Scholarships and Financial Aid for Minority Students
The array of available scholarships can be encouraging and daunting. Our guide to financial aid for minority students can help you launch a targeted search.
Psychology is one of the most popular majors, with many scholarships available for minority students to help offset the cost of education. Psychology students can receive funding as federal aid, scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs. Discover scholarships and other financial aid for minority students.
Scholarships for African American Psychology Students
Professional Organizations for Black and African American Students
- Association of Black Psychologists: The Association of Black Psychologists has created a comprehensive scholarship resource list, vetted for opportunities specific to African-American and minority students. The organization offers different levels of membership for undergraduate students, graduate students, and early-career professionals.
- African American Therapists: Primarily a directory of African-American mental health service providers, this site also maintains a highly active blog-style news section. The frequently updated resources page provides information for students seeking financial aid, professionals searching for jobs, and mental health workers interested in networking and development.
Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino Psychology Students
Professional Organizations for Hispanic and Latino Students
- National Latina/o Psychological Association: NLPA offers exclusive training, continuing education, teaching, and funding opportunities. The organization features its own travel scholarships, as well as an award in honor of Dr. Adriana Rodriguez-Pellicari. NLPA hosts a job board for psychology graduates.
- Hispanic Heritage Foundation: The Hispanic Heritage Foundation promotes minority development in a wide variety of academic majors, including coding, science, and education. Although the organization maintains a high profile for its Hispanic Heritage Awards and Youth Awards, it also offers a unique video game innovation fellowship and workforce development program. The foundation holds extensive education and community partnerships with many institutions nationwide.
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund: The HSF supports higher education for Latinos by fostering major national and international corporate partnerships. In addition to awarding the competitive HSF Scholarship each year, the organization hosts networking opportunities for prior award winners, a STEM summit, and youth leadership programs for high school and college students.
Scholarships for Native American Psychology Students
Professional Organizations for Native American Students
- Society of Indian Psychologists: The Society of Indian Psychologists offers various levels of membership, including options for aspiring members experiencing financial hardship. The organization encourages student members to participate in its annual conference and retreat, pursue mentorships through the organization, and access data through the website for tribal and professional research.
- Indian Health Service: The federal health program for American Indians and Alaska Natives, IHS provides up-to-date advocacy news, as well as community service, externship, and continuing education opportunities for Native-American students. The site also features career opportunities, federal financial aid information, scholarship data, and loan assistance.
- National Indian Health Board: NIHB offers a variety of financial aid resources, including travel expenses for conference meetings, behavioral health grants, and nomination-based awards for Native minority groups. NIHB also features comprehensive, updated listings of leadership and advocacy opportunities in the public, community, and mental health sectors.
Scholarships for Asian and Pacific-Islander Psychology Students
Professional Organizations for Asian and Pacific Islander Students
- Asian American Psychological Association: The AAPA provides eight awards, fellowships, and research grants to members at various stages of their education and career. The organization also offers student membership rates and discounted AAPA convention registration. The AAPA hosts a consortium for undergraduates interested in psychology.
- Asian Psychological Association: APsyA unites Asian psychologists, mental health professionals living in Asia, and psychologists specializing in issues affecting the Asian population. APsyA is unique for its focus on international networking and scholarships. The association hosts a convention every 2-4 years and circulates publications on issues affecting the Asian psychology community.
- AAPA Division on South Asian Americans: The Division on South Asian Americans provides members with mentorship, professional training, and networking opportunities. The organization supports fellowship opportunities specific to South Asian psychologists. Topics include the role of female South Asian immigrants in the U.S. and bicultural identity conflicts.
Psychology Scholarships for Undocumented Students
Professional Organizations for Undocumented Students
- United We Dream: United We Dream focuses on four primary areas of advocacy for immigrants to the U.S., one of which is access to education for DACA students. In addition to hosting information on scholarship opportunities, United We Dream supports initiatives, such as National Immigrant Resilience Day and immigrant certification training services.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website offers the latest news and regulations concerning DACA status and eligibility. Here, students may apply for DACA for the first time, renew their DACA, and review up-to-date information about national citizenship services and immigration enforcement procedures in their state.
