HRSA Integrative Care Stipend Program
For MSW students interested in working in integrated behavioral health care.
The Department of Social Work at MSU Denver prides itself in accessibility and affordability. Coupled with our commitment to our community, providing students with scholarship, workforce stipends, and other monetary scholarship opportunities is a top priority.
Explore our opportunities and contact the Office of Social Work Student Services at [email protected] if you have questions.
Finding Your Funding
We encourage all social work students in both the BSSW and MSW Programs to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible to fund their education. This includes submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) (for undocumented, ASSET, DACA, or International student) even if you aren’t planning on taking out loans – this is what helps need-based funders find you!
We also encourage all students, both undergraduate and graduate, to submit the MSU Denver General Scholarship Application in addition to applying for social work specific scholarships and stipends listed below.
MSU Denver Earn & Learn Program
The Earn and Learn program at MSU Denver was designed to address equity barriers within experiential learning. This program provides funding support to both undergraduate and graduate students who are in need of financial assistance to participate in unpaid, off-campus internship opportunities.
If you will be in an unpaid field placement, we encourage you to apply for Earn & Learn funding. Any questions should be directed to [email protected].
MSW Program Scholarships
There are two types of scholarships in the MSW Program available to MSW applicants and continuing MSW students:
- Merit & Special Interest Based Scholarship Awards require an application and are awarded through a competitive process. Please read the eligibility criteria carefully. The application deadline for all merit & special interest based scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year is February 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM (Mountain Standard Time).
- Elevate Education Scholarship Awards require the submission of the FAFSA or the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) to be eligible. An additional application beyond the FAFSA or CASFA is not required at this point in time.
Learn more about scholarship opportunities, eligibility requirements and how to apply in the drop downs below.
Merit & Special Interest Based Scholarship Awards
Commitment to Diversity Scholarship Application
2024-2025 Academic Year Application Deadline: February 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM (Mountain Standard Time)
The MSU Denver MSW Program invites applications for its Commitment to Diversity Scholarship awards. These awards were created by the faculty of the MSW Program to meet the community’s needs for social workers committed to serving those with diverse backgrounds. There are two awards each year. Half is awarded in Fall and the other half in Spring.
We are seeking applications from students committed to serving people with diverse backgrounds (persons from a historically underrepresented ethic or racial group, persons who identify as LGBTQ+, or persons with a disability) with a commitment to the profession and to our program’s mission and who are academically prepared for graduate-level work. Students may be either part-time or full-time and can be in either the Regular Program or the Advanced Standing Program.
Criteria:
- Acceptance to the MSW Program (MSW applicants are encouraged to apply, however only accepted students will be awarded)
- Commitment to working with diverse communities
- Commitment to profession (essay)
- Strong writing and analytical skills (essay)
- In good academic standing in the MSW Program at the time of application (if applicable) and remain in good academic standing while receiving funding.
To apply for the scholarship, follow the link below to fill out an application. You must also attach an essay to your application that addresses the following:
- Your interest and commitment to working in social work
- The skills and traits you will bring to the work
- How your commitment to serving diverse groups (persons from a historically underrepresented ethic or racial group, persons who identify as LGBTQ+, or persons with a disability) will inform and contribute the work you do
Please reference the academic literature to support your arguments where appropriate and use the APA format to cite. The essay should be between 500 and 600 words and conform to academic standards for writing and style.
Note: You will be entering your essay into a text box within the application. If you copy and paste into the essay box, please ensure the formatting looks correct. If you have issues, pasting with Ctrl + Shift + V is one way to paste from Word without formatting, and then you can use the formatting tools in the essay box.
Gerontology Scholarship Application
2024-2025 Academic Year Application Deadline: February 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM (Mountain Standard Time)
The MSU Denver MSW Program invites applications for its Gerontology Scholarship awards. These awards were created by the faculty of the MSW Program to meet the community’s needs for social workers in working with older adults. There are two awards each year. Half is awarded in Fall and the other half in Spring.
We are seeking applications from students who are interested in working in gerontological social work (i.e., working in a setting where you would have frequent contact with older adults and would require competence with older clients and their families) with a commitment to the profession and to our program’s mission and who are academically prepared for graduate-level work. Students may be either part-time or full-time and can be in either the Regular Program or the Advanced Standing Program.
Criteria:
- Acceptance to the MSW Program (MSW applicants are encouraged to apply, however only accepted students will be awarded)
- Commitment to working in gerontological social work (essay)
- Commitment to profession (essay)
- Strong writing and analytical skills (essay)
- In good academic standing in the MSW Program at the time of application (if applicable) and remain in good academic standing while receiving funding.
