Scholarships for Advanced Degrees

Scholarships are not just for the high school student who is aspiring to go to college. There are scholarships out there that are specifically designed to help the college graduate continue their studies for a masters or doctorate degree. Just because you have a four year degree does not mean that the well has run dry. On the contrary, there are many opportunities out there for the graduate student to apply to and prosper from.

Tips to advance Ahead with Graduate Scholarships

We have listed some of the most important tips for college graduates seeking advanced degrees:

• Research programs that fit your interests and career goals. Look for programs with a strong reputation in your field of study. Reach out to current students and alumni to learn more.
• Take entrance exams required for your program, like the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc. Give yourself time to prepare and take practice tests. Some programs waive test requirements if your undergrad GPA is high enough.
• Get strong letters of recommendation from professors or employers who can speak to your academic and professional abilities. Provide them plenty of time and information about the programs you’re applying to.
• Craft a compelling personal statement highlighting your background, interests in the field, academic achievements, research experience, and goals for graduate study. Tailor statements for each application.
• Apply for scholarships, fellowships, grants and other financial aid. Deadlines are early so start your search for funding early. Consider graduate assistantships that provide tuition remission and a stipend.
• Make connections in your target programs. Attend info sessions and reach out to faculty. Site visits can also help you evaluate programs.
• If required, take prerequisite courses to fill any gaps in your undergraduate preparation for the advanced degree. Aim to get As to demonstrate your readiness.
• Prepare for admission interviews by researching programs, practicing responses, and having questions ready to ask. Dress professionally and show genuine enthusiasm.
• Manage application deadlines carefully. Submit all components early and follow-up to confirm your application is complete. Be aware of early admission deadlines.
• Choose recommenders, essays, and other application elements strategically to present yourself as a strong candidate aligned with each program’s values.

Let’s face it – advanced degrees are expensive. Not only do you have to take your college classes, but you often have to work on a research project or dissertation. This can drain the student’s ability to work full time or, in extreme circumstances, the student can not work at all. This puts a dramatic financial pressure on the student and without financial assistance most students would not complete their graduate programs.

Now that a student has a four year degree, that student needs to look for scholarships that are important to their field of study. If a student has a biology degree and wants to go for a master’s degree, then that student needs to look for something in the biology field. The scholarships are listed by category on most websites so this will not be such a daunting challenge.

Most graduate scholarships are rewarded off of essay work. Graduate school requires a new, more difficult level of writing and scholarship committees look for that level of writing in essays. By getting your essays in early and making sure the essays are at a master’s level, you will have a better chance winning these kinds of scholarships. The judges look mostly at format, wording, and citations.

Post-graduate Degree Statistics for the Past Few Years

To provide context to advanced degrees from the past few years, here are some recent statistics related to post-graduate degrees in the United States:

• In 2022, over 3 million students were projected to enroll in post-baccalaureate degree programs, with over 2 million of those pursuing master’s degrees. (NCES)
• Of the doctoral degrees conferred in 2021-2022, 40.7% were in health professions and related fields, 17.9% were in legal professions and studies, and 16.4% were in education. (NCES)
• In 2021, women earned more than half of master’s degrees (56.7%), and over half of doctoral degrees (53.5%). (NCES)
• The total number of master’s degrees conferred in 2020-2021 was 820,713, up 4.1% from the previous year. The number of doctoral degrees conferred was 187,641, a 2.5% increase. (NCES)
• In 2021, the highest paying master’s degree majors were pharmacy, physical sciences, and engineerings, with median earnings of $105,000, $103,000, and $93,000 respectively. (Georgetown University)
• The number of graduate students with over $100,000 in student loan debt quadrupled between 2004 and 2019, reaching 56,000 borrowers. (Forbes)
• In 2020, first-time graduate student enrollment increased 8.7% at public institutions and 11.1% at private non-profit institutions compared to the previous year. (Council of Graduate Schools)

Graduate Scholarships by Industry or Type

Other graduate scholarships are industry led. For example the pharmaceutical giants offer many scholarships for people who are looking for advanced degrees in chemistry and medicine. Some scholarships require that the student works for the company for so many years after they complete school. This can be a great way to get your foot in the door for a new, better paying job.

Another way to pay for that graduate program is from research grants. If you write a decent research proposal and it is accepted by the University you are a student of, then most of the time the university will foot your tuition and the cost of books. There are several options, but a research grant is a sure way to get you through the graduate program.

Advanced degree scholarships options for graduate students by state

Alabama

• Alabama Commission on Higher Education – Offers various scholarships and grants for graduate students in Alabama.

Alaska

• University of Alaska – Provides scholarships specifically for graduate students at the University of Alaska campuses.

Arizona

• Arizona Community Foundation – Manages various scholarship funds for Arizona residents pursuing graduate studies.

Arkansas

• Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship – Provides financial assistance to low-income single parents enrolled in graduate programs in Arkansas.

California

• S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation – Offers graduate STEM fellowships for students in California.

Colorado

• Boettcher Foundation – Awards full-ride scholarships to Colorado residents pursuing graduate studies.

Connecticut

• Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges – Manages scholarships and grants for students in private graduate schools in CT.

Delaware

• Delaware Diamonds – Merit-based graduate scholarships for Delaware residents.

Florida

• Florida Bright Futures – State scholarship program that covers graduate studies for eligible students.

Georgia

• Georgia Military College State Service Scholarship – For Georgia residents pursuing a graduate degree at Georgia Military College.

Hawaii

• Hawaii Community Foundation – Administers various scholarships for Hawaii graduate students.

