overview of financial aid, and a list of some of the best scholarships for psychology students.

If you’re pursuing an undergraduate or graduate psychology degree, you can find a variety of scholarship opportunities to help achieve your academic and career goals. Although some scholarships provide funds for general studies in the field, others assist students focused on a particular specialization.

Below, you can find some of the top scholarships for psychology students.

Who’s eligible: The award is available to one undergraduate, one early stage graduate student, and one or two later-stage graduate students to recognize their work in clinical child and adolescent psychology. Students will be recognized based on a recent research project, teaching, clinical work, mentoring, and other community engagement activities.

Award amount: $1,000

Deadline: January

Who’s eligible: The Student Research Award, funded by the John Templeton Foundation, awards undergraduate and graduate students for research in the psychology of religion and spirituality.

Award amount: Up to $2,500

Deadline: September

Who’s eligible: Division 20 awards students who are the first or senior authors on an American Psychological Association (APA) proposal with recognition at the APA’s annual convention.

Award amount: $500

Deadline: To be announced

Who’s eligible: The Brehm Scholarships are for outstanding undergraduate students with financial need. Eligible students need to attend an accredited college or university, have a minimum 3.5 GPA, and demonstrate financial need.

Award amount: $5,500

Deadline: July

Graduate scholarships help you fund research from your master’s in psychology through your doctorate. Some awards depend on your research field within psychology.

Who’s eligible: These scholarships are intended to cover the cost of credentials and review fees for postdoctoral trainees and doctoral students seeking certification. Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral psychology program and doing an internship or completing their postdoctoral supervised experience.

Award amount: Varies

Deadline: May

Who’s eligible: Sponsored by the American Psychological Foundation, this award is intended to help fund and promote research and programs aimed at the advancement of studying psychologically gifted children and adolescents. Applicants may seek funding for research-based pilots or ongoing programs, and they may be pursuing graduate or postgraduate study.

Award amount: $45,000

Deadline: March

Who’s eligible: This award — facilitated by the American Psychological Foundation — supports dissertation research centered on obtaining a greater understanding of the connection between the brain’s neurological components and psychological behaviors. Applicants must have completed their doctoral candidacy, and their proposed research must align with specific guidelines of this program’s goals.

Award amount: $2,000

Deadline: June

Who’s eligible: The Bisexual Foundation awards selected graduate students advancing research in the psychology of bisexuality who are enrolled full time in either a psychology or therapy/counseling graduate program.

Award amount: Up to $1,000

Deadline: March

Who’s eligible: The American Psychological Foundation offers 21 scholarships to help with graduate research costs of a master’s thesis or dissertation.

Award amount: $2,000-$5,000

Deadline: June

Psychology scholarships for students of color are usually available to those who intend to work in or research underserved communities.

Who’s eligible: This scholarship is for graduate students in accredited programs who are committed to improving structural issues in society that negatively impact people of color through academic research, clinical practice, or public policy. The scholarship judges especially want to see applicants who are members of the communities they seek to serve.

Award amount: $4,000

Deadline: January

Who’s eligible: Eligible candidates include American Indian and Alaskan Native, Asian and Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic full-time or part-time students in an approved psychology program. In addition, candidates must be U.S. citizens, National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) members in a NASP-approved institution, and in good academic standing — with a GPA of at least 3.0.

Award amount: $5,000

Deadline: Details coming spring 2025

The best way to help pay for college is to apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you’re ineligible, apply for state financial aid. After you fill out the FAFSA and submit it to the colleges of your choice, they’ll determine your eligibility for grants and loans. Grants are financial aid you don’t have to pay back. For example, the Pell Grant is for students who display exceptional financial need.

Some colleges and universities offer free tuition or more for students from families making under a certain income threshold.

Also, industry organizations like the American Psychological Association offer a variety of research grants for students.

The first step to paying for your degree is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or your state’s financial aid application if you aren’t eligible for federal aid. If you meet a certain salary requirement, your college may award you with aid you don’t have to pay back that’s much lower than the out-of-pocket price. If you’re looking for more aid, you can always apply for scholarships.

Yes, some of the most common organizations you’ll find psychology scholarships are the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Psychological Foundation. APA helps you find scholarships, grants, and more by research field and education level through a detailed search.

You can start your search for psychology degree scholarships online. Then, speak with your high school guidance counselor or college academic advisor to learn about specific scholarship opportunities available in your state or through your college or university.

Professional organizations like the American Psychological Association and individual psychology departments within colleges and universities offer grants that students do not need to pay back. These grants mostly go to graduate students engaged in psychology research.