Education Doctorate (EdD) Scholarships and Grants Guide

Developing your knowledge as an educator with a Doctor of Education (EdD) may help you grow your career. A doctorate is the most advanced degree you can earn in the education field.

If you’re considering this degree path, you may be wondering, can you get a scholarship for a doctorate? Yes, as you’ll see in this guide, there are grants and doctoral scholarships in education that may help you cover the expenses of your doctoral program.

Tuition for a Doctorate in Education Program

EdD program tuition to earn a Doctor of Education may vary depending on a variety of factors, including your school of choice, whether or not you reside on campus, whether the school is private or public, and other factors. For example, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, private nonprofit school tuition tends to cost more than private for-profit school tuition and tends to cost much more than public school tuition.

Students may pay for their EdD education in a variety of ways. Some EdD programs may provide a stipend through an assistantship. There may also be financial aid options like grants, which are funds given to students from the federal government for education based on financial need.

EdD scholarships may also be available, based on factors like financial need, experience and achievements. Since each program may differ, you may use this guide to explore grant and scholarship options for EdD students.

Grants for Doctor of Education Students

Grants are a form of gift aid that come from the federal government, state governments, colleges, universities, career schools, private organizations and nonprofits. “Gift aid” means the grant generally doesn’t have to be repaid.

Most grants from the government are based on financial need. You’ll want to make sure you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) form to be eligible for federal grants for doctoral students in educational leadership.

One federal grant is the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, which provides grants of up to $4,000 a year. You’re required to complete a teaching service obligation to receive the funds as grant money, which generally requires teaching in a high-need field and serving as a teacher at a school or educational service agency that serves low-income students. If you don’t fulfill the grant requirements, the financial aid may be converted to a loan with interest.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation also offers various grants, which support research in areas including childcare, Head Start and Early Head Start, child welfare and other topics. Criteria vary depending on the grant category.
The AFT Robert G. Porter Scholars Program provides 10 one-time $1,000 grants to members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The grants are solely merit-based and center on academic excellence while also considering volunteerism and activism at school and in the community.
For graduate students working on their dissertation, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Grants Program provides research funding and professional training and development. Students working on a variety of education-related research may apply.
Another EdD grant awarded to support research related to a dissertation is the Children’s Literature Association (ChLA) Hannah Beiter Graduate Student Research Grants program. These grants are available for individual awards ranging from $500 to $1,500. To be eligible, winners must either be members of the ChLA or join before they receive the funds.
For students focused on autism research, the Organization for Autism Research offers a $2,000 grant for doctoral candidates. Applicants must send a request for proposal in order to qualify.
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi has a Literacy Grants program, with grants of up to $2,500 to Phi Kappa Phi members who are working on ongoing literacy projects or are creating new initiatives.
The SHAPE America Research Grant Program provides one or more annual awards of up to $2,000 for graduate students who are members of the Society of Health and Physical Educators. Primary consideration goes to the study of physical activity in natural environments, like schools, parks and home settings.
Every month, the STEM education company Pitsco awards a $350 grant for education students who are focused on integrating engineering or technology in the classroom. Similarly, the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) and its Foundation for Technology and Engineering Educators (FTEE) offer a variety of grants focused on the advancement of engineering and technology education.
For EdD students who are also math teachers, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) offers a variety of math-focused grants with award amounts ranging from $1,500 to $24,000. Applicants generally need to be NCTM members to qualify.
Various schools may also have grant programs for EdD students. One such grant is the Esther Katz Rosen Fund Grants program at Duke University. These grant amounts range from $1,000 to $5,000. Graduate students may be eligible when they do research or work related to the psychological understanding of gifted youth and children.
Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI) has a grant program presented by SAI Philanthropies, Inc. Grants are available to SAI members, and most are focused on supporting music education.
The Steven A. Stahl Research Grant comes from the International Literacy Association (ILA) and is a $1,000 award granted to one recipient annually. Applicants must be graduate students conducting classroom research in reading to qualify.
There are numerous TOEFL® grants and awards available for graduate students who are working in international higher education or foreign or second language assessment, research and teaching.

Guide to Scholarships for EdD Programs

Doctor of Education scholarships may be available based on financial aid, your particular career experience, your teaching goals, what type of research you want to do and other factors. Scholarships for EdD students generally don’t have to be repaid.

Some EdD students may be able to supplement most or even all of their education by securing scholarships they’re eligible for. Consider the following:

The A. Harry Passow Classroom Teacher Scholarship is available for teachers of grades K–12 who are dedicated to developing their teaching skills, particularly related to teaching gifted youth in a variety of educational settings. The scholarship application requires letters of recommendation and a summary of coursework and how it relates to the scholarship.
For Rhode Island residents, the Antonio Cirino Memorial Scholarship from the Rhode Island Foundation comes in award amounts ranging from $2,000 to $12,000. Applicants must be graduate students focused on arts education or currently working in the arts with a desire to teach.
For teachers in California, the California Teachers Association (CTA) offers scholarships for up to $5,000 for CTA members. Applicants should demonstrate high academic achievement in their college coursework.
The Carmelita K. Williams VSRA Scholarship, up to $1,000, is available to EdD students studying at an accredited university or college in Virginia that has a degree program focused on the field of reading. Applicants must be members of a local council, the Virginia State Reading Association and the International Reading Association for at least a year prior to application.
The Donald and Verna Duncan Special Education Scholarship is offered through the PDK Educational Foundation. The scholarship is for graduate students whose field of study has a major emphasis in special education/rehabilitation and mental health counseling. The award amount may vary.
The Larry E. Frase Memorial Scholarship for Educational Research is a $1,000 award for doctoral students who are PDK members and who are pursuing study of the motivational factors in education. Requirements include a recommendation letter, an application form and official transcripts.
For African American and Hispanic students who are interested in teaching at universities and colleges in the state of Florida, the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program covers up to $5,000 in annual tuition for each of three academic years, plus an annual stipend of $12,000, for fellowship members who study at one of nine participating Florida universities.
The NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship Program provides $27,500 fellowships for EdD students whose dissertations show unique perspectives on formal or informal education anywhere in the world. In 2022, 35 dissertation fellowships will be awarded.
The PDK Educational Foundation makes more than 100 scholarships available to educational students. You’ll be considered for all scholarships you’re eligible for with only one application. One-time and renewable awards range from $500 to $4,000. Applicants must be pursuing a career in public education, be enrolled for the fall semester of the application year and be a member of at least one of the following associations: Educators Rising, Pi Lambda Theta, Educators Rising Collegiate and/or PDK Association.
AASA, the School Superintendents Association, offers Educational Administration Scholarships to graduate students who are pursuing an educational administration degree in order to become school superintendents. Applications require essays and letters of endorsement.
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute offers fellowships of up to $15,000 for graduate students who intend to teach. Up to 15 fellowships are available for students pursuing advanced study in the social sciences or humanities.
Pi Lambda Theta offers student support scholarships for up to $2,000 each. Applicants must be Pi Lambda Theta members in good standing.
The Ruth Crymes TESOL Fellowship for Graduate Study is a $1,500 scholarship for TESOL members who are graduate students currently enrolled in a TEFL/TESOL graduate program. Applicants must plan on working on a graduate study project that’s relevant to TEFL or TESOL in an upcoming academic year.
The AFCEA Educational Foundation offers STEM Teacher Graduate Scholarships with awards of $2,500 each to students who are pursuing graduate degrees for the purpose of teaching STEM to students in grades K–12. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who live in and intend to teach in the United States.

Last updated in March 2022