- Community College Consortium for Immigrant Education: CCCIE promotes collaboration among international scholars. The organization shares student success stories in order to encourage higher education for immigrants and undocumented youths in the U.S. CCCIE offers outreach through nonprofit partnerships, continuing education and training opportunities, and advocacy programs for individuals and institutions of higher learning.
Types of Funding Available for Psychology Students
The following types of funding are listed from least likely to most likely to incur debt.
Scholarships
Perhaps the most highly sought-after form of financial aid, scholarships typically reward students for their academic and personal achievements. Students do not have to pay back any portion of a scholarship. National associations, individual schools, private foundations, and other organizations all offer scholarships for minority graduate students in psychology.
Each scholarship includes different requirements. For example, some minority-specific psychology scholarships may require study in a particular field or a period of community service after graduation. Scholarship recipients may also pursue need-based funding through federal grants and work-study programs. With no interest or repayment obligations, scholarships are the best method of financial aid for college students.
Grants
Grants, like scholarships, do not need to be paid back. Students typically receive grants based on financial need. When it comes to grants for minorities, there are two main categories — ethnic and non-ethnic. Applicants belonging to a racial minority qualify for ethnic minority grants, while non-ethnic grants are reserved for students with physical or learning disabilities or for another minority group.
Ethnic minority grants may be of particular interest to graduate students in psychology, since they can help fund a study abroad experience, research project, or dissertation.
Work-Study
Federal work-study programs provide students with part-time jobs to help cover the cost of tuition, books, housing, and other expenses. Upon reviewing your FAFSA, the Department of Education determines if you are eligible for work-study and, if so, lists your maximum award for the academic year. Students receive minimum wage, subject to their school’s available funds for work-study awards.
Students may work for their school, a public agency, or a local nonprofit organization, depending on availability. In some cases, minority students in a psychology program may receive a work-study opportunity related to their major. However, these positions may be limited, since schools must apply at least 7% of work-study awards to community service jobs.
Federal Student Loans
The Department of Education offers direct loans and Perkins loans. These financial aid options are funded by the federal government and your school, respectively. Federal direct loans may be subsidized or unsubsidized based on financial need.
Other options include direct PLUS loans, which help graduate students and the families of undergraduate students cover educational expenses in excess of other financial aid. Direct consolidation loans combine all loans into one sum through a single third-party servicer. Unlike grants and scholarships, loans require students to pay back the initial amount with interest. Federal student loans offer lower interest rates and more forgiving repayment schedules than private loans.
Private Loans
Once all of the above forms of financial aid have been exhausted, students may pursue a loan through a private lender. While private loans can be helpful in providing additional financial aid to responsible borrowers, this type of aid can rapidly increase student debt for those who borrow too much or misunderstand the terms of their agreement.
Many banks and businesses offer private student loans. Some banks even manage a subsidiary division specifically for loan servicing, such as Citizens One and Sallie Mae. Unlike federal student loans managed through the Department of Education, private loans require higher interest rates and less flexible repayment terms. These loans typically require a credit check or a cosigner.
Filing the FAFSA
Whether you are broadly considering grants for an undergraduate degree, or specifically pursuing scholarships for minority females in psychology, all paths leading to financial aid begin with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Filing the FAFSA is mandatory to determine your eligibility for federal grants, scholarships, work-study awards, and federal loans. The FAFSA even informs the lending process for private loans, as some banks and other loan servicers set interest or repayment terms based on your FAFSA status.
