Funded Psy.D. Programs: Fully and Partially Funded Options
A fully or partially funded Psy.D. program can significantly reduce the cost of earning your degree. However, fully funded Psy.D. programs are extremely rare, and even partially funded options can be highly competitive. Unlike Ph.D. programs in psychology, which often provide full funding, most Psy.D. students pay at least some tuition and fees.
Keep reading to learn which Psy.D. programs offer funding, what types of funding are available, and answers to common questions about paying for a Psy.D. degree.
Defining “Funded” Psy.D. Programs
“Funded” can mean different things when it comes to Psy.D. programs. While a small number of programs offer full tuition coverage, these opportunities are exceptionally rare. More commonly, Psy.D. funding comes in the form of graduate assistantships, stipends, tuition remission, or partial tuition support.
List of Funded Psy.D. Programs
A small number of Psy.D. programs offer funding through scholarships, assistantships, tuition waivers, remission, and stipends. Among the programs below, Baylor University and James Madison University are known for offering funding packages that include full tuition coverage and stipend support.
Other programs offer varying levels of partial funding that can help reduce the overall costs of your Psy.D. degree.
| School Name | Funding Type | Funding Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor University | Fully Funded | Full tuition + practicum salary + stipend support |
| James Madison University | Fully Funded | Guaranteed assistantships + full tuition + stipend support |
| Georgia Southern | Significant Funding Available | Graduate assistantships + tuition waivers + stipend support |
| Indiana State University | Partial Funding | Assistantships + partial tuition waivers + stipend support |
| Roosevelt University | Partial Funding | Graduate assistantships + tuition waivers + stipend support |
| Spalding University | Partial Funding | Graduate assistantships + tuition assistance |
| University of La Verne | Limited Partial Funding | First-year assistantships + tuition remission |
1. Baylor University
Program Overview: Baylor University offers a fully funded Psy.D. program. It follows a practitioner-scientist training model that combines clinical practice and research. Students complete approximately 4,000 hours of clinical and research experience before their internship. The program has small cohorts with highly competitive admissions (about a 2% acceptance rate).
- How Funding Works: Funding comes primarily from paid practicum placements, with additional funding available through teaching assistantships and university scholarships.
- Funding Breakdown: Full tuition support is available for up to five years, plus annual practicum salaries of $16,000-$25,000 and a $19,000 dissertation-year stipend. (Students will pay $3,000-$4,000 in fees and 5% of tuition beginning in 2027-28.)
- Funding Availability: Guaranteed for all admitted students in good standing.
2. Georgia Southern
Program Overview: Georgia Southern University offers a Psy.D. program with significant funding. The program focuses on training generalist practitioners, with an emphasis on serving rural and underserved populations. It combines coursework, clinical practice, research, dissertation, and a year-long internship. The acceptance rate was about 4% for the 2025 cohort.
- How Funding Works: Funding is available through graduate assistantships and includes a stipend and full tuition waiver in exchange for about 20 hours of work per week.
- Funding Breakdown: Full tuition waiver, including out-of-state tuition, plus a stipend. Students are responsible for university fees.
- Funding Availability: Four graduate assistantships are available for incoming students each year, and additional assistantships may be available in other departments.
3. James Madison University
Program Overview: James Madison University offers a fully funded Psy.D. program that combines clinical, counseling, and school psychology training. Designed primarily for students with a master’s or specialist degree, the program includes coursework, clinical experiences, a dissertation, and a year-long internship. JMU admits only 4-6 students each year.
- How Funding Works: Funding is available through full-time teaching or graduate assistantships.
- Funding Breakdown: Full tuition support and an annual stipend of $18,348.
- Funding Availability: All admitted students receive funding.
4. Indiana State University
Program Overview: Indiana State University offers a partially funded, hybrid Psy.D. program in school psychology. The hybrid format has limited on-campus attendance requirements and prepares graduates for licensure as psychologists and school psychologists. It includes coursework, practica, research, and a 2,000-hour internship. Admissions are very competitive.
