The School of Social Work understands the financial challenges you may face in completing your social work education. We encourage prospective and current students to explore the wide range of funding opportunities detailed below to help pay for your social work education. A number of fellowships, grant-based training programs, and scholarships are available to students through the generous contributions of donors to the School and through University-wide programs. Eligibility for many of these funds is based on your demonstrated financial need as determined by the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), where you can find an online application form and deadlines for submission. UW's FAFSA priority deadline is January 15th.
Similarly, we encourage applicants who identify as DACA eligible, HB 1079 eligible, DREAMers, or undocumented, to contact us for help and advice on applicable funding resources (such as the WASFA form for incoming Washington state residents who are HB1079 eligible and applying for admission to UW undergraduate programs). Many private foundations, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and professional groups also support social work students through targeted giving and educational grants. Please select the academic program or specific funding source that applies to you and review the sources of support and their eligibility criteria.
UW Office of Student Financial Aid
The UW Office of Student Financial Aid has additional information on scholarships, grants, loans and work-study options available to UW undergraduate and graduate students to help make paying for college and graduate school as affordable as possible.
BASW Funding and Financial Aid
The School of Social Work offers students in the BASW program a limited number of departmental scholarship opportunities. Additionally, through the UW, the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards can also help students identify additional funding sources. Students interested in research funding should also explore the Undergraduate Research Program webpage for additional resources. Continue to the BASW Funding resource page for details.
MSW Funding and Financial Aid
The School of Social Work offers departmental funding, various federally- and state-funded training programs, and graduate assistantships to help graduate students pay for their social work education. Educational financing needs vary according to each individual circumstance, therefore, we recommend looking at external resources as well. Most graduate students require a fair amount, or combination, of financial assistance to supplement personal finances to pay for their education; please review resources in this section to help you navigate funding your MSW degree. After reviewing the MSW Funding and Financial Aid page, we encourage prospective and current students to contact us if they have specific questions about their financial aid or funding options. MSW students should explore the MSW Funding resource page for details about departmental MSW funding opportunities, including graduate assistantships (separate applications required).
Applicants are encouraged to submit a FAFSA (if eligible) and the optional departmental funding consideration form that is part of the MSW application, in order to maximize your chances for funding. Notification about any departmental funding that may be offered (for example, School of Social Work scholarships offered to students who completed the funding consideration form that is part of the MSW application) is sent to admitted students in late winter (as soon as possible, on an ongoing basis; we hope to make all awards by the end of March) via e-mail from the School of Social Work. The UW Office of Student Financial Aid will communicate separately about any need-based Financial Aid if you've submitted a FAFSA; you can see a summary of OFSA’s process here, and contact OSFA at 206-543-6101 with questions.
PhD Fellowships and Funding
For information about resources for doctoral students, please visit the PhD Fellowships and Financial Support website.
External Funding Opportunities
There are many social work organizations and interest groups invested in funding social work students. In this section we have compiled a small list of other funding opportunities for undergraduate, masters, and doctoral candidates.