50 Top Scholarships For Sociology Students

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Sociology is a vast and dynamic discipline that looks at how humans interact with each other and larger institutions. Things that sociologists might study could include crime, how cultures deal with hardship, how religions play into well being, and other large questions about the human condition.

If you find yourself drawn to these sorts of concerns, the good news is that many organizations help to support students in this field. Below we’ve selected 50 of the most lucrative. Check them out today!


DegreeQuery.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Barbara Newsome Sociology Internship Award

  • Varies
  • This scholarship is an unpaid internship for sociology undergraduates whose main duty is to engage in the community. The award is presented 3 times a year and is $2,000.
  • Students will need to complete at least 120 internship hour, be a sociology major, and maintain a good GPA.

Beth B. Hess Memorial Scholarship

  • 18000
  • The Bess B. Hess Memorial Scholarship is for individuals who are studying at the advanced sociology Ph.D. level. Candidates must have attended a technical school or community college. International students are also eligible if they attended the U.S. equivalent of a two-year college.
  • To be considered, applicants must first have attended either a technical school or community college. They must also be an advanced sociology Ph.D. student.

Community Action Research Initiative Grants

  • Varies
  • Sociologists utilize this grant with projects that are aiming to fix problems within the community with social science information. This award is only for those who want to help the community.
  • Applicants who are graduate students can apply. A membership with the American Sociological Association is not needed to apply, however one must obtain membership to receive this grant.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholarship Program

  • Varies
  • The duration of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholarship Program is one year. It is awarded only to Latinos who have displayed both leadership abilities and have a history of doing public service related duties.
  • Students must be Latino, in desperate need of financial assistance, be enrolled full-time, and either be a U.S. resident or have legal residency.

David J. Ewing Scholarship Program

  • Varies
  • The David J. Ewing Scholarship Program was created to help students who are in need of financial assistance because their parent(s) passed away during the time that should’ve been their working years. Applicable students must attend the University of North Texas on a full-time basis.
  • To meet eligibility requirements applicants must attend the Univercity of North Texas full-time, prove their need for financial assistance, and lost a parent during their working years.

Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarships for Outreach and Health Communications

  • 5000
  • This scholarship is for undergraduate and graduate students who maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA. Students must be able to effectively and creatively encourage both communities and individuals to be tobacco-free.
  • Students must maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA and provide proper evidence that shows financial need.

Fred Frey Paper Competition Scholarships

  • Varies
  • The Fred Frey Paper Competition Scholarship gives three scholarships each year to a senior, a junior, and a sophomore. This award is for undergraduate students at LSU who are sociology majors who have displayed devotion and have accomplished academic success.
  • Applicants must be undergraduate sociology majors at LSU. Preference is given to students who have achieved academic success and displayed great devotion to sociology or a field that is similar. This award is given in the spring semester.

Gerald E. and Eileen Klonglan Scholarship

  • 3000
  • This award is for graduate students who attend Iowa State University Sociology Department on a full-time basis. Applicants who study sociology or Rural sociology along with acquiring academic achievement and can demonstrate financial need are all eligible for nomination. Preference is given to students of color along with American Indians, Hispanics, and Asian Americans.
  • To be eligible for this scholarship one must attend Iowa State University full-time. Students must be graduate students who are studying sociology or Rural sociology. Preference is given to U.S. students who are Asian American, Hispanic, American Indian, or African American.

Harvesting Opportunity and Potential in Education Scholarship

  • Varies
  • The Harvest and Potential in Education Scholarship (HOPE) is dedicated to full-time undergraduate sociology majors who maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA who can illustrate financial need, desire for personal growth and have a committment to the study of sociology in whole.
  • Eligible applicants must be undergraduates that are enrolled full-time as a sociology major while maintaining a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Applicants must be able to display financial need along with a desire for personal growth and moral values that are backed up by action.

Henry Hadley Stewart Sociology Scholar Awards

  • Varies
  • The Henry Hadley Stewart Sociology Scholar Awards are for full-time undergraduate sociology students who are members of the Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society. Qualities such as enthusiasm and integrity are most definitely needed to be considered for this award.
  • The ideal candidate must be in good standing with the Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society, be a full-time undergraduate sociology students, and have good moral beliefs that are backed up by actions.

Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowships

  • Varies
  • This scholarship is dedicated to freshly college and graduate school alumni who want to work with the top policy specialists in Washinton,DC to gain vital experience. Applicants would remain in Washinton,DC for roughly 6 to 9 months where they would work with the Scoville Fellows where they often attend Congressional hearings, policy discussion, along with receiving personal mentorship.
  • Applicants must have recently completed college or be graduate school alumni. Candidates will need to have completed a baccalaureate before recipients are chosen.

India Association of Amarillo Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Scholarship

  • 500
  • Each year five graduatudating sociology students from the Texas Panhandle will be awarded $500 each. These students must be able to describe how Gandhian principals are in their life along with how they are personally affected by these beliefs. By the deadline of March 31, applicants must be able to display both financial need along with academic success.
  • Qualifying applicants need to be able to prove their academic success, financial need, write a 250 word essay describing how Gandhi principals coorelate to their personal life, and be graduating from the Texas Pandhandle.

J.W. Saxe Memorial Fund Scholarships

  • 1500
  • This scholarship is for both graduate and undergraduate students who are providing a public service. These studying generally have no pay or low-pay so they can gain experience in the field.
  • This award’s deadline is March 15 with an undetermined number of awards given. Applicants will need to take no pay or low-pay as its purpose is to provide students with experience in public service.

Jack B. Humphries Leadership Award in Sociology

  • Varies
  • The Jack B. Humphries Leadership Award is dedicated to graduating sociology majors who have gone above and beyond in activities such as on-campus clubs, student government, along with varies forms of volunteer work and leadership roles. All students are required to have completed at least 19 sociological credit hours while maintaining a minimum of a 3.5 GPA.
  • To meet eligibility requirements students will be required to have completed at least 19 sociological credit hours while maintaining a minimum of a 3.5 GPA. Documentation of active participation in related extra-curricular activities.

Leanne Joy Knot Memorial Scholarship

  • 4200
  • The Leanne Joy Knot Memorial Scholarship was created in 1997 for individuals who will be pursuing social work or sociology. Students must be Christian and be able demonstrate great desire to help children, healthcare, and volunteer in the Peace Corps.
  • Applicants must be able to maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, be majoring in social work or sociology, and be either a junior or senior. Students must also be Christian and demonstrate an immense desire to help children, promote the need for improved education or healthcare, and must volunteer in the Peace Corps. Although not a requirement, financial need will be reviewed.

Ruth A. Blanc Sociology Scholarship

  • Varies
  • This scholarship is for graduate students at Sam Houston State University who are majoring in sociology. These students must take a minimum of six to nine credit hours per semester while maintaining at least a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  • Students who qualify will need to be able to display financial need and academic success. Consideration is also given to sociology students who enjoy and want to learn more about social control, inequality, or deviance.

Society Farsarotul Financial Awards

  • 1000
  • This scholarship is for students who are majoring in sociology, European history, and anthropology whowant to study the Vlachs in the southern Balkan Penisula. Applicants will need to have one parent or grandparent who was Arumanian.
  • Requirements for this award include maintaining a minimum of a 3.0 GPA , having completed a minimum of four full-time undergraduate work, along with attending an accredited U.S. school and present three letters of recommendation. Students must also have a parent or grandparent who was Arumaniam and be a member of Society Farsarotul.

Tara Lynn Resnick Scholarship

  • 1000
  • The Tara Lynn Resnick Scholarship was created in memory of a female sociology student who passed away from a terminal illness before she was able to complete her degree. Female undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, completed at least 60 credits at the University of Maryland are eligible.
  • Eligible applicants are female undergraduate students who study sociology and attend the University of Maryland.

Travis Williams Humanitarian Scholarships

  • 500
  • Students of California State University Chico who are undergraduate sociology majors with a minimum of a minimum of a 2.0 GPA along with completed at least 60 cumulative units are the ideal candidate. Students must harbor a strong desire to help society by volunteering or community involvement.
  • Qualifying candidates must attend the California State University Chico complete a minimum of 60 cumulative units while maintaining at least a 2.0 GPA.

