As the burden of educational costs rises, it becomes increasingly important for students to know the ways to fund their education to decrease the financial burden post-graduation. At the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work, we are always looking for ways to help our students fund their education. To that end we have some financial opportunities for interested students. Tuition information is available through the Office of the Bursar.
Every year we offer departmental scholarships. The process is slightly different for graduate and undergraduate students. View a student testimonial from Lydia Pearson about the impact of scholarships here (pdf) and consider applying.
OU also offers a wide variety of scholarships as does the College of Arts and Sciences. All financial need based scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students are available through the Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
We have a number of stipend programs available to students. Generally these stipends are provided to students while they are enrolled in their practicum. Information about stipend particulars and the application process is distributed to qualified students during the appropriate yearly time frame.
As a graduate research assistant you work 10-20 hours a week alongside the school as we endeavor to uphold our mission. In return you receive a tuition waiver*, a stipend, and student insurance. *Tuition waivers are available with 20-hour positions. Information about how to apply for a GRA position is disseminated in the spring semester to both current students (via email) and new students (via acceptance packets) or as information becomes available. GRA positions are available on both campuses.
The US Department of Federal Student Aid Office is a great resource for understanding types, qualifications, applications, and management of loans. We also suggest speaking with the OU Financial Aid Office to fully understand loans and the repayment process. As people who work in public service, social work graduates may be eligible for loan forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program both provide these opportunities.
Students who also work for the Department of Human Services may be eligible for additional benefits such as loan forgiveness and the Carl Albert Internship Program.
Work-Study positions may be available for undergraduate students who qualify for need-based federal work-study at select practicum placements.
This program is designed to enhance the training of full-time, master’s-level, direct practice-focused social work students in their final year of study at a CSWE-accredited institution. Applicants must identify mental health service delivery to at-risk children, adolescents, and transition-age youths as the focus of their specialization and be committed to seeking employment with this target population after graduation. The purpose of the program is to reduce health disparities and improve behavioral health-care outcomes for racially and ethnically diverse populations by increasing the number of culturally competent master’s-level behavioral health professionals serving children, adolescents, and populations in transition to adulthood (aged 16–25).
