Pursuing your professional degree in SLP isn’t cheap, whether you attend a public university or a private one, and that’s just regarding tuition.
Hence, it is fortunate there are many scholarship opportunities in SLP, which are supported by the strength of the professional organizations supporting the field at both national and state levels.
However, not all SLP scholarships are open to all applicants, so you have to meet the stringent eligibility guidelines for each scholarship, which generally include:
Criteria
Many scholarships are based on specific demographics or they may require other qualifications, such as you must have a certain family background, economic status, or be a member of a particular ethnicity and race to initially meet their criteria for eligibility.
Academic Performance
To ensure you are a good representative for the organization granting the scholarship, they will also require you to meet certain standards for your GPA.
Some organizations review your grade point average historically, while others only review it for the program in which you are currently enrolled.
Representation
Written references from teachers or other credible sources may also be required, as well as a resume or CV.
Some programs also require you to complete an essay as part of the application process to convince the committee that you’ll be a good investment.
Common Sources For SLP Scholarships
There are plenty of places to begin your search for speech pathology scholarships, including SpeechPathologyGraduatePrograms.org, which is an SLP scholarship guide that helps you locate the best speech pathology scholarships, including non-state-based scholarships.
Some other common sources for SLP scholarships include:
- Healthcare Organization Scholarships – SLP is a subset of the healthcare field, which means you should find lots of scholarship opportunities from organizations dealing in the medical and therapy professions.
- The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Scholarships – Has awarded over $7 million in rewards to doctoral and post-doctoral students in the field of communication studies. Therefore, it should be one of the first places you look for SLP scholarships and grants.
- Support and Research Organization Scholarships – Offer strong community support for the research and treatment of different diseases and disorders, including research that fits SLP specifically. Therefore, it offers a great chance for students studying in the SLP field to locate scholarships.
Best Speech Pathology Scholarships
- EBS Healthcare Scholarship – awards up to $7,500 in multiple awards to graduate students planning to work with minorities in urban settings, bilingual students, and more.
- Charles A. Frueaff Foundation – awards up to $10,000 in multiple awards to graduate students in health education or human services.
- Health Resources and Services Administration Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students – awards up to $30,000 in multiple awards to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in health-related fields and more.
It is also possible to bundle scholarships from different organizations to get the amount you need for tuition and books. For more information, there are many resources available online that can help you start your journey into a Speech Pathology career.