Walsh Family Scholarship Endowment for Social Sciences

  • Varies
  • This award is for undergraduate or graduate students whose majors are in the parameters of the Division of Social Sciences. Each year a different field of study is chosen. Recipients are chosen by demonstrated financial need and academic success.
  • To meet eligibility requirements all applicants must be able to demonstrate academic success and financial need. Students will need to be studying one of the majors that is in the parameters of the Division of Social Sciences.

Davidson Fellows Scholarship

  • Amount: $50,000
  • This scholarship is dedicated to those students who think outside of the box, has or can contribute to society, and has created a significant work. Generally speaking, this award is given to students who are at graduate level and have extensive knowledge on their area of study.
  • Students must be 18 or younger, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and have parents or guardians be able to attend the reception in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

  • Amount: Varies
  • This program is for students who have high achievement levels who stand out in NSF-based research and are in the process of attaining their master’s or doctoral degrees from schools in the U.S.
  • All applicants must be in the process of attaining a master’s or doctoral degree in a research related field and have a history of high achievement through out their learning years.

Smithsonian Minority Awards Program – Internship

  • Amount: $6,500
  • The purpose of this internship is to help underrepresented graduate and undergraduate students learn as much as possible about their academic domain and the Smithsonian by allowing these interns to get hands-on experience involving the many research institutions and museums related to the Smithsonian.
  • To meet eligibility requirements candidates will need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, and be enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate program. Students can also be enrolled in a community college.

The LAGRANT Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships

  • Amount: $2,500
  • This scholarship is priorly for undergraduate public relations, marketing, and advertising majors who maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Applicants must also be African American, Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or Native American.
  • To meet eligibility requirements students must be African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, or Native American with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Students must also be a U.S. citizen, DACA recipient, or a permanent resident along with being a full-time student.

The Saul Kagan Fellowship in Advanced Shoah Studies

  • Amount: $20,000
  • Internationally based, this program is for both Post-doctoral and Ph.D. students who are highly interested in learning about the Holocaust along with traveling to locations near the Holocaust that haven’t been researched before. This scholarship involves students digging up as much information possible during their fellowship.
  • All candidates must attend a week-long conference in the summer. Candidates do not have to abide by a certain residency requirement.

A Place for Mom Senior Care Scholarship

  • 1000
  • Each year a $1,000 award is given to students who are majoring in a medical or sociology degree. A desire to work in a geriatric field of study along with already being enrolled in an accredited college or university in Canada or the United States is required.
  • Candidates must be a permanent resident or citizen of the United States or Canada along with attending an accredited university in the U.S. or Canada (excluding Quebec). Applicants must also write a 500 to 900 word essay on the subject at hand.

Alpha Kappa Delta Undergraduate Student Paper Award

  • Varies
  • This scholarship is for members of Alpha Kappa Delta who are undergraduate sociology students. Despite needing to be an Alpha Kappa Delta, students do not have to attend chapters activities.
  • All candidates must submit a paper that is a maximum of 35 pages, is hand written with only one author, a member of Alpha Kappa Delta, and is a sociology student. The deadline is March 1, 2021.

ASA Minority Fellowship Program

  • 18000
  • The American Sociological Association (ASA) works in tandem with the Minority Fellowship Program to promote the growth and education for sociologists of color. All students must be citizens of the U.S., DACA recipients, and anyone else who is legally a permanent resident.
  • To meet eligibility requirements candidates must be a minority, enrolled or completed one academic year in a sociology related program or be in the process of pursuing a doctorate. All students must be DACA recipients, a permanent U.S. residents, or a legal U.S. citizen.

Beth B. Hess Memorial Scholarship

  • 3500
  • Each year an award of $3,500 is given to one student who originally began her education in a community college or technical school before being accepted into an PhD or MA program in sociology.
  • Applicants must be a graduate student who got accepted into an accredited Phd or MA program in sociology. All students must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S.

Boren Awards for International Study

  • Varies
  • The Boren Awards for International Study’s purpose is to get undergraduate or graduate students to study languages that are rare around the world. When an applicant is chosen he/she are also committing to work for the federal government for a year as it helps U.S. security interests.
  • All applicants must be highly motivated to help with U.S. security interests. They also will have to agree to work for the federal government for one year if chosen.

