21 Exclusive Scholarships for Graduate Students (2022)

About graduate school scholarships

Increasingly, students are choosing to attend graduate programs after college. In the fall of 2018, approximately 3 million grad students completed their enrollment. Over the next decade, that figure is expected to increase by 3%.

The value of graduate degrees can no longer be ignored.

Though incredibly valuable, attending a graduate-level program brings forth a heavy financial burden. The average medical degree costs approximately $200,000. An MBA at a top 20 graduate school is about $150,000, and going to law school will cost you up to $45,000 per year.

As a result of these large sticker prices, students enrolled in graduate-level programs were responsible for more than half of the $1.3 trillion in student loan debt in 2016.

Fortunately, on Bold.org, there are plenty of scholarships for graduate students available. By limiting the monetary obligations for students looking to obtain an advanced degree, graduate scholarships allow students to more fully engage in their studies without having to worry as much about financial aid.

To make things easier for you, we’ve assembled this scholarship list exclusively for graduate students interested in making their financial life a little bit more manageable. These scholarships are unique to Bold.org, a scholarship provider dedicated to providing financial aid to students in high school, undergraduate students, and graduate students. Simply select any scholarship in the list above and start sending out applications today!

Graduate School Costs Today

The average annual cost of a graduate-level program today is $24,812 a year. Of the nearly $25,000 in tuition costs, 53% is covered by federal student aid, 24% is covered by students' own earnings, and 15% is covered by graduate scholarship opportunities, grants, and fellowships.

Scholarships for graduate programs are much harder to come by though, seeing that just 40% of all grad students across the country received scholarship funding for the 2015-2016 academic year. Compare that to the 80% of undergraduate students at private, nonprofit institutions who received scholarship funds for the 2015-2016 academic year.

At Bold.org, we’re here to help! Our graduate school scholarships are designed to support grad students pursuing their degrees, propelling them toward their goals for graduate school and their pending professional career.

By lessening the abundant student loan debt prevalent on grad school campuses today, our scholarships will give you more financial aid opportunities for you to continue pursuing your graduate degree unencumbered.

How to qualify for graduate school scholarships

Enroll in your graduate-level program

There are many different paths you can take in grad school, but you're eligible for graduate school scholarships no matter which graduate degree you're pursuing. Doctoral students, law school students, students in medical school, and students enrolled in other programs for advanced degrees, such as a master's degree, can apply for grad school scholarships.

Finish setting up your profile

To get started with your scholarship search, create your Bold.org profile to gain access to hundreds of exclusive scholarships for graduate students. Once you've finished your profile, we'll match scholarships to you based on your level of education, field of study, interests, etc., so you can find as many opportunities as possible and avoid student loan debt.

Make sure your degree information is up to date

In order to apply for most graduate scholarships, you must be a current student enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited university. Eligible applicants for grad school scholarships include students who are in medical school, pursuing doctoral programs, working towards a master's degree, law school students, and everyone else enrolled in graduate programs.

If you're not in graduate school, don't worry! Bold.org has scholarships for all levels of study, including scholarships for undergraduate students. Even high school students are eligible for our scholarships, and many are open exclusively to high school seniors.

Types of scholarships available for graduate students

There is a wide variety of scholarships for graduate students. Whether you're looking for no-essay scholarships, merit-based awards, or essay-based scholarships, you can find the perfect opportunity on Bold.org. Many scholarships will ask you to submit a short essay, but if you're looking for faster applications you can find many low-effort, no-essay scholarships that you can apply for with just a few clicks.

While some scholarships are restricted to students at a certain level of education or in a specific field of study, many scholarships are open to all students regardless of academic program or current degree.

How to find scholarships for graduate students

To start finding grad school scholarships, create your free account on Bold.org. Then, you can either browse through the hundreds of open scholarships until you find a great fit, or you can use the filter feature to sort scholarships based on the award amount, nearest deadline, category, and level of interest. This will allow you to pull up scholarships exclusively for graduate students, and you can even find scholarships related to your field of study or hobbies.

