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20 Great Doctoral Psychology Grants

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A PhD in Psychology or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) can be expensive. Doctoral psychology grants can make your graduate studies more affordable. Doctoral psychology programs either take a research-based or practice-oriented approach. These are two different ways to study human behavior and mental processes. There are 379 APA-accredited doctoral programs in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Psychology is a diverse profession. You will find doctorates in every discipline of psychology, including:  

  • clinical
  • social
  • industrial/organizational 
  • developmental 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 6% increase in the profession through 2031. However, psychology is a challenging field. Any doctorate is expensive. Enduring the long educational journey to licensure can be challenging financially. 

Financial aid can be scarce for PhD students. Almost all of the best financial aid is offered through educational institutions or research grants. Since financial aid is so scarce, it’s important to find what sources you can. That’s where articles like this come in. The financial aid we spotlight in this article includes grants that range from $1,000 to $25,000. Some of these vital sources of financial aid are one-time deals. Others will last multiple years as you conduct your research and write your dissertation. Even if you have a solid source of financial aid through your university’s program, you might find you need more financial aid to cover your research costs. Universities usually help with this, too, but it never hurts to secure external sources of financial aid.

Below are 20 great PhD psychology grants for students to build their professional future.

1. AAFP Dissertation Grants

Deadline: March 31st

The American Academy of Forensic Psychology awards $10,000 Dissertation Grants each year. Grants provide financial aid for students pursuing a forensic psych PhD at an accredited U.S. graduate school. Eligible doctoral candidates must be in the dissertation writing stage. They must be devoting their research to any area of applied law/psychology. For consideration, applicants must include a current CV. They must provide one letter of support. They must submit a brief personal statement outlining their proposed dissertation.

Contact

AAFP Dissertation Grants
1200 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 229-2422
albosspsyd@comcast.net
Grant Link

2. APS Student Grant Competition

Deadline: November 17th

The Association for Psychological Science Student Grant Competition awards eight grants each year. Qualified individuals must be master’s or doctoral students pursuing research in psychological science. Applicants must be current APS Student Affiliates. They must attend an accredited U.S. college and write a 3,000-word project proposal. Studies in fields like clinical, cognitive, and developmental psychology qualify for this financial aid. Also welcome are:

  • Experimental
  • I/O
  • neuroscience
  • personality
  • quantitative
  • social psychology
Contact

APS Student Grant Competition
1133 15th Street NW Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 293-9300
apssc.graduate@psychologicalscience.org
Grant Link

3. Arc of Washington Trust Research Grants

Deadline: August 3rd

The Arc of Washington Trust distributes Research Grants for $25,000 to PhD students. Research into the causes, prevention, and effective treatment of intellectual disabilities qualifies. To qualify for this financial aid, grantees must attend an accredited college in:

  • Washington
  • Oregon
  • Idaho
  • Alaska
  • British Columbia

Interested doctoral candidates must write a 500-word abstract. They must include:

  • a detailed project proposal
  • budget plan
  • timeline
  • CV.
Contact

Arc of Washington Trust Research Grants
2638 State Avenue NE
Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 357-5596 ext. 107
Diana@arcwa.org
Grant Link

4. Basic Psychological Science Research Grant

Deadline: January 13th

The Basic Psychological Science Research Grant awards $1,000. The grant must be used to cover direct costs of research. The grant is for master’s or PhD students in psychology and neuroscience. The research eligible for this financial aid must be related to diversity. Eligible recipients must be APAGS members. They must be enrolled in their program at least half-time. They must attend a regionally accredited university. Applicants must be in good standing. All must submit an abbreviated research proposal, and a letter of faculty recommendation.

Contact

Basic Psychological Science Research Grant
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
(800) 374-2721
apags@apa.org
Grant Link

5. Clara Mayo Grants Program

Deadline: May 15th and October 15th

Twice each year, the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) hosts the Clara Mayo Grants Program. These grants can be used by PhD students to fund pre-dissertation research. That research must examine aspects of:

  • sexism
  • racism
  • prejudice

To qualify for these $1,000 grants, applicants must be SPSSI members. They must be matriculated full-time at an accredited U.S. university. They must:

  • have IRB approval
  • write a 1,000-word project description
  • show relevance to Clara Mayo’s goals.
Contact

Clara Mayo Grants Program
208 I Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 675-6956
abalkissoon@spssi.org
Grant Link

6. Eileen Coly Student Research Grant

Deadline: Varies

The Eileen Coly Student Research Grant is awarded by the Parapsychology Foundation. The grant gives $1,000 to doctoral scholars conducting original research in parapsychology. Eligible PhDs must be affiliated with an accredited university. They must exhibit research competence. They must have sincere interest in the paranormal. Applicants submit two letters of recommendation. They must write a 1,500-word essay titled “The Challenge of Parapsychology.”

