Master’s Degree Scholarships

Master's degree scholarships may enable you to attend graduate school for nothing! A Master's degree can keep you up-to-date on data-driven decision-making abilities and new technological advances. Graduate school scholarships are available through professional organizations, corporations, states, and higher education institutions.

A Master's degree is not easy! It's hard work and dedication. The ideal master's program will offer adaptability, resources, and skills to lessen many difficulties in earning your degree. Bold.org makes it easier for grad students to find funding for their Master's degree.

Graduate students typically rely on fellowships and assistantships to lower grad school costs. However, graduate scholarships make a significant impact on graduate school students. Let's take a look at some scholarship opportunities!

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Types of Scholarships Available for Master's Degree Students

Financial funding comes in various forms. For graduate students, it is often scholarships, grants, fellowship opportunities, and assistantships.

Graduate school grants are similar to scholarships. You are not required to pay them back. If you drop out of school or otherwise fail to remain eligible, you may be required to repay some or all of the grant. It’s important to know the terms of each award. Grants are need-based and sometimes related to your intended field, in contrast to scholarships, which are frequently merit-based.

Graduate student fellowships typically refer to a temporary opportunity to study or research in a particular area. Awarded for academic success, they may come with a service obligation like an internship. Fellowship opportunities are very common in graduate school.

A graduate assistantship is a salaried student employment opportunity, often in the field of study you pursue. There are academic and administrative assistantships where you can work closely with faculty or work closely to hone your business skills in administrative work.

How to Qualify for Master's Degree Scholarships

You will need to fill out the FAFSA form to apply and receive financial aid from your graduate school. The college or university will use the provided information to determine scholarship opportunities for eligible applicants.

However, as a graduate student, federal student aid typically does not qualify you for the same financial assistance you received as an undergraduate. Although federal student loans are available, graduate students usually do not receive Federal Pell Grants. 

Institutions offer merit-based graduate scholarships, and candidates must show academic achievement or academic excellence. These scholarships are given to new and continuing graduate students competitively.

To qualify for scholarships, you must be eligible! The eligibility requirements for scholarships will vary, but they will always be displayed in the description.

How to Find Scholarships for Master's Programs

Financial aid comes in various forms and one of the most significant is scholarships. Graduate students enrolled in an advanced degree should reach out to the financial aid office of their college or university to discuss scholarship funds available through the school.

Before you begin a scholarship application, carefully read the instructions and eligibility criteria to ensure you are an eligible candidate. You can improve your chances of winning a scholarship award by applying for scholarships with more narrow requirements. The stricter the qualifications are, the less competition there will be.

To find scholarships, you want to begin by contacting the college or university you are interested in to learn about the financial funding they offer. Additionally, you can browse scholarship platforms like Bold.org to find scholarships attuned to your needs.

Bold.org has many niche scholarships for graduate students interested in various graduate studies. Learn How to Get Grad School Scholarships today!

Bold.org Exclusive Master's Degree Scholarships

Here at Bold.org, a scholarship donor or sponsor may set specific criteria or conditions for their scholarship. This may reflect an organization's fundamental values and objectives or be in memory of an individual to support those from a similar background. The eligibility requirements for scholarships will vary, but they will always be displayed in the description. 

Click on any exclusive scholarships below to apply!

• Akila Couloumbis Memorial Scholarship for Social Justice
• Akila Couloumbis was an activist, actor, and director in the City of New York. In 1967 he co-founded The Theatre for the Forgotten (TFTF), a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of the incarcerated through theater. The Akila Couloumbis Memorial Scholarship aims to support research projects and program proposals by graduate students whose work will address high-risk youth, alternatives to incarceration, and/or the development of social and educational programs to alter the life trajectory of the imprisoned.
• Organic Formula Shop Single Parent Scholarship
• As a Dutch company, with their much-appreciated customer/parent base in the US, they hope to give back to their country and community. The Dutch government financially supports single parents in the Netherlands so that studying and childcare can be combined. Many students in the U.S. rely on available scholarships when their finances are insufficient. The Single Parent Scholarship by Organic Formula Shop is a student scholarship designed to support a single mother or a father. With this Scholarship, they hope to give college students a chance to earn cash towards their education.
• Cyndy Cervantes Scholarship for Oncology Social Work
• Cyndy Cervantes was an incredible oncology social worker whose life work was helping people with cancer. Beyond Oncology is creating a scholarship in her name to fund the education of social workers who are hoping to go into the field of oncology. This scholarship aims to encourage oncology social workers who serve cancer survivors. Graduate students pursuing a career in oncology social work and current oncology social workers working to pay off student debt are eligible to apply.
• Benoit Migambi Chronic and Neurological Diseases Scholarship
• n 2015, the CDC reported that around 3.4 million people in the U.S. had active epilepsy, making up 1.2% of the United States population. There is currently no cure for epilepsy, along with many other chronic diseases. Benoit Migambi passed away from epilepsy, and this scholarship aims to honor him and seeks to inspire the next generation of students studying neurological and chronic diseases. Graduate students studying chronic and neurological diseases are eligible to apply.