When to start applying for graduate school scholarships

As a graduate student, you may be nearing the end of your education journey. To maximize your scholarship earnings, you should start applying to scholarships for graduate students as soon as possible. It's never too late to earn scholarships, but the sooner you start the more applications you'll be able to submit, increasing your chances of winning.

What to consider when applying for graduate school scholarships

When applying for grad school scholarships, keep in mind your unique strengths and all of the skills you have learned throughout your years of education. Now that you're pursuing an advanced degree, you can perfect the writing skills you learned during high school and while pursuing your undergraduate degree to make your essay stand out.

Create a strategy to effectively apply to as many scholarships as possible. Additionally, consider how many eligible applicants scholarship opportunities will have, and use this to your advantage! Niche scholarships with limited eligibility will have fewer applicants, giving you a greater chance of winning.

Finally, consider the deadlines of scholarships. Try to apply as early as possible to boost your chances of winning. Additionally, aim to apply a few days before the deadline so that you don't miss it if you have an issue with your application or if something comes up at the last minute.

How to apply for graduate school scholarships

Applying for grad school scholarships on Bold.org is simple and quick! After creating your account, you can start browsing scholarships or searching for the best fits using the filter feature. You can save any scholarships of interest so you can go back to them later and apply.

Each scholarship will have eligibility requirements, deadlines, and the announcement date in the description. Make sure that the scholarships you're looking at are open to graduate students, then start working on your essays and applying. Essay-based scholarships will have a prompt underneath the description, with the word limit included. When you're done, just click apply and you're all set!

No-essay scholarships are even easier. Some no-essay scholarships will prompt you to submit a video, picture, or other form of media to apply, but in many cases, applying for no-essay scholarships just requires a few clicks.

Click here to read our complete guide on how to apply for scholarships.

Tips for winning graduate school scholarships

With so many students in need of financial aid, there is significant competition for grad school scholarships. Searching for scholarships can feel daunting, and it can be discouraging to not win when you work hard on an application. Luckily, we have several tips for graduate students who are applying for scholarships.

Apply early and often

One easy way to boost your chances of winning scholarships for graduate students is to apply as early as possible. You can filter scholarships by the date they were added so you can always find the newest scholarship opportunities and apply immediately.

Additionally, applying to many scholarships increases your chances of winning some, so don't hesitate to keep applying for more. If you're short on time, you can apply to many no-essay scholarships for graduate students in just a few minutes.

Demonstrate your writing skills

Many scholarships for graduate students require essays. Most scholarship opportunities on Bold.org require short essays that are 600 words or fewer. This means that you have limited space to respond to the prompt and make your application stand apart from the others. To make the most of your essays, try to be concise and stick to the topic of the prompt. Be sure to have a strong opening that grabs the reader's attention, and try to add a short conclusion as well.

Proofreading is also critical when it comes to submitting scholarship essays. Taking the time to read through your essay and fix any spelling or grammatical errors can boost your chances of winning and show that you put time and effort into your application.

Use your profile to your advantage

As stated above, you often only have a few hundred words in your scholarship essays. To further your application and catch the eye of the donor, utilize your profile. Adding detail to your bio, including all of your extracurricular, employment, and research experience, and adding your careers of interest can make your profile more unique and memorable, helping you win more scholarships.

Frequently asked questions about graduate school scholarships

How do I get a full scholarship to graduate school?

The best way for graduate students to receive financial aid or scholarships directly from their school is to demonstrate academic achievement, financial need, and engagement in extracurricular activities. Conduct research about your school's scholarship and financial aid opportunities so you can use them to your advantage.

Another way to cover your full tuition is to apply for many scholarships, especially the highest value scholarships. On Bold.org there are many scholarships of $10,000, $20,000, and even $25,000 that are open to students regardless of academic program and could cover your full tuition.

What scholarships are available for graduate students?

