Get College Grants to Fund your Social Work Degree
A career in social work can be very rewarding. With an emphasis on counseling and guidance, social workers can engage in many specialist fields. If you are interested in pursuing a social work degree, you could obtain college grants made available to students from a variety of sources to help pay education and college expenses.

Grants for social work students are available from colleges and universities, professional organizations and even from federal government departments. Students can access social work grants for studies at undergraduate and graduate levels.

With a Bachelors degree, you could find employment in areas that focus on relationship and family counseling, substance abuse counseling and medical social work etc. However if you wish to become a professional social worker or would like to run your own clinical practice the minimum qualification is a Masters (MSW).

Grants for Professional Associations and Organizations

Student pursuing social work degrees often receive financial support from professional associations and organizations to assist with their education. You may find grants and other forms of financial support from the following:

  • The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) administers grant awards to social work students on an annual basis. Whilst the criteria for the grant programs differ, students who become involved in implementing community outreach programs or dissertation research projects can receive generous awards.
  • The American Cancer Society (ACS) administers Doctoral Training Grants In Oncology Social Work. 2-year grants are available providing a stipend of $20,000 per year with possibility of a 2-year renewal. The grant is awarded to qualifying doctoral students at schools of social work that train individuals to conduct research related to the psychosocial needs of persons with cancer and their families.

College and University Funded Social Work Grants

If you are planning to attend a college university that offers degree programs in social work, you are likely to find grants and scholarships provided by the education institution. Graduate social work students will typically have access to grants designed to fund graduate and doctoral level research. You should enquire with the education institution you plan on attending.

Below are a few examples of colleges and universities that support social work students with grants.

  • Graduate minority students attending the Case Western Reserve University who are engaging in social work involving community development can receive full-tuition grants through the Louis Stokes Grant program.
  • Academically talented undergraduate and graduate students attending the Wayne State University can apply for several grants and scholarships designed to assist students including women and students from ethnic minorities who enroll in social work related degree programs.
  • The Margaret Freeman Bowers Fellowship available through the Wellesley College (private women’s college) is a need-based grant available to women freshman students pursuing a degree in social work.

Government Funded Grants

The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research department (OBSSR) of the National Institute of Health administer a number of grants that college students. These grants are available for social work research projects through the ‘Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health’ program.