The College of Education and Social Services (CESS) offers a variety of tuition scholarship programs for students who are applying to or currently enrolled in our graduate programs. The majority of tuition scholarship applicants receive awards.
For more information, please open the respective accordions below. If you have questions, please contact our Graduate Programs Administrative Coordinator Roman Vogel at rgvogel@uvm.edu. In addition to the CESS funding and scholarships explained below, the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Graduate College also provides information about .
Graduate Impact Scholarships
The College of Education and Social Services (CESS) provides the Graduate Impact Scholarship on the basis of academic merit and financial need. Tuition awards are meant to attract and retain exceptional students and to reward meritorious achievement by current students.
Eligibility
Preference will be given to students who meet both of the following criteria:
- Those whose presence will positively impact the academic integrity, culture and quality of the CESS graduate student community, as indicated by faculty evaluation of the candidate’s application to and/or performance in graduate school.
- Those with demonstrated financial need, as indicated by a statement of purpose for financial need and a .*
To apply for a tuition award based on these criteria, students complete the , and submit a .* Applicants who are offered financial support are typically notified soon after admission and generally must accept or decline the offer by a stated deadline. Financial assistance is typically offered as one package to be used in the 1st year of study, aimed at reducing the total cost of the program.
Applicants for the CESS Impact Award may concurrently apply for a Inclusive Excellence Award and/or Bridge to Vermont Award. Scholarship awards cannot be combined with Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs).
*Please see detailed instructions in the Scholarship Application
Please note that the FAFSA for summer and fall 2025 applicants will open December 1. Spring applicants can use the 2024 FAFSA until that time.
Inclusive Excellence Scholarships
Our Graduate Tuition Scholarship for Inclusive Excellence supports CESS graduate students whose presence will advance the inclusive excellence of CESS Graduate Programs. We are a community that values work across difference and celebrates the unique perspective of every student, and in particular, those that can clearly articulate how their lived experience will be relevant to their graduate program of study and also enhance the program of study for others. Applicants for the CESS Inclusive Excellence Scholarship are strongly encouraged to share their unique lived experience with us as part of the application process.
Eligibility
Preference will be given to students that meet both of the following criteria:
- We are a community that values work across difference and celebrates the unique perspective of every student, and in particular, those who can clearly articulate how their lived experience will be relevant to their graduate program of study and also enhance the program of study for others.
- Those with demonstrated financial need, as indicated by a statement of purpose for financial need and a .*
To apply for a tuition award based on the criteria above, students complete the . Applicants who are offered financial support are typically notified at the time of admission and generally must accept or decline the offer by a stated deadline. Financial assistance is typically offered a period of one year, with chances to re-apply yearly through the duration of the program based on satisfactory performance and available funding.
Applicants for the Inclusive Excellence Award may concurrently apply for a CESS Impact Award and/or Bridge to Vermont Award. Scholarship awards cannot be combined with Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs).
*Please see detailed instructions in the Scholarship Application
Please note that the FAFSA for summer and fall 2025 applicants will open December 1. Spring applicants can use the 2024 FAFSA until that time.
Bridge to Vermont Scholarship
The College of Education and Social Services (CESS) provides the Bridge to Vermont Tuition Scholarship specifically to attract students living outside of the state of Vermont, including international students. The purpose of this scholarship is to attract a geographically diverse study body, one that represents an expansive range of regional, cultural, and ideological identities.
Eligibility
Students are eligible to apply if they do not have Vermont residency when they begin their graduate studies at ¶¶Òõ̽̽.
Applicants for the Bridge to Vermont Award may concurrently apply for a CESS Impact Award and/or Inclusive Excellence Award. Scholarship awards cannot be combined with Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs).
To apply for a tuition award based on the criteria above, students complete the . Applicants who are offered financial support are typically notified at the time of admission and generally must accept or decline the offer by a stated deadline. Financial assistance is typically offered a period of one year, with chances to re-apply yearly through the duration of the program based on satisfactory performance and available funding.