On Bold.org, there are many scholarship opportunities that graduate students are eligible for. These financial aid opportunities include scholarships exclusively open to graduate students as well as broader scholarships open to all students, including those pursuing graduate programs.

You can find grants and scholarships for graduate students that require essays, creative application materials, such as pictures, or no submissions at all. Each scholarship will list who the eligible applicants are in the description, and many seek to support students pursuing graduate degrees.

Do master's programs give scholarships?

Master's programs do typically offer scholarships and financial aid. The scholarships offered by master's and doctoral programs are often merit-based awards, but many schools have need-based financial aid as well so that any student can complete a graduate degree, regardless of financial status.

Are scholarships available for graduate school?

It's no secret that graduate school is expensive and doesn't seem financially feasible for many college students. Between high tuition costs, significant living expenses, and even the cost of books, many prospective graduate students are deterred from pursuing graduate programs.

Fortunately, there are many scholarship opportunities for graduate students, including merit-based awards, tuition reimbursement, and the many scholarships available on Bold.org. There are countless resources to help graduate school students take charge of their finances and reduce or eliminate their need for student loans.

Do graduate schools offer scholarships?

Many people think that colleges don't offer financial aid or scholarships for students pursuing graduate degrees. Luckily, this isn't the case. You can find plenty of scholarships for graduate school depending on which college you're attending and what graduate program you're enrolled in. Ultimately, you'll find that there are many resources to encourage students pursuing a graduate degree.

How can I get graduate scholarships?

Graduate school scholarships may not be as plentiful as scholarships for those pursuing an undergraduate education, but at Bold.org, we offer a multitude of opportunities for students looking to fund their studies toward an advanced degree. You can use the drop-down filters on the Bold.org scholarships page to find your best-fit scholarship!

Another avenue for landing graduate scholarships is through the specific graduate program you are associated with. Chances are, you will be able to land a few graduate scholarships there. Beyond that, there are scholarships offered by your specific field of study, demographic group, academic achievement, geographical region, and even through professional organizations.

You can apply to as many graduate scholarships as you like, and there is no limit to how many you can win. Remember, every little bit counts!

How can I get funding for my graduate degree?

Approximately 70% of graduate students enrolled in a program receive some type of financial aid toward their graduate school degree. Almost half of these students take out loans, unknowingly leaving scholarship money on the table. Scholarship sites such as Bold.org are great resources to help you find those elusive graduate school scholarships to help you graduate debt-free. Graduate students interested in obtaining financial aid through scholarships should look into applying to the scholarships listed above.

How can I get funding for my doctorate degree?

Many universities actually offer full funding for doctoral students, which includes full tuition remission and an annual stipend. Students are expected to serve as teaching assistants or research assistants in return for a full ride.

How can I improve my chances of winning scholarships?

Scholarships for graduate students can be competitive, so you need to have a strategy when applying so you can finance your degree without student loans. Ways to stand out from other college students include being sure to demonstrate academic excellence on your profile, starting your essays with a hook or other strong opening, applying early, and having a detailed, unique profile.

Additionally, try to find scholarships with narrow applicant pools. For example, scholarships exclusively open to dental students, students pursuing computer science, students in law school, or students in medical school will have fewer applicants.

There are also graduate scholarships open to racial minorities and there are gender-based scholarships as well that seek to encourage women to pursue their graduate studies.

How many scholarships can you get?

There is no limit to the number of scholarships you can win on Bold.org to fund your graduate program! We have hundreds of active scholarships and list an average of twelve new scholarships each week, so apply often for the best chance of winning financial aid. Scholarships range in award amounts, but all of our scholarships for graduate students are worth at least $500, and many are worth more, such as this $25,000 scholarship!

Are grad school scholarships taxable income?

When you win a scholarship on Bold.org, we'll send the money straight to your school's financial aid office to offset your tuition costs. Graduate scholarships are not considered taxable income, so you can just sit back and watch your tuition bill go down so you can pursue your college education!