Contact

Eileen Coly Student Research Grant
P.O. Box 1562
New York, NY 10021
(212) 628-1559
office@parapsychology.org
Grant Link

7. Head Start Dissertation Grants

Deadline: Contact Organization

The federal government’s Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation offers many research grants. The Head Start Dissertation Grants are among those offered by the office. Students with an interest in early childhood development and education are perfect for this program. This grant is for students working with local Head Start or Early Head Start programs. The grant seeks to fund research that will inform early care and education policy. The area of interest is low-income families. This grant has many requirements. Follow the link below for details.

Contact

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
330 C Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201
Grant Link

8. James L. Outtz Grant for Student Research

Deadline: Contact Organization

Students applying for this grant must receive approval from their advisor or committee chair. The grant is for a not yet conducted diversity-related research project. The research must be empirical and include theory and application to I/O psychology. It can be applied to any area of I/O psychology. This includes, among others:

  • employee relations
  • equal employment opportunity
  • job analysis

Regardless of the area of I/O psychology, the focus of the research must be diversity. The grant is for $3,000.

Contact

James L. Outtz Grant for Student Research
440 East Poe Road Suite 101
Bowling Green, OH 43402
(419) 353-0032
siopfoundation@siop.org
Grant Link

9. Jennifer Ann Crecente Memorial Grant

Deadline: August 15th

This grant is given in honor of an 18-year-old homicide victim in Austin. She had intended to study psychology. The Jennifer Ann Crecente Memorial Grant awards $5,000 every year. To qualify, candidates must be currently enrolled master’s or PhD psychology students in good standing at an accredited U.S. university. Grant money must fund research focusing on the potential causes and/or prevention of violence against women.

Contact

Jennifer Ann Crecente Memorial Grant
1464 East Whitestone Blvd.
Cedar Park, TX 78613
(512) 528-8400
admin@texaspsyc.org
Grant Link

10. Lizette Peterson-Homer Injury Prevention Grant

Deadline: October 15th

The Lizette Peterson-Homer Injury Prevention Grant provides up to $5,000 to doctoral students. The student must be engaged in original research. The research subject must be psychological aspects of the prevention of youth injuries through:

  • accidents
  • violence
  • abuse
  • suicide

Qualified recipients must be committed to child psychology. They must show research competence. The must attend an accredited university. They also must have IRB approval and create a four-page project proposal.

Contact

Lizette Peterson-Homer Injury Prevention Grant
P.O. Box 3968
Lawrence, KS 66046
(785) 856-0713
APAdiv54@gmail.com
Grant Link

11. Mamie Phipps Clark Research Grants

Deadline: Oct. 15th, Jan 15th, May 1st

This grant was named for the first African American woman to earn a PhD in psychology at Columbia in 1943. The Mamie Phipps Clark Research Grants are awarded for $1,500 to graduate student members of the Psi Chi Honor Society. Applicants must be conducting research focused on diversity issues. They must attend an accredited institution with a Psi Chi chapter. Online applications won’t be complete without a maximum six-page project proposal. The proposal must be in APA style. The proposal must feature a budgetary outline. Applicants must submit a letter of faculty recommendation.

Contact

Mamie Phipps Clark Research Grants
P.O. Box 709
Chattanooga, TN 37401
(423) 771-9968
membership@psichi.org
Grant Link

Related: 20 Great PhD Scholarships and Doctoral Grants for Minorities

12. NASP Graduate Student Research Grants

Deadline: September 22nd

The National Association of School Psychologists supports doctoral candidates studying school psychology. The school must be in the United States. NASP awards three Graduate Student Research Grants for $1,000 each. PhD or EdD students must display exceptional ability to conduct high-quality research. The subject improves academic, social, or mental health functioning for diverse school-aged children. There’s also a $500 WPS Travel Grant offered for attending the NASP Convention.

Contact

NASP Graduate Student Research Grants
4340 East West Highway Suite 402
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-0270
ltibbs@naspweb.org
Grant Link

13. Norine Johnson PhD Psychotherapy Grant

Deadline: April 1st

Worth $10,000, the Norine Johnson PhD Psychotherapy Grant is awarded via the APA. Eligible PhD or PsyD candidates must attend an accredited U.S. institution. They must have good standing. They must conduct research pertaining to psychotherapist factors that may impact treatment effectiveness. They must be APA members, and have IRB approval. Applications must include:

  • a research proposal
  • CV
  • budget
  • timeline
  • personal statement of goals.
Contact

Norine Johnson PhD Psychotherapy Grant
6557 East Riverdale Street
Mesa, AZ 85215
(602) 363-9211
assnmgmt1@cox.net
Grant Link

14. Oglesby-Snyder Grant for Equity

Deadline: April 1st

The Association for Applied Sports Psychology (AASP) funds the Oglesby-Snyder Grant for Equity. The grant provides $7,500 to PhD-level scholars who propose innovative original research. The research must have the potential to lead to understandings that advance equity and cultural diversity in sports. Eligible applicants must be continuous AASP members for at least 3 years. They must be affiliated with an accredited U.S. university. They must show genuine commitment to sports or exercise psychology. Finally, they must agree to present at the AASP conference.