¶¶Òõ̽̽ Yellow Ribbon Scholarships
We value the commitment of those that have served in the United States Armed Services, and welcomes their pursuit of graduate coursework and degree programs in our College.
Eligibility
The Yellow Ribbon Award is administered through the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Graduate College and is granted to eligible out-of-state graduate students on a first-come, first-served basis. The Yellow Ribbon Award matches tuition support to students that currently hold a scholarship award from the United States Veteran’s Administration.
National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarships for Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Secondary Education
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Scholarship Program strives to address the shortage of qualified K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and computer science educators teaching in underserved and underrepresented schools in the US. The scholarship is available to qualified Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education applicants interested in teaching STEM in grades 7-12.
Eligibility
Noyce scholarship recipients (scholars) must commit to teaching for two years as a STEM teacher in a high-need local educational agency (LEA) within 4 years of graduation or completion of the program for which the scholarship was awarded. Learn more about the scholarship eligibility and application process by visiting the Noyce Scholarship page.
Rowland DEW Scholarship for Aspiring Educators of Color
Each year, the Rowland Foundation offers up to four for aspiring educators of color who live in Vermont. Each grantee may receive up to $20,000 in financial assistance to cover costs associated with obtaining their Vermont teacher’s license, including: exams, graduate courses, licensing fees, certification and internship programs, and other costs incurred while student teaching. In addition, grantees will be paired with a licensed Vermont educator of color. This mentor will provide support and guidance throughout the grant cycle. Applicants must be able to demonstrate completion of a Bachelor’s Degree; current Vermont residency; and either employment in a Vermont school or concrete steps already taken towards teacher licensure.
Even as a growing body of educational research demonstrates the positive impacts of teachers of color on the short- and long-term outcomes for all students, Vermont’s educator workforce does not reflect the increasing diversity of the state’s overall population. In recognition of this disparity, The Rowland Foundation is pleased to offer this new grant program, intended to remove some of the obstacles to teaching licensure that prevent some educators of color from entering the profession in Vermont.
For more information about the program, please contact us at info@therowlandfoundation.org or call us at (802) 230-7879.
Counseling (MS) and Social Work (MSW): Vermont Trauma, Resiliency, and Equity Education (VT-TREE) Grants
The initiative is a training grant funded by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support historically underrepresented students pursuing careers in the behavioral health workforce. The grant provides a direct stipend of $10,000 to second year Master of Social Work (MSW) and Counseling (MS) students who are already admitted to the respective graduate program at ¶¶Òõ̽̽. Students must complete additional training and workshops to be part of this program.
Visit the to learn more and apply.
Application Process
Students must remain in good academic standing and maintain appropriate progression toward degree completion to receive CESS graduate tuition scholarships. The amount of financial aid awarded to a student from all sources in a given year cannot exceed the estimated annual costs of attending.
Deadlines to Apply for Scholarships
Scholarship decisions are made only after a student has been admitted to a graduate program. You are encouraged to apply for a scholarship as soon as you apply to the program, but you are welcome to apply at any time before the final deadline for each program as listed below:
- December 16 for all SPRING semester applications
- January 4 for Social Work Advanced Standing Students (MSW)
- February 28 for Counseling (MS)
- March 1 priority deadline for Curriculum and Instruction (MEd), Education Leadership & Policy Studies (MEd), Interdisciplinary Studies (MEd), Middle Level Education (MAT), Secondary Education (MAT), and Special Education (MEd)
- March 15 for Social Work (MSW)
- May 1 final deadline for Curriculum and Instruction (MEd), Education Leadership & Policy Studies (MEd), Higher Education & Student Affairs (MEd), Interdisciplinary Studies (MEd), Middle Level Education (MAT), Secondary Education (MAT), Special Education (MEd). and all Certificates of Graduate Study (CGS, M-CGS)