Top Mental Health Scholarships in 2021
According to the National Institute for Mental Health, nearly 30% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 have a mental, behavioral, or emotional mental health condition. Many of those diagnosed are seeking and enrolling in higher education. This can be a stressful time for all students. Paying for college is definitely a stressor, but will be less so if you win a few mental health scholarships. For that, you landed in the right place!
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In addition to broader overall mental health scholarships, our listing includes more diagnosis specific scholarships. This includes scholarships for Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, and Schizophrenia.
We also included a few that apply to those who have been impacted by the mental health struggles of those around them. Finally, we included a few scholarships for college students who are studying and/or working to raise awareness about mental health.
Top mental health scholarships
$14,001 Viaje de Esperanza Scholarship
- Eligibility: Graduate students in El Paso, TX, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Denver, Colorado pursuing a degree in mental health fields
- Amount: $14,001
- Deadline: July 15, 2021
$10,220 Cat Zingano Overcoming Loss Scholarship
- Eligibility: Student fighting through loss of a close family member, legal guardian, or loved one
- Amount: $10,220
- Deadline: October 5, 2021
$600 Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students at every level of education who write a short essay about mental health
- Amount: $600 (2 awards)
- Deadline: June 14, 2022
$500 Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students at every level of education who have/had challenges with mental health or who have had loved ones who have struggled with mental health
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: December 1, 2021
$500 Psychology Matters No-Essay Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students at every level of study planning to/majoring in psychology
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: August 2, 2021
Prochnow Foundation Annual Scholarship
- Eligibility: College-bound students who have a diagnosed mental illness. Must have a 3.5 or above high school GPA and also submit an essay
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: April 30th of each year
Disability Care Center Disabled Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students with any medically diagnosed impairment (physical or mental) that interferes with everyday activities and quality of life who are attending any form of higher education
- Amount: $500
- Deadline: August 1, 2021
Addiction Awareness Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in either high school, university, or college full-time
- Amount: $1,500
- Deadline: Open January 13th – May 31st and July 1st – November 30th
Mental health resources
Many colleges and universities offer mental health resources for enrolled students. If you need guidance, that is a great place to start. Because the counseling center at your college has experience with students your age, they should be able to steer you in the right direction. If you want or need to do research on your own, the following websites are a few of the most credible you can find.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Check out the varied list of resources offered by the ADAA that focus specifically on the needs of college students.
National Alliance on Mental Health
The National Alliance for Mental Health, or NAMI, as it is often referred, is the largest organization dedicated to helping Americans with mental illness build better lives. With 600 state organizations, NAMI offers free help and education. For college students, this “Starting the Conversation” guide and video is an excellent resource.
ULifeline
ULifeline is an anonymous online resource center especially for college students. Students can comfortably search for information regarding emotional and mental health. ULifeline is a project of The Jed Foundation, one of the USA’s leading organizations regarding the mental health of college students.
Summary of top mental health scholarships
- $14,001 Viaje de Esperanza Scholarship
- $600 Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship
- $10,220 Cat Zingano Overcoming Loss Scholarship
- $500 Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship
- $500 Psychology Matters No-Essay Scholarship
- Prochnow Foundation Annual Scholarship
- Disability Care Center Disabled Student Scholarship
- Addiction Awareness Scholarship
Upcoming mental health scholarships
$1,000 Mahlagha Jaberi Mental Health Awareness for Immigrants Scholarship
- Eligibility: First or second-generation immigrants in any field of study who write about their experiences as immigrants and their challenges with mental health
- Amount: $1,000
$1,000 RJ Mitte Breaking Barriers Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school or undergraduate studentS with mental or physical disabilities. Financial need is considered
- Amount: $1,000
$500 AMPLIFY Mental Health Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students of all ages/levels of study who share about their experiences with mental illness and how it impacted their lives
- Amount: $500
Baer Reintegration Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students eighteen years or older diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder. Applicants will either plan or are enrolled in high school equivalency programs, trade or vocational schools, certificate programs, or associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate degree college/university programs
- Amount: Varies based on each winner’s financial needs and educational goals
- Opens: week of October 5th, 2021
Jared Monroe Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students in their last year of high school or enrolled as a freshman, sophomore, or junior in college/university. Applicants must have a dx of Bipolar Disorder and currently receiving treatment
- Amount: $500 to $2300 (multiple scholarships awarded)
JC Runyon Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to students who successfully completed an inpatient program in a facility, wing or unit dedicated to behavioral health. Applicants must have already been accepted into an undergraduate program to a college, university, or trade school
- Amount: Varies (To get an idea, the Foundation has awarded over $600k in scholarship funding to 37 students nationwide)
JED’s Student Voice of Mental Health Award
- Eligibility: JED’s Student Voice of Mental Health Award award undergraduate college students who are raising awareness about mental health issues
- Amount: $3,000
Lime Connect Pathways Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors in the US or Canada who have, or consider themselves to have a visible or invisible disability, who are enrolling in a 4-year college or university
- Amount: $1,000
Mental Health Movement Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students at all levels who share a 300-word essay describing their personal/loved one’s journey and how they want to use these experiences to positively impact the lives of others
- Amount: $3,300 (three scholarships are awarded)
Run With Meg Scholarship for Female Entrepreneurs
- Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate female students in any field of study who aspires to build a business or who is currently building a business. In order to apply, applicants need to write a short essay about how their experiences with mental health influenced their entrepreneurial goals and ambitions
- Amount: $1,950
WiseGeek Mental Health Well-Being No-Essay Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to college students at every level who have experienced mental health challenges
- Amount: $500
