The Joint M.S.W. Program has a wide variety of financial opportunities to help students both pay for their education and obtain specialized training in specific areas of practice.

Please note that not all awards may be available in any given year. Typically, students may receive only one type of financial award (other than loans) to provide support to as many students as possible.

Examples of Awards

Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center

Internship stipends are usually available only to advanced year students, including Advanced Standing students.  These awards are intended for students who are interested in working with veterans in either medical or mental health settings at the VA Medical Centers in Salisbury or Durham.

Two-year students apply for these competitive awards during the first year of the program, and the stipends are awarded during the advanced internship year. Advanced Standing students apply for these awards when the co-Field Directors contact them shortly after they receive notice of admission to the program. The Co-Directors of Field Instruction work with students and the VA on these awards.

Tuition Waivers with Stipends

The JMSW Program usually receives a number of tuition waivers with stipends from both universities’ graduate schools. These awards are based on merit.

Faculty members make recommendations about which students will be offered these tuition waivers with stipends. For incoming students, there is no need to apply for assistantships as faculty use admission information to make recommendations. For ongoing students, the Program Director provides an opportunity to apply for these awards in spring of the first year for second year support.

Additional financial assistance may be available each academic year, and the program works to ensure all students are informed of these awards and have equal opportunity to apply for them.

Loans and university-level awards are handled through the Office of Financial Aid at the student’s home campus.

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant

The Joint M.S.W. Program has funding from the SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services for the project “2017 Joint M.S.W. Behavioral Health Workforce Education Training Grant.” The program is committed to educating future social work clinicians who are committed to social justice and diversity and inclusion.

Effective August 2018, the HRSA grant will provide selected field internship students with a $10,000 competitive stipend.  Eligible students will be in their specialist year of the Joint M.S.W. Program (advanced standing or second year) and have a desire to be trained in behavioral health social work practice with an emphasis on integrated care.

Applicants will receive HRSA application information after acceptance into the Joint M.S.W. Program.  Current students will receive information for applying for a stipend in the Spring Semester.

For more information on the HRSA grant contact Dr. Melissa Floyd-Pickard at mftaylo2@uncg.edu.