Scholarship Opportunities

Your passion to change the world is without limits. Let us help you reach your goals.

The Mandel School is committed to reducing barriers and strives to provide access to our nationally-ranked graduate programs in social work and nonprofit management. Last year, the Mandel School provided more than $5 million in scholarships to talented Change Leaders to make their mark on the field. 
 

Every full-time, on-campus MSW student master’s student is automatically considered for scholarship support. The following list of scholarships, fellowships and financial are available to on-campus students:  

Mandel School Endowed Scholarships

The Mandel School offers partial tuition scholarship support to students in the on-campus format ranging from ($15,000 to $48,000) and up to 7 full-tuition scholarships through the Leadership Fellows Program. See the list of the endowed scholarships that contribute to the Mandel Endowed Scholarships.

  • $6,000 annual Exclusive Field Award. We are the only social work school in the nation that provides ALL on-campus, full-time MSW students with an annual field award. The fall 2022 - spring 2023 field award is $3,000 per semester ($6,000 annual). This is provided by the Mandel School and paid directly to you. 
  • $15,000 - $30,000 in scholarship support for advanced standing full time on-campus MSW students completing the 39-credit hour program.
  • $20,000 - $48,000 in scholarship support for full time on-campus MSW students completing the 60-credit hour program.
  • Louis Stokes Fellowship in Community and Social Development: This fellowship honors this legendary figure of the Cleveland community in both political and civil service. Stokes served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1969 until 1999 where he represented the Cleveland community and managed to appropriate federal funding for many universities and other educational institutions. The fellowship created in Stokes’ name has enabled over thirty students in the community development concentration to thrive in their academic and professional careers. The fellowship provides a full-tuition scholarship to a student who has demonstrated leadership in community development.
  • Leadership Fellows Program: The Leadership Fellows Program at the Mandel School is designed for exceptionally qualified, highly-motivated candidates who are interested in leadership, best practice approaches to human service delivery and community practice, and making a positive influence in the world. Seven students are selected each year for the leadership fellows' program. The Leadership Fellows program awards full-tuition scholarship support for up to seven students in the full-time on-campus MSW program.
  • MSW On-Campus students are also eligible for our partnership scholarships, including the North Star Partnership, City Year Partnership and the Coverdell Fellowship for Returning Peace Corps Volunteers.
  • Research and Training Fellowships: Our faculty engage students inside and outside of the classroom through a variety of training opportunities. Many of these experiences include scholarship or stipend support (approximately $2,500 to $10,000).
  • HRSA Training Stipend: A $10,000 stipend for advanced standing students and traditional students for their advanced practice field experience. 
  • Student employment and federal work study: students have been hired on-campus to work as grad assistants in admissions, alumni and development, academic affairs, government relations, residential life, the office of multicultural affairs, Greek life and student affairs. In addition, faculty have hired students as research assistants. 

Every full-time and part-time Master of Nonprofit Organizations (MNO) student is automatically considered for scholarship support. Below is a list of funding opportunities for MNO students: 

  • $15,000 - $40,000 in scholarship support for MNO students completing the 39-credit hour nonprofit management program.
  • MNO students are also eligible for our partnership scholarships, including the North Star Partnership, City Year Partnership and the Coverdell Fellowship for Returning Peace Corps Volunteers.
  • Student employment and federal work study: students have been hired on-campus to work as grad assistants in admissions, alumni and development, academic affairs, government relations, residential life, the office of multicultural affairs, Greek life and student affairs. In addition, faculty have hired students as research assistants.
  • Every admitted Weekend MSW student automatically receives a $34,000 scholarship. This is equivalent to 35% tuition fellowship*. We believe in our Change Leaders!
  • Weekend MSW program students are also eligible for our partnership scholarships, including the North Star PartnershipCity Year Partnership and the Coverdell Fellowship for Returning Peace Corps Volunteers.
  • FrontLine Services Fellowship awards a 50% scholarship per year for up to 10 FrontLine staff. The Mandel School and FrontLine have partnered to advance leadership and MSW trained leaders within FrontLine.
  • Child Welfare Fellows Program awards a 50% scholarship to a cohort of Ohio’s public child welfare employees to pursue our MSW, focused on child welfare leadership and supervision.
  • The structure of the Weekend program provides you the opportunity to continue working full or part time while having an in-person graduate school experience.

*Weekend MSW Program Scholarship

  • 35% off tuition
    • Equivalent to a $34,000 scholarship for traditional MSW students completing the 60 credit hour program.
    • Equivalent to a $22,000 scholarship for advanced standing MSW students completing the 39 credit hour program.

Ohio Resident Scholarships

$20,000 scholarship for MSW students completing the full 60 credit hour program.
$13,000 scholarship for Advanced Standing MSW students completing the 39 credit hour advanced standing program.

Non-Ohio Resident Scholarships

$15,000 scholarship for MSW students completing the full 60 credit hour program.
$9,750 scholarship for Advanced Standing MSW students completing the 39 credit hour advanced standing program.

Scholarships for admitted students with a 3.0 or lower undergrad GPA

$10,000 scholarship for MSW students completing the full 60 credit hour program.
$6,500 scholarship for Advanced Standing MSW students completing the 39 credit hour advanced standing program.