A Bachelor of Psychology degree can be useful for those who want to pursue a career in human or social services. A bachelor’s degree in psychology program also provides students with training in skills that can be applied to many occupations and disciplines.

To help pay for the costs of earning a degree in the field, psychology scholarships and grants are available for students. Schools offering bachelor’s in psychology programs and other organizations award scholarships based on a variety of factors, such as financial need, merit or diverse backgrounds. These scholarships can be used for tuition and fees, and sometimes even housing, textbooks or supplies. 

Read on to learn more about Bachelor of Psychology degree scholarships that may be available to you.

Bachelor’s in psychology degree tuition can vary greatly depending on the school you choose to attend. Its location, ranking, whether it is a public or private institution and whether you are an out-of-state or in-state candidate are all cost factors. However, you will also need to take into account additional costs not included in the tuition, such as textbooks, supplies, housing and other living expenses. 

Obtaining scholarships or grants can help you minimize some of these costs. Be sure to research any school-specific financial aid opportunities as well as outside organizations offering scholarships. Applying for as many scholarships as possible can help make majoring in psychology much more affordable for you. 

There are a number of organizations and professional associations that offer funding to students who major in psychology. Below are some of the available psychology degree grants: 

The Arc of Washington Trust Fund awards the Larry Jones Legacy Award (valued at up to $25,000) for research benefiting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Investigators from the state of Washington at all career stages are welcome to apply. A letter of intent—identifying the investigator, institutions involved and a one-page summary of the intended research and its potential impact—is required. 

Learn more about the Larry Jones Legacy Award.

The International Honor Society in Psychology offers this grant to undergraduate Psi Chi student members conducting field research in social psychology. Applicants must be a Psi Chi member, be enrolled in an undergraduate program of study and have at least one faculty member serve as a mentor to oversee the project. Individual grants are up to $1,500, or $3,500 for research requiring the applicant to travel significant distances.

Learn more about the Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Grant.

The Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association, awards $1,000 each to one undergraduate, one early-stage graduate student and one to two later-stage graduate students for contributions to the field of clinical child and adolescent psychology, primarily through work on a research project but also through teaching, mentoring, clinical work and other forms of community engagement. 

Learn more about this SCCAP student achievement award.

The Society for Environmental Population & Conservation Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association, awards a certificate and $150 for outstanding original research by an undergraduate student or team of undergraduate students on any topic in environmental, conservation or population psychology. 

Learn more about the Div. 34 Undergraduate Student Research Award and others from the APA.

The Society for Military Psychology, another division of APA, offers $1,500 each to up to two undergraduate and graduate psychology students to help pay for costs associated with research that demonstrates excellence in military psychology. Awardees are required to present their findings at the APA convention. 

Learn more about the Division 19 Student Research Grant and apply here.

Also sponsored by the APA, this award supports undergraduate and graduate research on the psychology of spirituality and religion. Applicants must submit a CV, research proposal, letter of support from the student’s supervisor and a proposed project budget. Six awards of up to $500 each are awarded. 

Learn more about this APA Student Research Award.

In addition to seeking grants, you can also apply for B.A. in psychology scholarships. Below is a list of scholarships for psychology students, including undergraduate psychology degree scholarships. Explore these options to see if you are eligible to apply: 

Bethesda Auxiliary, in partnership with AbleLight, awards $15,000 in scholarships for commitment to careers in Lutheran ministry with people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Applicants must be an active member of a Lutheran congregation, a freshman, sophomore or junior at an accredited college/university, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

View details about this scholarship and others offered by the nonprofit Bethesda. 

This $5,000 award is open to underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college-bound students. Students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree full-time in psychology,  transportation, math, science, engineering, architecture, environmental design, pre-med or Spanish language/literature. 

View details and apply for the Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program.

This scholarship of up to $500 is awarded to the best undergraduate paper on topics related to psychology and the law. Applicants must submit one copy of their paper and a letter of support from their mentor. The committee judges papers based on originality, quality of writing, contribution to the field and independence. 

View details and apply for the AP-LS Award.

The American Psychological Foundation awards this scholarship to outstanding undergraduate psychology majors with financial need and a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA. Application requirements include a CV, transcript, personal essay and letter of recommendation. Six $5,000 scholarships are available. 

View details and apply for the Sharon Stephens Brehm Undergraduate Psychology Scholarship.

The NIH offers competitive scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral and social science health-related research. The program offers up to $20,000 per academic year in tuition, educational expenses and reasonable living expenses, paid research training at the NIH during the summer, and paid employment and training at the NIH after graduation. Applicants must meet the financial need eligibility requirements. 

View details and apply for the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship.

The International Honor Society in Psychology awards eight scholarships of $3,000 each to exceptional undergraduate psychology majors who demonstrate financial need. The award can be used for any educational costs, including tuition, student fees and textbooks. Applicants must be undergraduate Psi Chi members enrolled in a psychology or psychology-related major. 

View details and apply for the Psi Chi Undergraduate Scholarship. 

Last updated April 2022.