• Training Future Data Experts Scholarship
• The technology sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. The Data Incubator offers immersive, hands-on programs in data science and data analytics for those with a passion for data to master the skills you'll need to succeed in the business world. We've partnered with The Data Incubator to create this exclusive scholarship. To be eligible, you must be a graduate student who holds a Master’s or doctoral degree in a STEM-related field and has a career interest in data science.
• Charles Cheesman's Student Debt Reduction Scholarship
• The Charles Cheesman Student Debt Reduction Scholarship seeks to reduce student loan costs for African- American or Hispanic/Latino first-generation students, who are currently enrolled in college or have graduated with student loan debt. Graduates in the workforce paying off student loans are welcome to apply.
• Daily Upside Business News Scholarship
• The Daily Upside is a free daily newsletter that provides highly curated and engaging stories from the best financial writers with a dash of wit. This scholarship will be awarded to applicants currently pursuing a graduate degree in Business Administration/Management who will get the most out of The Daily Upside.

For more graduate school scholarships for Master's degrees, browse Bold.org's exclusive scholarships for graduate students.

Discover Fully Funded Master's Degree Programs

Some graduate programs offer full-funding scholarships for graduate students. A doctoral or master's program that offers complete funding to all students admitted to the program is known as a fully funded program. Below we have gathered a few Master's programs that offer grad school funding.

The Graduate School Princeton offers fully funded master's programs. For The School of Public and International Affairs: All MPA and MPP students get financial aid that covers the full cost of tuition and other fees. Additionally, stipends for living expenses are given based on need. For computer science, or 'COS,' Princeton offers full financial support through assistantships.

Western University offers guaranteed funding from their Department of Psychology for students pursuing a Master's degree in Psychology. Their generous funding packages currently exceed the cost of tuition.

The University of Texas at Austin has The New Writers Project which is a small, fully funded, three-year studio program. All students in the New Writers Project receive three years of full funding through a combination of teaching assistantships (TA), assistant instructorships (AI), and fellowship support.

Stanford University's Department of Art and Art History offers a fully funded MFA in Film and Video. Graduate students in Documentary Film are generously funded by fellowships that pay for their full cost of tuition and assistance towards the cost of living.

It is important to conduct research before settling on a college or university for a Master's degree. There are many institutions that offer Master's degree scholarships with full funding.

Additionally, Bold.org offers a plethora of scholarships for students seeking Master's degrees. Browse the Scholarship Search tool to apply for scholarships now!

How to Apply for Master's Degree Scholarships 

States, businesses, organizations, and more offer scholarships. They can be merit-based or need-based. They are often specific to the graduate program you are applying for. It's important to be aware of deadlines and eligibility criteria to make the most of your scholarship search.

To apply for scholarships, fill out the FAFSA application, as the government and schools use this information to determine what aid you qualify for. Additionally, read the guidelines and requirements carefully before starting a scholarship application to make sure you qualify. Applying to scholarships with more specific requirements will increase your chances of receiving an award.

Bold.org is an excellent place to start your scholarship search. Simply create a Bold.org Profile and begin browsing available graduate school scholarships. This scholarship platform is the largest independent scholarship program with abundant scholarship funding opportunities waiting to be awarded to graduate students. Simply follow the application prompts and click "apply now" to complete your application!    

Grad school scholarships will differ in eligibility criteria; applicants must ensure they are eligible for the application to maximize their earnings. Never assume all scholarship providers want the same information from you.

Scholarship applicants can make their applications stand out through impressive scholarship essays. Not a great writer? We have you covered; check out our best tips for creating an excellent essay.   

Frequently Asked Questions About Master's Degree Scholarships

You may have questions about graduate school scholarships or how Bold.org works during your graduate scholarship application process. Below you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked graduate school scholarship questions.

Does FAFSA give financial aid to graduate students?

For the purposes of the FAFSA, graduate and professional students are regarded as independent students. The majority of graduate students are not eligible for Pell grants or Direct subsidized loans. Graduates are able to take out Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS Loans.

How much money can you borrow for a Master’s?

Graduate and professional students are eligible to borrow up to $20,500 in Direct Unsubsidized Loans annually. Additionally, you can use Direct PLUS Loans to cover the remaining costs of your education. Private loans are offered to graduate students and vary in amount.

Do I need an excellent GPA to apply for scholarships?  

Grade point average isn't always considered when applying for scholarship awards. Bold.org offers a wide array of scholarships, including some limited to outstanding students with high GPAs, as well as other awards that do not have minimum GPA requirements.

Do Master’s degrees have value?

The benefits of earning a Master's degree are numerous. An individual with a Master's degree can anticipate making, on average, 20% more money than someone with a Bachelor's degree. A graduate degree can provide better employment possibilities, more in-depth topic knowledge, and a sense of accomplishment.

Browse Bold's Scholarship Blog for more information about Master's degree scholarships