Does Financial Aid Cover The Cost Of Social Work Degree?

Social work is important and social workers can make a huge difference in people's lives. Unfortunately, social workers still have to pay expensive tuition. Social work students can use multiple types of financial aid to finance their education costs.

Keep reading to learn more about how financial aid can cover the cost of a social work degree.

What Is the FAFSA Form?

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It's an application that students fill out so the government can determine what state or federal financial aid they qualify for. Most non-government types of financial aid, like scholarships, also require you to have completed the FAFSA. This helps determine your eligibility, especially for need-based financial aid programs.

Eligibility

There are very few specific eligibility requirements for filling out the FAFSA. You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen and attend a higher education program, such as a degree program or a certificate or diploma program. Even if you don't think you'll qualify for much if you need financial assistance to cover your tuition, fill out the FAFSA. You might be surprised by what you qualify for!

Can You Receive Financial Aid After a Bachelor's Degree?

Many students with a bachelor's in social work continue to a Master of Social Work, or MSW program. You typically need an MSW to become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Because the cost of attendance for graduate school can be high, graduate students can receive financial aid, like grants, scholarships, and student loans. Some financial aid programs are specifically for graduate students.

Is Financial Aid Available for a Master of Social Work (MSW)?

As mentioned above, graduate students qualify for student aid. There are several types of financial help available to MSW students, including:

• scholarships
• fellowships
• grants
• loans
• work-study programs

Most of these types of financial aid are available for MSW students studying on campus and online MSW students.

Types of Financial Aid for Social Work Degrees

Social work students can take advantage of many different types of financial aid. These include options like scholarships and grants, which do not require repayment, and options like federal loans, which must be repaid.

1. Explore Social Work Scholarships

Scholarships are one of the types of financial aid that don't need to be paid back. Colleges, universities, corporations, and nonprofit organizations offer scholarships.

Usually, scholarships are given for a specific reason, such as academic excellence or extracurriculars. They can also be offered based on your race or heritage. Many scholarships specifically for African American and Hispanic/Latino students are available. Some scholarships are for certain majors. Below, we have a few scholarships that social work students can pursue.

Ima Hogg Scholarship

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving mental health across Texas. It offers scholarships to MSW students pursuing their MSW at a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited program in Texas. To receive this scholarship, students must be in the second year of their program, be committed to pursuing a career in mental health services, and demonstrate financial need. The head of their program must nominate all applicants.

Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg Scholarship

The Phi Alpha Honor Society, an honor society specifically for social work students, offers multiple scholarships, including the Patty Gibbs-Wahlberg Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students who demonstrate outstanding scholarship, service, and leadership.

There are three awards: one for $3,000, one for $2,000, and one for $1,000. The first-place students receive an all-expenses-paid trip to present their work during the Student Session of the Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors conference.

The Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund

The CSWE accredits social work programs and offers financial aid opportunities to social work students. The Carl A. Scott Memorial Fund is a $500 scholarship for social work students who commit to racial, economic, and environmental justice. You must be a full-time student in an accredited BSW or MSW program. This scholarship is targeted to but not limited to minority/BIPOC individuals.

2. Look for Social Work Degree Fellowships

Fellowships are another type of student aid that doesn't need to be repaid. These programs are usually for social work graduate students. They pay for students to do work or research while paying for tuition and providing stipends for living expenses.

Jane B. Aron Doctoral Fellowship

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to furthering social work education and research. It supports social work doctoral candidates engaged in dissertation research in health care policy and practice.

To qualify, applicants must be NASW members in good standing and earning a doctoral degree through a CSWE-accredited school of social work. The application process requires submitting a three-page proposal summary.

The Roothbert Fund Fellowship

The Roothbert Fund is a volunteer organization that provides scholarships to fellows needing financial aid. The organization gives an average of $5,000-$7,000 to graduate and undergraduate students who have completed at least one academic year. The program seeks candidates whose daily actions are guided by spiritual values, but no specific religion is required. Applicants must submit their official transcript, three autobiographical essays, and three letters of recommendation.

Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship

In addition to the Jane B. Aron Fellowship, the NASW offers the Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship. This fellowship supports social work doctoral candidates engaged in dissertation research in welfare policy and practice. Like the Aron Fellowship, applicants must be NASW members in good standing and completing their social work studies at a CSWE-accredited institution. Students will need to submit their dissertation proposal.

3. Discover Social Work Grants

Like scholarships and fellowships, grants also do not need to be repaid. Grants are typically awarded based on financial need, and one of the most well-known grants in the U.S. is the Pell Grant offered by the federal government.

Your FAFSA will calculate if you qualify for the Pell Grant, and how much you qualify for. This grant will automatically appear in your financial aid package. Many schools of social work offer grants to help students with financial need. Reach out to your school's office of financial aid to learn more.

4. Evaluate Loan Repayment Programs

Loan repayment programs, sometimes called student loan forgiveness programs, help students pay for their student loans. These usually aren't available until after years of paying your loans. However, one benefit is they are not affected by your GPA or enrollment schedule.

One option for social work students is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. This is a program that the federal government offers to government or nonprofit employees who have made at least 120 qualifying monthly payments on their student loans. This program only forgives federal student loans. This includes subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, and PLUS loans.

5. Complete a Work-Study Program

The federal government offers the Federal Work-Study Program. This program allows students to earn money to pay for school by working part-time. These jobs are coordinated through your school and or with a partnering organization. Some schools try to pair students with jobs that align with their major. As a social work major, you may be able to find a work-study job with a local nonprofit or with charitable programs your school runs.