Find graduate school scholarships

More ways to find graduate school scholarships

Scholarships are available through organizations, companies, states, and more. They can be need-based or merit-based, but you have to apply for them.

Scholarship award amounts for graduate students tend to be more modest than for undergrads, but they can add up. An extra $1,000 – $2,000 can help reduce your living expenses for a month. Here are some different ways to customize your search for graduate scholarships:

• By school: Many universities offer scholarships to graduate students from their own funds to attract students with the strongest academic performance. Your school or program is a great source to learn about these opportunities.
• By field: If you’re entering a program where your expertise is in short supply—especially in the STEM areas—focus on graduate scholarships from corporations, professional organizations, and foundations.
• By demographic: Graduate scholarships are available for specific populations, such as women and minorities, including African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans. They’re also available for students, foster children, first-generation college students, and non-traditional students who are cognitively and physically disabled.
• By region: There’s often more attention paid to national scholarships. But don’t forget to search for scholarship opportunities for graduate students from your home state or region—a smaller candidate pool can increase your chances. Call your state’s Department of Education for information.

Tips for applying for graduate scholarships

1. Be methodical. Keep track of the essay questions you’ve already answered—you can use them in additional applications.
2. Don’t box yourself in. Along with field-specific scholarships, consider the criteria that you used as an undergrad. Broaden your search and look for scholarships based on your region, ethnicity, interest, religious affiliation, or hobbies.
3. Make a scholarship budget. Searching for graduate scholarships may be free, but some documents that you need for your application may come at a cost, like transcripts. Some graduate school scholarships request the College Board’s CSS/Financial Aid Profile, which costs $25 for the first application and $16 for each additional request. You may want to focus on the most lucrative (or most winnable) scholarships and pass on the less favorable ones.

Meet the grad students who won our Bridging the Dream Scholarship

Four students shared their inspiring journeys to grad school with us and earned a $20,000 scholarship for their graduate or professional education.

Read the winners’ stories