Contact

Oglesby-Snyder Grant for Equity
8365 Keystone Crossing Suite 107
Indianapolis, IN 46240
(317) 205-9225
researchandpractice@appliedsportpsych.org
Grant Link

15. Positive Psychology Young Scholars Grant

Deadline: January 15th

The John Templeton Foundation and the Positive Psychology Network administer Young Scholars Grants. The award gifts $10,000 to PhD students and early-career psychologists from all disciplines. They must be engaged in research that transforms psychology in a positive direction. Topics of interest include:

  • optimism
  • noble purpose
  • self-control

Other subjects include:

  • spirituality
  • health and wellness
  • character-building

Successful U.S. applicants must display future promise as positive psychology researchers.

Contact

Positive Psychology Young Scholars Grant
3815 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-4100
griffing@psych.upenn.edu
Grant Link

16. Qualtrics Behavioral Research Grants

Deadline: Varies

The Qualtrics Behavioral Research Grants range from $2,000 to $3,000. They are designed to help support PhD student researchers in psychology who use Qualtrics for data gathering. Recipients can use the grant to pay for:

  • tuition
  • fees
  • equipment
  • software for their research

 Recipients must be conducting their research with a U.S. university. Selections are based on research’s:

  • originality
  • quality
  • feasibility
  • potential field contribution.
Contact

Qualtrics Behavioral Research Grants
400 Qualtrics Drive
Provo, Utah 84604
(800) 340-9194
Grant Link

17. National Science Foundation Social Psychology Grants

Deadline: Contact Organization

NSF social psychology grants support research intended to advance social psychology. The mission of the organization is to promote the progress of science. Research must carry strong potential for transforming the basic understanding of social behavior. There are many potential areas of research that qualify. These include but are not limited to:

  • social cognition
  • stereotypes
  • psychophysiology

Applicants should contact a program director before submitting a proposal.

Contact

National Science Foundation
2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(703)292-5111

18. SSSS Student Research Grant

Deadline: March 15th

At its Annual Meeting, the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) awards the Student Research Grant. The $1,000 goes to two exemplary graduate psychology students. They must be conducting their doctoral dissertation on human sexuality. Qualified recipients must be enrolled full-time. They must be in a degree-granting program in the United States. They must also have student-level SSSS membership. Applications must be accompanied by an abstract. Also include:

  • a proposed budget
  • bibliography
  • short biographical sketch.
Contact

SSSS Student Research Grant
881 Third Street Suite B-5
Whitehall, PA 18052
(610) 443-3100
mlpeters@sexscience.org
Grant Link

19. Walter G. McMillen Memorial Grant Award

Deadline: June 1st

APA Division 20: Adult Development and Aging offers the Walter G. McMillen Memorial Grant Award. The award encourages graduate psychology students to research Parkinson’s disease. The $1,000 grant is for PhD students researching the assessment, treatment, and management of Parkinson’s–particularly the disease’s impact on caregivers. Research proposals should include a 400-word abstract. Also include:

  • a methodology
  • cited literature
  • biographical sketch
  • letter of support.
Contact

Walter G. McMillen Memorial Grant Award
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 336-5500
DIV20@lists.apa.org
Grant Link

20. Wayne F. Placek Doctoral Grant

Deadline: Contact Organization

The American Psychological Foundation established this $15,000 social and behavioral sciences grant. The grant is awarded to graduate students in the behavioral and social sciences, especially psychology. Eligible candidates must be affiliated with accredited non-profit universities. They must intend to begin empirical research studying sexual orientation and LGBT issues. Proposals should have a cover letter. They must also include:

  • an abstract
  • project description
  • methodology
  • timeline
  • budget
  • CV.
Contact

Wayne F. Placek Doctoral Grant
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 336-5500
foundation@apa.org
Grant Link

Becoming a licensed psychologist requires investing in a lengthy stay in graduate school. Most doctoral psychology students spend five to six years full-time completing their degree. The NCES reports that the average graduate tuition cost is $16,435 per year. In comparison, clinical, counseling, and school psychologists bring home a mean yearly salary of $74,030. Finding scholarships and grants is important to maximize the ROI for your PhD or PsyD degree. Fund your tuition and research expenses by applying for some of these 20 great doctoral psychology grants.

GCD Staff, Updated November 2022

Related:

This concludes our coverage of doctoral psychology grants to make your training easier to pay for.

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