- How Funding Works: Funding is available through competitive graduate assistantships requiring up to 20 hours of work per week.
- Funding Breakdown: Funding includes both a stipend and partial tuition waiver; additional travel and research awards may also be available.
- Funding Availability: Funding is competitive and not guaranteed for all admitted students.
5. Roosevelt University
Program Overview: Roosevelt University offers a partially funded Psy.D. program in clinical psychology. It focuses on evidence-based psychotherapy, assessment, and diagnosis and provides specialized training in neuropsychology or child, adolescent, and family psychology. The program accepts about 25 new students each year.
- How Funding Works: Funding is available through scholarships, graduate assistantships, work-study, and teaching fellowships. Assistantships require 6-17 hours of work per week.
- Funding Breakdown: Funding may include one-third to full tuition waivers, stipends ranging from about $1,700-$5,200 per semester, work-study awards of up to $3,500 per year, and paid teaching fellowships.
- Funding Availability: Funding is not guaranteed for all admitted students.
6. Spalding University
Program Overview: Spalding University offers a partially funded Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology. The program follows a scholar-practitioner model that combines research and clinical practice and offers emphasis areas in advanced clinical, forensic, geropsychology, clinical health, and neuropsychology. The program typically enrolls about 30 students each year.
- How Funding Works: Funding is available through graduate assistantships, which students can apply for after the interview process.
- Funding Breakdown: Graduate assistantships provide tuition assistance, though funding is competitive and based on availability.
- Funding Availability: About 40% of students receive graduate assistantship funding at some point during the program.
7. University of La Verne
Program Overview: The University of La Verne offers a Psy.D. in clinical psychology with limited partial funding. It combines research and clinical practice using a scholar-practitioner model and prepares graduates for licensure and careers in mental health, healthcare, education, and private practice. La Verne has a small cohort model with about 12-14 students admitted each year.
- How Funding Works: Funding includes a graduate assistantship, which provides partial tuition credit. Highly qualified students may also qualify for teaching and research assistantships, while scholarships are also available.
- Funding Breakdown: First-year graduate assistantships include partial tuition remission, while additional teaching and research assistantships may provide further partial tuition credits.
- Funding Availability: First-year assistantships are available to all students.
Breaking Down the Different Types of Funding for Psy.D. Programs
Psy.D. programs may offer funding through assistantships, tuition waivers, remission, and stipends, which can significantly reduce the overall cost of a degree. Each type of funding typically comes with requirements you must meet to qualify for and maintain your awards.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships are competitive, part-time positions for Psy.D. students. They typically require 10-20 hours of work per week, and may provide tuition waivers, stipends, or both. They also provide valuable professional and academic experience. Common roles include research, teaching, and administrative support.
- What Funding Usually Requires: Maintaining academic and professional standing; completing a separate application, recommendations, and interview process; and fulfilling assigned work-hour requirements.
Tuition Waivers and Remission
Tuition waivers and remission reduce or eliminate tuition costs, often in exchange for graduate assistantship work. Funding may cover only a certain number of credits and usually does not cover student fees. Public university Psy.D. programs are more likely to offer substantial tuition waivers, while private programs often offer only partial discounts.
- What Funding Usually Requires: Maintaining academic and professional standing, completing required assistantship duties, and making satisfactory progress toward degree completion.
Stipend Support
Stipends are cash payments that help cover living expenses while enrolled in a Psy.D. program. Award amounts vary, with partial stipends often ranging from $5,000-$15,000 per year and fully funded stipends ranging from $10,000-$30,000 or more annually. They are generally taxable income, often come with work-hour requirements or limits, and may be available only during the academic year.
- What Funding Usually Requires: Maintaining academic and professional standing, continuous enrollment, and compliance with work-hour requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psy.D. Program Funding
Fully funded Psy.D. programs are rare. A handful of programs, such as Baylor University, Rutgers University, and James Madison University, offer full or substantial funding, but admission is highly competitive. If funding is your top priority, consider affordable public universities, assistantships, or fully funded clinical psychology Ph.D. programs.
