If you are heading to grad school, there are a wide range of master’s degree scholarships available. Scholarships for masters degrees may help you go to graduate school for free. They could offset other expenses such as the cost of researching for your thesis.
Financial aid for graduate school is different than it is for an undergrad degree. Federal financial aid is available to grad students in the form of work study and loans. Pell Grants are only for undergraduates. As such, finding a master’s degree scholarship may make the most financial sense.
Unlike federal loans, graduate school scholarships are money you receive but typically don’t have to pay back. As long as you abide by the terms and conditions.
Is it hard to get Masters Degree Scholarships?
Some masters degree scholarships may be more competitive than other awards. Master degree scholarships come with their own criteria for eligibility. Getting a scholarship that helps pay for your master’s degree may require:
Desire to study a specific topic (E.g. Oncology Nursing, Architecture, Project Management, etc.)
Intention to research in a chosen area (E.g. Archaeological Research)
Demonstrated qualities (E.g. Leadership or Public Service)
Some scholarships for master’s degrees are also open to undergrads. So, you’ll be up against both sets of students who are competing for the awards.
One example is the Davis-Putter Scholarship. Scholarships from the Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund pay $15,000. The grants help students who are active in movements for social and economic justice.
You’ll also find master’s degree scholarships that may fund grad students who are women or minorities. The Holly A. Cornell Scholarship is one example. This $7,500 award is from the American Water Works Society. It goes to talented female and/or minority students. The recipient needs to be pursuing a degree and research in the field of water supply and treatment.
Another example is the Jonathon Lax Scholarship Fund for Gay Men. These tuition scholarships come in amounts of $5,000 or $10,000. They are set aside to help gay men who live in the five-county Philadelphia region obtain more education.
There are also scholarships for graduate students in specific fields of study. One example is the Frederic G. MELCHER Scholarship. Two candidates receive $7,500 each.
To apply, you need to be a student pursuing a Master’s in Library Science (MLS) degree. And plan to work in children’s librarianship.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation offers a similar type of scholarship. Their awards are $5,000. They go to grad students in communication science and disorders.
WHAT BENEFITS ARE THERE TO PURSUING MASTERS Degree SCHOLARSHIPS?
As a graduate student, getting a master’s degree scholarship may come with many benefits. For one, the money might cover tuition, books, living expenses and research.
This may free you up to focus on completing your master’s degree. Without having to take out loans or get a job to pay for your classes.
You may also reap rewards of attaining a master’s degree when you graduate. Employment in master’s-level occupations is on the rise by almost 17 percent from 2016 to 2026. That’s the fastest of any education level.
This may explain why in the 2017 to 2018 period alone, 775,000 students earned a master’s degree. Yet many students weigh the cost of pursuing a master’s degree with the cost of attaining it.
For sure, the average costs of graduate tuition and required fees has been climbing. What does graduate school cost? The National Center for Education Statistics has been tracking this data.
On average, the tuition and fees associated with pursuing a master’s degree are:
Private institution: $20,368
Public institution: $8,763
Average overall: $14,537
It is no surprise that recently, 70.4% of graduate students received some type of financial aid. Almost half of these students (43.8 %) took out loans. Take away? if you are trying to go to graduate school for free, securing a scholarship or grant may be ideal.
LIST OF MASTER’S DEGREE SCHOLARSHIPS
Check out our list of scholarships for masters degrees. There are awards worth .
The Irene and Daisy MacGregor Memorial Scholarship is awarded to two students of high scholastic standing and character who have been accepted into or are pursuing an approved course of study to become a medical doctor (no pre-med, veterinarian or physician assistant) at an approved, accredited medical school.
The John F. and Anna Lee Stacey Scholarship Fund awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 per recipient. Funds support the education of students between the ages of 18 and 35 who aim to make art in the classical or conservative traditions their profession.
The primary role of the GSA research grants program is to provide partial support of master’s and doctoral thesis research in the geological sciences for graduate students enrolled in universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America.
This award is open to female college sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and graduate students who are majoring in engineering or computer science at an Indiana college/university. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher; students with financial need are given preference.
This scholarship is available to graduate students in the Communications Department at Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota. Students must be single parents or citizens of a country other than the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
This award is available for U.S. students who are residents of Kent County, Michigan. Applicants must be majoring in music at the undergraduate or graduate level and maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
The Stephen K. Hall ACWA Water Law and Policy Scholarship awards is available for a qualified graduate student attending an accredited, public or private U.S. college pursuing a graduate degree (Master’s, PhD, or Law School) in water law, water policy or public administration with a demonstrated concentration in the field of water resources.
The Jerry Van Winkle Memorial Scholarship is available for graduating high school seniors at Waterville High School, as well as seniors at Chelan, or Eastmont High School who attended Orondo Elementary School.
This award is available for students residing in Kent County, Michigan who are pursuing a graduate degree at a college or university in Michigan. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate unmet financial need.
The Center for Cyber Safety and Education offers up to 20 scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to students pursuing or planning to pursue a master’s or doctorate degree with a focus in cybersecurity or information assurance.