Idaho

• Idaho State Board of Education – Offers the Idaho Graduate Scholarship for residents pursuing advanced degrees.

Illinois

• Illinois Consortium for Educational Opportunity – Manages need-based awards for underrepresented graduate students.

Indiana

• Indiana Minority Graduate Scholarship – For minority students pursuing graduate degrees at Indiana colleges.

Iowa

• Iowa College Aid – State agency providing financial aid programs for Iowa graduate students.

Kansas

• Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship – Merit-based award for minority graduate students at Kansas public universities.

Kentucky

• Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority – State agency offering loans, grants and scholarships for graduate study.

Louisiana

• Board of Regents Graduate Scholarships – Need and merit-based awards for Louisiana graduate students.

Maine

• Finance Authority of Maine – Manages state scholarships and grants for Maine residents in graduate programs.

Maryland

• Maryland Higher Education Commission – Offers the Graduate and Professional Scholarship for Maryland residents.

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts Department of Higher Education – Administers the Massachusetts Graduate Fellowship for state residents.

Michigan

• Michigan Works – Provides career-specific scholarships and stipends for Michigan graduate students in high demand fields.

Minnesota

• Minnesota Office of Higher Education – Manages state financial aid programs for Minnesota graduate and professional students.

Mississippi

• Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid – Offers the Mississippi Graduate Fellowship for residents pursuing advanced degrees.

Missouri

• Missouri Department of Higher Education – Administers state grants, scholarships and loans for graduate students.

Montana

• Montana University System – Offers graduate scholarships and fellowships through its campuses like University of Montana.

Nebraska

• Nebraska Opportunity Grant – Need-based assistance for qualified Nebraska graduate students.

Nevada

• Nevada Student Aid – State grants and scholarships for Nevada graduate and professional school students.

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire Charitable Foundation – Administers hundreds of scholarship funds, including aid for NH graduate students.

New Jersey

• New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority – Offers multiple graduate grant and scholarship programs for NJ residents.

New Mexico

• New Mexico Higher Education Department – Manages state funded financial assistance for graduate students in New Mexico.

New York

• New York State Grants and Scholarships – Offers programs like the NYS Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship.

North Carolina

• North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority – Administers state grants, loans and scholarships including aid for graduate students.

North Dakota

• North Dakota University System – Offers system-wide graduate scholarships and fellowships.

Ohio

• Ohio College Opportunity Grant – Need-based grant program open to Ohio residents in graduate programs.

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant – Need-based assistance for Oklahoma college students including graduate students.

Oregon

• Oregon Student Aid – State agency providing financial aid programs for students pursuing advanced degrees.

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency – Offers loan forgiveness programs and state grants for PA graduate students.

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner – Manages grants, scholarships, loan forgiveness and work study assistance for RI residents.

South Carolina

• South Carolina Commission on Higher Education – Administers scholarships and grants for South Carolina graduate students.

South Dakota

• South Dakota Board of Regents – Offers system-wide graduate scholarships and fellowships at state universities.

Tennessee

• Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation – Provides financial aid programs including graduate nursing loan forgiveness.

Texas

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board – State agency offering loan repayment assistance and grants for eligible graduate students.

Utah

• Utah System of Higher Education – Administers the Utah Graduate Fellowship program for state residents.

Vermont

• Vermont Student Assistance Corporation – Offers state grants and manages scholarship programs for Vermont college students.

Virginia

• State Council of Higher Education for Virginia – Provides information on financial aid for Virginia graduate and professional students.

Washington

• Washington Student Achievement Council – Offers Washington Graduate Fellowship and other programs for state residents.

West Virginia

• West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission – State agency providing financial aid programs including assistance for graduate students.

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board – Administers grants, loans and waivers for Wisconsin residents pursuing graduate study.

Wyoming

• Wyoming Department of Education – Manages state scholarships and grants available to Wyoming graduate students.

Additionally, there are many nationwide scholarship programs open to graduate students across the U.S.

National Advanced Degree Opportunities for Graduate, Doctorate, or Masters Studies

• Phi Kappa Phi – Offers competitive fellowships and grants for members pursuing graduate studies.
• National Science Foundation – Provides Graduate Research Fellowships for STEM students.
• Department of Defense – Administers the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship.
• Department of Energy – Manages energy-related STEM scholarship and fellowship opportunities including for graduate students.
• Environmental Protection Agency – Offers competitive graduate fellowships in environmental studies and STEM fields.
• National Institutes of Health – Provides research fellowships for biomedical PhD and postdoc students.
• Ford Foundation – Awards prestigious, competitive fellowships for MA, PhD and postdoc students.
• Congressional Black Caucus Foundation – Offers scholarships and fellowships for minority graduate students.
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund – Provides scholarships and fellowships for Latino students including those in graduate programs.
• American Association of University Women – Awards competitive fellowships to women pursuing advanced degrees.
• American Psychological Foundation – Provides scholarships, grants and fellowships for graduate students in psychology.
• American Physical Society – Offers competitive graduate scholarships for women in physics.
• Society of Women Engineers – Provides scholarships and fellowships for women pursuing graduate degrees in engineering.
• American Chemical Society – Administers scholarships for underrepresented minority students in STEM graduate programs.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science – Offers STEM fellowships for minority graduate students.
• American Nurses Foundation – Provides scholarships and fellowships for nurses pursuing graduate degrees.
• American Institute of CPAs – Awards scholarships for minority accounting students including those in graduate programs.
• Schmidt Futures – Offers Rise Graduate Scholarships in STEM fields for students from underserved backgrounds.