Financial Aid for Graduate Students
Aid is available, but funding for the School Counseling program is limited, and the program cannot guarantee that any student will receive financial aid.
Forms of financial assistance are available through the University’s Office of Scholarships & Student Aid. These include grants, loans, and campus employment. Research/teaching assistantships are generally not available to graduate students in the School Counseling program.
Occasionally, the Graduate School awards university fellowships and assistantships to applicants to the School Counseling program. These decisions are made by the Graduate School. For more information, please see the Graduate School’s Funding page.
Additional information about financial aid and scholarships.
School Counseling Scholarships
Current school counseling students are eligible for the following program-specific awards.
W. D. Perry Award
This award was named for Dr. William D. Perry, a former full professor in the School of Education who provided more than 30 years of leadership. After coming to the UNC-Chapel Hill in 1939, Dr. Perry exerted a major influence in the development both of the counseling program and the Guidance and Testing Center. The Center continued to serve the University for many years after Dr. Perry retired in 1973. The Perry award continues to recognize the student who is judged by the faculty to have demonstrated excellence of achievement in academics, outstanding performance in the counseling field placement coupled with unwavering adherence to ethical and professional standards, and demonstrated student leadership within the program. Recipients are nominated by their peers, faculty and public school personnel.
Galassi-Brown Award
This award was named for Drs. John P. Galassi and Duane Brown, both full professors in the School of Education who contributed more than 60 years of combined service. Since 1973, both Dr. Galassi and Dr. Brown have led through their research and scholarship. Most importantly, they devoted time and attention to the students of the counseling program and have been stalwart advocates for the profession.
The Galassi-Brown Advocacy Award recognizes the school counseling student who is judged by the faculty to have gone beyond expectations and demonstrated exceptional advocacy for the students they serve, the schools where they work and the school counseling profession. Recipients are nominated by their peers, faculty and public school personnel.
Helping Heels – Expanding Access to Care and Improving Opportunities for Rural Schools in the Tar Heel State
A modality of training within UNC-Chapel Hill’s M.Ed. in School Counseling program that focuses on three goals: (a) reducing and mitigating inequities of mental health disparities among low-income rural students, (b) increasing the number of qualified school-based mental health services providers in high-need LEAs who are from diverse backgrounds or from communities served by high-need LEAs, and (c) promoting inclusive practices.
Up to seven school counseling students will receive in-state tuition plus a stipend of $15000 ($7500 in the Fall semester and $7500 in the Spring semester) and support to attend the North Carolina School Counselor Association in November 2024. Additionally, students will also receive a $500 travel stipend ($250 in the Fall semester and $250 in the Spring semester) to help support their travel to rural high needs schools, as well as monies to pay for the Professional School Counselor Praxis exam.
Fellows for Inclusive Excellence
A training opportunity for students pursuing a graduate degree in school counseling, teaching, or school leadership. School Counseling trainees focus on access to school counseling services for students and families in rural North Carolina communities – particular those in Siler City and Roxboro, according to the American School Counselor Association National Model. A framework that “guides school counselors in the development of school counseling programs that: (a) are based on data-informed decision making; (b) are delivered to all students systemically; (c) include a developmentally appropriate curriculum focused on the mindsets and behaviors all students need for postsecondary readiness and success; (d) close achievement and opportunity gaps; and (e) result in improved student achievement, attendance and discipline.” (ASCA, 2019, p. xii)
Up to seven school counseling students will be eligible to receive in-state tuition plus a stipend of $7,000, dispersed during the academic year. Additional salary supplements may also be earned for service as a school counselor over 3 years after graduation in an approved rural school setting.
PrimeCare-4-YOUTH Grant
A specialized training program for students pursuing master’s degree in social work, school counseling, and clinical rehabilitation/mental health counseling. Trainees focus on learning about integrated behavioral health care for children, youth, and their families, training in trauma informed care, and experiencing inter-professional and collaborative models of care. Up to five school counseling students will receive a $10,000 federally funded stipend, dispersed twice throughout the academic year.
Contact Dr. Lewis Hatcher if interested in being considered for this award.