To apply for the scholarship, follow the link below to fill out an application. You must also attach an essay to your application that addresses the following:
- Your interest and commitment to working in gerontological social work
- The skills and traits you will bring to the work
- The rationale for gerontological social work’s importance to clients, the community or society
Please reference the academic literature to support your arguments where appropriate and use the APA format to cite. The essay should be between 500 and 600 words and conform to academic standards for writing and style.
Note: You will be entering your essay into a text box within the application. If you copy and paste into the essay box, please ensure the formatting looks correct. If you have issues, pasting with Ctrl + Shift + V is one way to paste from Word without formatting, and then you can use the formatting tools in the essay box.
Bilingual Scholarship Application
2024-2025 Academic Year Application Deadline: February 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM (Mountain Standard Time)
The MSU Denver MSW Program invites applications for its Bilingual Scholarship award. This award was created by the faculty of the MSW Program to promote our mission to educate professional social workers to serve diverse communities. There is one award each year. Half is awarded in Fall and the other half in Spring.
We are seeking applications from students who are bilingual (fluent in Spanish and English) with a commitment to the profession, to bicultural awareness and appreciation, and to our program’s mission and who are academically prepared for graduate-level work. Students may be either part-time or full-time and can be in either the Regular Program or the Advanced Standing Program.
Criteria:
- Acceptance to the MSW Program (MSW applicants are encouraged to apply, however only accepted students will be awarded)
- Bilingual fluency (written and oral) in Spanish and English
- Bicultural awareness and appreciation
- Commitment to profession (essay)
- Strong writing and analytical skills (essay)
- In good academic standing in the MSW Program at the time of application (if applicable) and remain in good academic standing while receiving funding.
To apply for the scholarship, follow the link below to fill out an application. You must also attach an essay to your application that addresses the following:
- Your interest and commitment to working in social work
- The skills and traits you will bring to the work
- How your bilingual skills will inform and contribute to the work you will do
- The key social work issue you hope to address in your work
- The rationale for this issue’s importance to clients, the community or society
Please reference the academic literature to support your arguments where appropriate and use the APA format to cite. The essay should be between 500 and 600 words and conform to academic standards for writing and style. The essay must be submitted in both English and Spanish.
Note: You will be entering your essay into a text box within the application. If you copy and paste into the essay box, please ensure the formatting looks correct. If you have issues, pasting with Ctrl + Shift + V is one way to paste from Word without formatting, and then you can use the formatting tools in the essay box.
Roadrunners Rising Scholarship Application
2024-2025 Academic Year Application Deadline: February 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM (Mountain Standard Time)
The MSU Denver MSW Program invites applications for its Roadrunners Rising scholarship awards. These awards were created by the faculty and staff of the Department of Social Work to meet the community’s needs for social workers from diverse backgrounds. There are five awards; each is for $3,500. Scholarship selection is completely separate from the admission review, raking, and decision process. The scholarship committee will only award Roadrunners Rising scholarships to applicants accepted in the Advanced Standing MSW Program.
We are seeking applications from students who have a commitment to working as a social worker in Colorado’s multicultural communities. Applicants must be graduates of MSU Denver’s Bachelor of Science in Social Work Program. The scholarship application is open to Summer 2024 applicants of the Advanced Standing MSW Program who have graduated, or will graduate, from the BSSW Program at MSU Denver.
Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the profession and to our program’s mission. Students may be either part-time or full-time and must be in the Advanced Standing Program.
*The scholarship award is distributed across three semesters ($500 summer, $1500 fall, $1500 spring).
Criteria:
- Graduate (or pending graduation) from the Bachelor of Science in Social Work Program at MSU Denver
- Applied to the Advanced Standing MSW Program for a Summer 2024 start
- Commitment to profession (essay)
- Strong writing and analytical skills (essay)
To apply for the scholarship, follow the link below to fill out an application. You must also attach an essay to your application that addresses the following:
- Your interest and commitment to social work with culturally diverse and marginalized populations.
- The skills and traits you will bring to the work.
- How your diverse background and experiences will inform and contribute to the work you do.
Please reference the academic literature to support your arguments where appropriate and use the APA format to cite. The essay should be between 500 and 600 words and conform to academic standards for writing and style.
Note: You will be entering your essay into a text box within the application. If you copy and paste into the essay box, please ensure the formatting looks correct. If you have issues, pasting with Ctrl + Shift + V is one way to paste from Word without formatting, and then you can use the formatting tools in the essay box.
