Those who enjoy performing social work tend to be highly empathetic, thoughtful individuals. Social work tends to involve many tasks and activities that can be emotionally and mentally draining, but the best social workers make their jobs look easy.
With proper training and education, anyone can get into social work. Of course, schooling isn’t always affordable. Fortunately, there are several social work scholarships from which to choose. Still, finding them can be challenging and time-consuming.
This article will explore how to find social work scholarships, as well as present a few unique scholarship options. The more scholarships that you apply for, the greater your chances of enjoying a fully-paid college experience!
What Is Social Work?
Social work is any type of work that engages in bettering social welfare or the condition of a group of peoples. Social workers may be the most recognizable employees engaged in social work, but counselors are also heavily engaged in communicating with and aiding the socially disadvantaged.
Careers in Social Work
As mentioned above, many students who major in social work go on to become social workers. Still, there are several different types of social workers. Some of the most common types include:
- Family Social Worker
- School Social Worker
- Community Social Worker
- Healthcare Social Worker
- Child Social Worker
- Substance Abuse Social Worker
Those with a bachelor’s degree in social work may also decide to go into the counseling profession. Whilst enrolled in a university, students engaged in the social work major may study psychology, child development, marriage dynamics, political science, and a wide array of related social studies courses.
These classes help to prepare students for a long and successful career in social work. However, students may never finish their coursework and gain the appropriate amount of credits for graduation if they cannot afford tuition.
What Are Social Work Scholarships?
Social work scholarships are a category of college scholarships that most often apply to students enrolled in social work majors. Such scholarships may offer financial awards with strict requirements that appeal to social work students.
Finding these types of scholarships can be a time-consuming process, as social work scholarships are often mixed together with all other types of scholarships. Still, a scholarship search engine could help you process and select the best scholarships far more quickly and effectively.
How Do I Find Social Work Scholarships?
There are several ways to find social work scholarships. Firstly, if you’re already a college student, you might want to ask one of your social work professors about potential scholarships in the field. The admissions office may also be able to help point you in the right direction.
However, it might be far easier and more rewarding to use one of the many scholarship search engines found online. Some of the best and most trustworthy options include:
Should you decide to use all three of the above options, you’re bound to end up with thousands of applicable results. This is especially true of young adults graduating high school this year or recent high school graduates.
A wealth of scholarships are aimed at students between the ages of 16 and 22, so if this range applies to you, you’re in luck. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t scholarships available for older social work students as well!
Social Work Scholarships to Consider
Now that you’re familiar with the process of finding social work scholarships, you don’t need to rely on a predetermined list to choose the best possible scholarship opportunities. Of course, having a curated list of potential scholarships could help make your search easier and quicker.
That’s why we’ve compiled a brief list of some of the best scholarships for social work students. These funding opportunities are the highest-paying, most interesting, and most appropriate for those interested in social work and furthering their education.
Still, it’s a good idea to perform your own search as well. Without further ado, let’s explore some of the most enticing social work scholarships that are worthy of your consideration!
“A Voice For Cats”: Essay Contest Scholarship
Those who are attracted to social work are often animal lovers. Therefore, it makes complete sense that this cat-focused essay may appeal to some students majoring in social work.
While it’s easy to believe that veterinary students might have this scholarship on lock, don’t let yourself go there. You can do anything you set your mind to, including writing the purr-fect essay for this contest.
Award Amount
$1,000
Requirements
Essays are typically due at the end of each calendar year (December 31st). Students must have volunteer or work experience with an animal shelter or rescue organization. The essay must be between 300 and 500 words long. The applicant must be a US citizen enrolled for the upcoming fall semester at their college of choice. Dates may change, so it’s crucial to check back often.
Caring.com Scholarship
Some students seeking to major in social work may have chosen that path because they’ve already spent many years caring for an older family member. The Caring.com Scholarship attempts to reward student caregivers by lessening their financial load.
If you’ve been helping a developmentally or physically disabled family member make it through the motions of each day, then you’re already a hero. But you could be a hero with a $1,500 scholarship to help with school when you apply for this award.
Award Amount
$1,500
Requirements
Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents that aren’t on any type of academic probation or disciplinary measure. Any applicant found to have a relation to an employee of Care, LLC. shall be disqualified from the contest.
4-H Youth in Action Awards
If you’re fresh out of high school (or hope to be graduating soon) and you’re an active member of your local community, you may want to consider the 4-H Youth in Action Awards. Naturally, you’ll need to be a member of your local 4-H chapter to be considered for this award.
To apply, all you need to do is submit your name, two brief essays, a one-minute-long video clip of yourself, and three photographs (one headshot of yourself, two images relating to your chosen pillar). After that, it’s only a matter of waiting to find out if you’ll be the lucky recipient of a $5,000 educational award and a trip to Washington D.C.!
Award Amount
$5,000
Requirements
Applicants must have engaged in 4-H programs. Applicants must be students completing high school or who have recently completed high school. Applicants should choose one pillar of the four (STEM, agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living) to discuss and present.
James F. Reville Scholarship
If you’re a New York resident interested in social work, then you may want to check out the James F. Reville Scholarship. It’s only available to New York residents that are studying or majoring in topics related to developmental and intellectual disabilities.
As such, the applicant pool is likely to be small, making your application far more competitive! Besides, the application itself is short, straightforward, and only requires one letter of recommendation.
Award Amount
$3,000
Requirements
Applicants must be full-time college or university students. The student’s major must be related to intellectual or developmental disabilities. Applicants must be residents of New York. Additionally, students cannot receive multiple, simultaneous scholarships courtesy of The Arc New York.
Pride Foundation Scholarship
While the past several decades have brought a massive amount of social change in terms of LGBTQ+ individuals, there’s still quite a lot of hard work to do. While many urban centers and coastal states have openly embraced the concept of alternative sexuality, there are places throughout the Midwest and Northeast where acceptance is still hard to come by.
This scholarship is designed to assist members of the LGBTQ+ community or hardworking, open-minded students that lack adequate emotional support within their own communities. No matter your sexual orientation, there should be a clear path to educational success. This scholarship may help with that.
Award Amount
$2,000
Requirements
Students applying for this scholarship must be residents of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington. Students that cannot prove residency among any of these states within the past five years are disqualified from winning this award.
Applicants must show financial need and be enrolled for an upcoming semester at their local college or university. Said college or university does not need to reside in the student’s residential state.
Final Thoughts
Students interested in pursuing a degree in social work may study psychology, sociology, political science, social studies, and psychological development. These courses help inform and prepare students for careers within the social work industry. Many graduating students may choose to become social workers or counselors — but college attendance can be costly.
Students may need to acquire additional funding to pay for college courses. Scholarships are always an excellent solution, and there are hundreds of thousands of options. To find the right ones for you, you can use one of many dedicated search engines and databases. Naturally, you could also try a few from our brief list!
