Scholarships for an Academic Merit Psychology Major

Scholarships are available for academic excellence in psychology.

The science of psychology is the study of human and animal behavior and how the mind functions. There are numerous branches of psychology including forensic and developmental. Scientists can practice as clinical, research or academic psychologists. For students interested in entering the field, there are scholarships available to those who show exception academic talent.

Academic Honor Societies

National honor societies dedicated to psychology provide financial assistance. Admittance into these societies is merit based and considers a student's GPA and class ranking. Because of the standards of membership, member applicants have already proven high academic achievement. Psi Chi is an international society dedicated to psychology scholarship. The Psi Beta society is dedicated to students at community and junior colleges and sponsors awards for members. Both offer award opportunities. The Psi Chi/Allyn and Bacon Psychology Award are awarded to undergraduate members who submit the best empirical research paper. The Pearson Education/Psi Beta Research Paper Award is granted to three members who present the best original research papers.

Departmental Scholarships and Awards

Many psychology departments offer awards and scholarships to their students both at the graduate and undergraduate level. It is best to refer to each school's website or contact the department directly to inquire about financial awards. The department of psychology at the University of South Florida offers the Par Scholarship for Excellence in Psychology. As of publication, the $5,000 award is granted to a psychology major to help defray educational costs during the senior year. Applicants must have a high GPA, show promise for a career in the field and intend to attend graduate school.

Summer Programs

Students interested in continuing their studies over summer break can benefit from numerous academic programs nationwide. To help pay for the tuition and living expenses, students can apply for scholarships and grants. For example, the American Psychological Association (APA) offers the Summer Science Fellowship in partnership with George Mason University's department of psychology. The program aims to allow advanced psychology undergraduates the opportunity to conduct research, explore new technologies and study at the laboratories at George Mason. The fellowship pays for all related expenses including travel and is awarded to 12 students.

Professional Societies

Professional societies provide networking and mentoring opportunities as well as financial awards. Many such organizations provide scholarships to outstanding psychology students to encourage the best and brightest to enter the field. The American Psychology-Law Society offers the AP-LS Undergraduate Paper Award for exceptional research papers submitted by undergraduate students on the topic of psychology and law. The undergraduate student must be the major contributor to the research and all research should be completed. As of publication there are three awards for $500, $300 and $100.

References

• "Medical News Today": What is Psychology?
• Psi Chi: Psi Chi Awards and Grants for Undergraduate Students
• Psi Chi: About
• Psi Beta: Psi Beta's National Awards
• University of South Florida: Psychology Department Awards and Scholarships
• Fast Web: Psychology Scholarships
• American Psychological Association: Summer Science Fellowship
• The American Psychology-Law Society: AP-LS Undergraduate Paper Award

Resources

• The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
• Social Psychology Network