Need-Based Scholarship Awards
The Department of Social Work dedicates about 60% of its scholarship funds to the Elevate Education scholarship. The Elevate Education scholarship offsets tuition costs for MSW students whose FAFSA or CASFA data demonstrates a high financial need. This is typically determined by the Student Aid Index (SAI) data provided to the Office of Social Work Student Services, Operations and Finance by the Office of Financial Aid.
Typically around 75 graduate students each Fall and Spring semester receive a scholarship ranging from $200 – $600 each term, however the amount and quantity are dependent on the budget available and SAI data generated each term.
Receiving other scholarships or stipends does not impact students’ ability to receive an Elevate Education scholarship, so we encourage you to apply for multiple forms of funding.
No application is required for the Elevate Education scholarship – instead, scholarships are awarded based on FAFSA/CASFA data.
If you have questions, please contact the Office of Social Work Student Services, Operations and Finance at [email protected].
Colorado Child Welfare Scholars Consortium
The Colorado Child Welfare Scholars Consortium (CCWSC), formerly the Child Welfare Stipend Program, aims to grow and support a well-educated and prepared child welfare workforce through social work education and post-graduation professional development.
The ‘Scholars Consortium’ is designed for undergraduate and graduate social work students interested in pursuing a career in public child welfare in Colorado. In addition, the CCWSC contributes to the child welfare workforce through research, evaluation, and professional development opportunities for program graduates and our partners.
The CCWSC is a partnership between the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), Colorado county departments of human services and participating schools of social work throughout our state. MSU Denver currently leads the Scholars Consortium.
Visit the CCWSC website to learn more about the program and our partners!
Learn more about MSU Denver’s program, eligibility, and requirements below.
HRSA Stipend Programs
Learn more about stipend programs funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Colorado Access Scholars Program
What is the CoAccess Scholars Program?
Colorado suffers from an extreme lack of mental and behavioral health workforce, resulting in hard-to-access care and poor outcomes in communities across the state. The Colorado Department of Public Health (CDPHE) reports that 54 of the state’s 64 counties are health professional shortage areas (HSPAs) and behavioral health shortages exist in 57 counties. Workforce vacancies, including both licensed and unlicensed clinicians, counselors, social workers, and peer specialists, contribute to many of the behavioral health service gaps across all Colorado regions (WICHE Report, 2015). The cracks in the state’s mental and behavioral health infrastructure have only been widened by the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s more, a lack of culturally and linguistically relevant care further exacerbates these problems, resulting in disproportionately negative outcomes for historically underserved populations.
MSU Denver’s Department of Social Work is poised to meet these needs. Financial barriers prevent many students from pursuing or completing a degree in social work when they realize the cost of earning the Bachelor and Master’s degree necessary for most industry positions. A partnership with Colorado Access will offer financial relief for many students, making the decision to pursue post-secondary social work education easier and empowering students to follow their interest in these critical careers.
If you are interested in working in mental and behavioral health settings for underserved or rural communities, we invite you to apply to become a CoAccess Scholar. Learn more and apply at the link below.
Social Work Student Travel Program
The Department of Social Work provides travel grants to social work students who wish to participate in conferences, workshops, and/or conventions locally, nationally, and internationally. All Social Work students, who are in good academic standing with the Department, are eligible to apply including Undeclared Seeking Social Work majors, Social Work majors, and Master of Social Work students. Grants typically range between $600 and $1200, however additional amounts will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Student must start the application process at least 60 days before travel. Exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis until 30 days prior to travel for out of state travel. Local conferences may require less lead time.
For more information, contact:
Melissa Grogan Gore | Associate Director of Operations & Finance
[email protected] | 303-605-7037
Eligibility & Application Process
Eligibility Criteria
Declared Undeclared Seeking Social Work major, Social Work major, or accepted and/or enrolled in the Master of Social Work Program.
In good academic and professional standing with the Department of Social Work and the University.
Presenting, moderating, or volunteering at the conference and/or a clear and specific plan to share information learned with the campus community (department meeting, classroom, conference on campus, etc.)
Application Process
Submit the Student Travel Intent Survey
What Happens Next?
After the Student Travel Intent Survey is submitted, the Department of Social Work will assess the best course of action for eligible students to optimize funding opportunities.
In some cases, the applicant will be referred to MSU Denver’s Student Travel Program to optimize funding opportunities. In that case, the Student Travel Program will require an additional application and the Department of Social Work will partner with the Student Travel Program through the review process. In this case, the Department of Social Work may supplement funding offered by that Office.
If the applicant is not eligible for MSU Denver’s Student Travel Program, the Department of Social Work will guide the applicant through an internal application process.
In both cases, the student travel award amount is typically the same.