Scholarships & Funding Opportunities

Tulane School of Social Work's tuition discount model for all Masters-level students is based on merit and need. Merit is calculated based on the overall grade point average of the bachelor’s degree-granting institution and is offered at the time of admission. 

Need-based awards, or scholarship top-offs, are determined by the Office of Financial Aid and are typically announced one month before the enrollment term begins. Not all students receive an additional award. Need-based awards are based on students' Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For that reason, we strongly encourage students to submit FAFSA as early in the admission process as possible. 

On-campus Doctorate students are eligible for the Downtown Studies Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 per semester for seven semesters.

We are able to offer scholarships to the majority of our student body due largely to the kindness of donors who want to help foster a new generation of social workers. To view a full list of our generous donors, click here.

Students are also eligible for employment opportunities within the School of Social Work.

 

External Funding Sources

You may also be eligible for one of the following. 

City Year Scholarship

City Year is proud to partner with Tulane School of Social Work, a leading graduate school focused on clinical-community practice and promoting social and economic justice with more than 6,000 alumni worldwide, offering 25% annual tuition scholarships. 

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Social Work-Related Organizations

National Association of Social Workers (NASW) offers graduate school scholarships and doctoral fellowships.

National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) offers scholarship resources.

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) offers funding opportunities for students.

Phi Alpha Honors Society for social work offers scholarships.

The Social Science Research Council offers a variety of fellowship programs that foster the innovation of new policy solutions to meet our most pressing needs.

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine share fellowship opportunities for graduate and doctoral students.

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education hosts a wide variety of opportunities, ranging from graduate scholarships to postdoctoral fellowships.

Population Council offers fellowships for students studying social sciences. 

Leopold Schepp Foundation Scholarship provides educational scholarships to full-time undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate a combination of fine character, academic excellence, financial need, compassion, a commitment to volunteerism and whose goal will benefit mankind.

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation is the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for those pursuing careers as public service leaders. 

Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund is for students who demonstrate active participation in civil rights, economic justice, international solidarity, or other progressive issues. These need-based scholarships are awarded to those able to do academic work at the university level and who are part of the progressive movement on the campus and in the community.

The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program (formerly known as Fellows/USA) is a graduate fellowship program that offers financial assistance to returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

Religious Affiliations

Many religious organizations set aside funds to support students who are pursuing careers in community service and social work. These programs are typically restricted to members of the faith in general, and often to members of specific congregations. Students interested in pursuing social work as a career should contact the leaders of their church, synagogue, or religious community for information on financial aid which may be available to help them pay for college.

These few examples will give an idea of the types of aid that may be available from within your religious community:

Women and Minority Students

American Indian Education Program -- The Indian Health Services Health Professionals Program scholarship is eligible to students enrolled in a federally recognized tribe with a 2.0 GPA or higher. Students must be pursuing a degree in a health related profession or be a junior or senior in college planning to get a masters in social work or physical therapy.

American Association of University Women support women who hold a bachelor's degree and are preparing to advance their careers, change careers, or re-enter the work force. Primary consideration is given to women of color and women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in nontraditional fields.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund offers a number of scholarships for persons of Hispanic background obtaining their first graduate degree.

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a merit-based fellowship exclusively for immigrants and children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate school in the United States.

PFLAG New Orleans offers scholarships for self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer students with Louisiana residency.

The Organization of American States Rowe Fund supports Latin American and Caribbean students pursuing higher education in the United States by providing interest-free loans and supplementary scholarships.

The Point Foundation empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential, despite the obstacles often put before them, to make a significant impact on society.

William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fellowship for Minority Students offers funding for highly motivated graduate or undergraduate students from communities of color seeking to address issues and challenges affecting philanthropy, social enterprise, nonprofit organizations, and other actors in the social sector.

International Students

The Belgian American Educational Foundation offers graduate and doctoral scholarships for Belgians studying in the United States.

The American-Scandinavian Foundation provides scholarships for Scandinavian students studying in the United States.

P.E.O. Sisterhood's International Peace Scholarship provides funding for women from outside the United States seeking degrees from U.S. graduate programs.

Doctoral Students

The Institute for Citizens and Scholars offers dissertation scholarships for students with a variety of interests.

The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation provides scholarships for doctoral students completing dissertations examining violence.

The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation provides funding for students in the final year of their doctoral dissertations related to ethics, values, morals, or religion.

Ford Foundation's Global Fellowship is available for those proposing innovative solutions to end inequality.

The National Academy of Education offers a fellowship for students writing dissertations relevant to improving education.

Disaster Resilience Leadership Students

Advancing Earth and Space Sciences provides a variety of grants and awards.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office for Coastal Management hosts a variety of fellowships for students interested in coastal resilience and management.

 

Dual Degree Scholarships

Students pursuing a Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work dual degree may be eligible for one of the following opportunities:

  • The Pincus Violence Prevention Scholarship is a new interdisciplinary, two-year scholarship program that integrates faculty across all schools at Tulane, particularly the Schools of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Social Work, and Medicine, the Violence Prevention Institute (VPI), and a network of community partners across the city. More information is available here.
  • The Phillip O. Lawson Graduate Scholarship Endowed Fund is used for graduate students in the joint Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work degree program awarded through the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. More information is available here.

Students pursuing a Juris Doctor and Master of Social Work dual degree may be eligible for scholarship opportunities provided through Tulane Law School.