Cheryl Allyn Miller Scholarship Award

  • Varies
  • The Cheryl Allyn Miller Award was formed by the Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS) for graduate students and new Ph.D.s who are working in this arena as the main purpose of this award is to acknowledge an applicant’s work or research in this field as highly beneficial. Both completed work and works in progress are acceptable. Suggestions for future plans of work or research are not appropriate nor acceptable.
  • Candidates must be women who are graduate students or recent Ph.D. recipients who belong to the Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS).

Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarships

  • 5000
  • The Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarship is for graduate or undergraduate students who are getting their degree from an accredited university. These students should have a list of community service with a special interest in tobacco control and prevention. Whoever has the best use of media, creative writing, and visual arts to relay the dangers of tabacco.
  • Eligibility requirements include attended an accredited university in the U.S. along with having a record of community service that is desired by the applicant to continue.

Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship

  • Varies
  • This is a national fellowship program that helps recent college and graduate school alumni be able to work alongside specialists in advocy groups from six to nine months in Washington, D.C. Once selected, the chosen fellows will have the opportunity to observe Congressional hearing and policy discussions.
  • Applicants must be recent college or graduate school alumni and be able to work full-time for a minimum of six months.

Jane Addams Sociology in Practice Award

  • Varies
  • This award is designated for highly distinguished, graduating seniors who majored in Social Welfare or Justice while exhibiting leadership qualities and devotion of service to both the community and university alike.
  • To meet eligibility requirements, candidates must be graduating students who have maintained a minimum of a 3.5 GPA with exceptional displays of leadership abilities, academic merit, and community service.

Olaf Larson Graduate Student Paper Award

  • Varies
  • The Olaf Larson Graduate Student Paper Award is for current graduate students who are already RSS members. This award aims to gain graduate student’s involvement at RSS meetings along with supporting personal and professional growth. Students can submit co-authored papers as long as they are written with another graduate student that is also a RSS member.
  • Applicants must be graduate students that are RSS members and cannot be dissertations or Master’s theses.

Rieger Thesis/Dissertation Scholarship

  • 1000
  • This scholarship was created in 2012 in honor of Jon Rieger. Rieger helped found the International Visual Sociology Association (IVSA). The purpose of this award is simply to acknowledge graduate students for their exceptional doctoral dissertation or their master’s thesis that was created to research visual sociology discipline. Besides the financial award, the winners will also be able to post their work on the IVSA website.
  • To meet eligibilty requirements all candidates will need to be outstanding graduate students who majored in sociology. The deadline is February 21st.

Society Farsarotul Financial Awards

  • 1000
  • Each year two students will receive this scholarship which was created in honor of the Vlachs. The awarded money is to help encourage students to want to learn about the Arumanians.
  • Both graduate and undergraduate students who have at least one direct relative (parent or grandparent) that was Arumanian and have maintained a minimum of a 3.0 GPA are eligible. Undergraduate students are also required to be members of the Society Farsarotul, completed at least 4 full-time semesters, and submit three letters of reference.

Stanford Lyman Memorial Scholarship

  • 1000
  • This award is for Ph.D. applicants who are in the process of completing their thesis in race relations, law, sociological theory, or ethics from a school that has MSSA staff members or an organization that is within MSSA member states.
  • To meet eligibility requirements the student must submit a dissertation paper that is roughly 5 pages, a report that is supported by the dissertation committee, and an introduction letter that argues how and why the candidate’s work accurately mirrors Stanford Lyman’s sociology practice.

Sydney S. Spivack Congressional Fellowship

  • Varies
  • Each year the American Sociological Association (ASA) supports the Sydney S. Spivack Congressional Fellowship program which is for highly experienced and successful Ph.D. students. These applicants are curious, motivated, and interested in working as a staff member on a congressional committee for 1 year in Washington,DC for the purpose of getting extensive information and experience to better help these students get vital lessons on the importance of sociological data.
  • Applicants must submit their current curriculum or a person letter about why they are interested, at most 3 recommendation letters, along with responses in essay form about their personal experiences with policy.