The FAFSA is available to both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking students. However, applicants must be citizens or eligible non-citizens of the U.S. to apply. Undocumented immigrants cannot access aid through the FAFSA. Other eligibility requirements include a high school or GED diploma, enrollment in a certificate or degree program, continued academic progress at a satisfactory level, and registration with the Selective Service System. Applicants cannot be in default on a federal student loan or have a conviction for the sale or possession of illegal drugs while receiving federal student aid.
The FAFSA works by estimating each student’s estimated family contribution. The Department of Education then calculates the student’s maximum federal award. Schools use the data to determine institutional scholarships, work-study, and loan limits. While applicants have between October 1 and June 30 to complete the FAFSA, the Department of Education encourages students to apply as early as possible. Early filing allows you to expedite reporting to other potential sources of financial aid.
Items needed to complete the FAFSA include:
- Your social security number (or alien registration number for non-citizens)
- Federal income tax returns, and income statements, such as 1040s or W-2s
- Bank account statements and investment records, if applicable
- Untaxed income records, if applicable
- An FSA ID (your electronic login if filing online)
Scholarship Application Tips
Understand Your Options
Start by contacting organizations in your community or school that provide resources to underserved populations. Options include the NAACP and the Black Student Association. Consider explaining your position as an aspiring college student and asking about awards, such as scholarships for minority females in psychology. Also request tips on how to successfully apply for financial aid as a minority student. You may be surprised at the response you get for showing such initiative and taking command of your application process.Start Early, Get Organized
A haphazard application could get passed over for scholarships, no matter how impressive your qualifications. Pursuing financial aid is a crucial aspect of the college application process, and the time you spend organizing your materials should reflect how important the scholarship is to you and your education. The committee reviewing your application will likely award scholarships to students who can follow directions precisely, in addition to meeting eligibility requirements.Put Time and Effort into Your Essays
Many scholarships for minority students in psychology require compelling essays as an important component of the application process. Scholarship committees often consider an applicant’s mission statement, academic aspirations, and life experiences as much as merit- and need-based qualifications. Scholarships require an essay for a specific reason, so be sure to take your time, be genuine, and let your personality come through.Ask an Experienced Applicant
Consider consulting an older family member, friend, alum, or mentor who has successfully applied for scholarships as a minority student. While your predecessors may not have applied for exactly the same awards as you, they may be able to offer invaluable insight into what the selection committee wanted to see. Many applicants have mastered the process by applying for several types of aid, including scholarships for minority graduate students in psychology, grants for doctoral psychology dissertation research, and awards for students with significant financial need.Solicit Letters of Recommendation
While letters of recommendation are one of the key components of a scholarship application, they can also be the most unpredictable. You must rely on each individual source to submit their recommendation by the deadline. Assume the letters of recommendation will take longer than expected, and consider soliciting the letters as early as possible. Giving yourself plenty of time means you can avoid feeling rushed, and avoid rushing those writing your recommendations.
Additional Scholarship Resources for Psychology Students
- Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations: The American Psychological Association (APA) houses psychological associations for African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. The APA also hosts the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race. Scholarship-seekers can access financial aid opportunities exclusive to members of the minority-specific associations of APA.
- Federal Grants Wire: Not limited to educational awards, the Federal Grants Wire directory includes potentially obscure sources of funding for college-bound minority students. Students can search for grant opportunities by region, major, subject, and ethnic classification. The site also features instructions and tips for applying to a federal grant program.
- Department of Education Grants: The Department of Education’s site walks students through the process of applying for federal programs, such as the Pell Grant. The page directs students to additional opportunities like work-study and IES funding through the Department’s Institute for Education Sciences. Students may also search for grants by eligibility requirements and learn upcoming grant opportunities.
- Department of Education DACA Resources: Sponsored by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, the Department of Education created a comprehensive resource guide for DACA recipients and other undocumented high school and college students. In addition to crucial tips for understanding non-citizen rights and accessing DACA education records in the U.S., the site features a list of federally funded programs and private scholarships that offer funding to undocumented students.
