- Colleges
-
Scholarships
- Scholarships Find out how to get scholarship money for college that you don’t need to pay back.
- $2,000 No Essay Scholarship Enter to win our no-essay $2,000 college scholarship in 2 minutes or less.
- Scholly Scholarships Easily find and sort through thousands of college scholarships for free.
- Scholarships for High School Seniors Explore scholarships for high school seniors and get tips on how to apply.
- Scholarships for College Students Find scholarships for college students and get tips on how to apply.
- Scholarship Resources Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guides.
-
Financial aid
- Financial Aid Grants, work-study, and federal student loans can all be part of your financial aid package.
- FAFSA® Guide Learn how to answer the 2024-25 FAFSA® questions like a pro.
- Financial Aid Offers Compare financial aid offers to determine the most affordable schools for you and your family.
- College Grants Learn more about federal and state grants and how to apply.
- Federal Pell Grants Discover what a Pell Grant is, who is eligible, and how to apply.
- Financial Aid Resources Get expert guidance on maximizing your financial aid options to make education more affordable.
- Pay for School
Scholarships
Top social work scholarships for you
Find scholarships for social work majors that can help you pay for college.
Here’s a scholarship you can apply for in minutes.
Enter $2,000 scholarship*
Here’s a scholarship you can apply for in minutes.
What are social work scholarships?
Social work scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for social work students. Scholarships for social work majors can help students access higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach because of financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for social work scholarships
Before you apply for social work scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements to see if you qualify. These may include:
- Minimum GPA
- Community service experience
- U.S. citizenship
- Plans to attend an accredited program
- Leadership skills
- FAFSA® submission
Scholarship requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Keep searching for scholarships that best match your qualifications.
Are social work scholarships worth my time?
If you want to get as much free money as you can for your education, then yes! You’ll find some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for, while others require more time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply for scholarships that require work (like writing an essay) which means you could have better odds of winning if you apply for one of those.
Pro tip: Don’t pass up on social work scholarships that have smaller award amounts. ($) There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find social work scholarships?
From your school to national organizations, there are so many places to find social work scholarships that can help you pay for college.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search engines, like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”

Scholly Scholarships
Find scholarships now
Find scholarships that are right for you
Easily search through thousands of college scholarships based on your background, major, state you live in, and more.
Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
Scholarships for social work majors
Bruce T. Hall Scholarship Fund
Due: 5/1/2025
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Bruce T. Hall Scholarship Fund is for students in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area pursuing an advanced degree in Social Work. Applicants must be at least 5 years into their career and have returned to college to obtain their advanced degree pursuing their degree program at a college or university in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area, defined by Clay, Cass, Jackson and Cass counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas. Preference is given to students who are in good standing with the Episcopal Church. It is not a requirement to be considered. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation for more information.
Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work Financial Need Scholarship
Due: 9/1/2025
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$2,000
The Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work Financial Need Scholarship is available to BSW and MSW students with financial needs who have an interest in pursuing a career in social work. Students may contact Tod Marshall for more information and inquiries about the application.
Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work Aging Services Scholarship
Due: 9/1/2025
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$2,000
The Dr. Michele Hawkins' Social Work Foster Care Scholarship is available to BSW and MSW students who have been living in the foster care system. Students may contact Tod Marshall for more information and inquiries about the application.
Silver School of Social Work Community College Transfer Opportunity Program Scholarships
Due: Varies
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Silver School of Social Work Community College Transfer Opportunity Program Scholarships are open to qualified students transferring from community colleges who are participating in the Community College Transfer Opportunity Program (CCTOP). Students must be nominated for consideration by the dean, department chairperson, professor, or transfer counselor of their community college. Students may contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Betty Darr Memorial Scholarship
Due: 2/1/2026
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Betty Darr Memorial Scholarship is open to GR students in the Social Work program. Preference is given to students pursuing certification in the substance abuse track. Preference is also given to students with financial needs and full-time students (9 credit hours). Students may contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Anne C. Kok Scholarship
Due: Varies
No Essay
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,300
The Anne C. Kok Scholarship is open to underGraduate Student at UWGB, with at least two semesters of coursework completed at UWGB, and pursuing a UWGB academic-sponsored international learning experience. The student must be a current UW-Green Bay Social Work or social-justice major with a 3.0 GPA. Student who participate in fall/winter study abroad programs are eligible to apply in the spring. The UWGB Social Work Department awards one scholarship each academic year. One-half of the scholarship will be applied to fall semester tuition and fees while the second payment will be applied to spring semester tuition and fees provided the minimum cumulative G.P.A. meets the university's established requirements. Please contact the Social Work Department for inquiries about the application.
Child Welfare Training Program Stipend
Due: 6/30/2025
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Child Welfare Training Program Stipend supports Social Work undergraduate and Graduate Student who have career interests in child welfare or are seeking to acquire advanced child welfare practice skills. The program stipend includes a book stipend, a field stipend, and background check reimbursement (if eligible).
Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work Aging Services Scholarship
Due: 9/1/2025
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$2,000
The Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work Aging Services Scholarship is available to BSW and MSW students with career interests in the field of aging. Students may contact Tod Marshall for more information and inquiries about the application.
Sandler Family Foundation School of Social Work Scholarship
Due: 9/1/2025
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$2,000
The Sandler Family Foundation School of Social Work Scholarship is available to BSW and MSW students who demonstrate the heart of a volunteer and the spirit of social work in the community. Students may contact Tod Marshall for more information and inquiries about the application.
What types of social work scholarships are available?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Want more tips to up your chances of winning? Check out our scholarship guide for everything you need to know about finding and winning scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for social work scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
Need more money for college?
Private student loans can help you cover additional costs for school.
More resources to explore

Tips for writing scholarship essays
Get tips for writing scholarship essays. Learn what makes a good scholarship essay.

Find scholarship resources
Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guide to get all the tips and tricks to help pay for college.

Fill out the FAFSA®
Learn when and how to apply for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to maximize your chances of getting federal student financial aid. Get tips now.
*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Ends 12/31/2025.
See Official Rules.
FAFSA® is a registered service mark of U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid.