Apply Now: COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships Guide

If you are a graduate student in psychology in the United States and you are struggling to fund your research, you are not alone. Research costs for a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation can add up very quickly, and finding the right scholarship to cover those costs is often harder than the research itself. That is exactly where the COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships come in. This program, jointly offered by the American Psychological Foundation (APF) and the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP), exists for one clear purpose: to help you get your research done.

In this guide, we are going to walk you through everything you need to know about this scholarship. We will cover what it is, who offers it, how much money is available, who qualifies, what the application looks like, and what tips will genuinely improve your chances. Whether you are just starting your graduate journey or you are deep into your dissertation research, this guide is written for you.

What Are the COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships?

The COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships are a set of annual research awards jointly administered by the American Psychological Foundation and the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology. The primary goal of the program is simple: to help graduate students in psychology cover the costs of conducting their thesis or dissertation research.

What makes this scholarship stand out is that it is not a general financial aid award. It is specifically targeted at research costs. That means the funding is meant to help you actually run your study, whether that involves participant recruitment, research materials, data collection software, lab supplies, or other direct research expenses. It is research-first funding, which is a big deal for students who are in the thick of building original knowledge in the field of psychology.

The scholarship program has been running for many years and has consistently supported students across a wide range of psychology sub-disciplines. From clinical psychology and neuropsychology to social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and counseling psychology, students from all areas of the field have benefited from this award.

The administration of the scholarship applications is handled by the American Psychological Association (APA) Science Directorate, which adds an extra layer of credibility and structure to the selection process.

Who Are the Organizations Behind This Scholarship?

Understanding the organizations behind a scholarship helps you write a stronger application because you get a clearer picture of their values and priorities.

American Psychological Foundation (APF)

The American Psychological Foundation is the philanthropic arm that works alongside the American Psychological Association. APF’s mission is to advance psychology by investing in people, ideas, and programs that help humanity. They fund a wide range of programs including early career awards, diversity fellowships, and graduate research scholarships like this one. APF has been funding psychological science for decades and has a long track record of supporting graduate students who are doing meaningful, impactful research.

Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP)

COGDOP is a leadership organization made up of chairs and heads of graduate psychology departments across the United States. To be part of COGDOP, a department must be part of an institution accredited by a regional accrediting body and must offer graduate degrees in psychology. COGDOP provides resources, policy guidance, and professional development for department leaders, and their partnership with APF on this scholarship program is one of the most tangible benefits they offer to the graduate students in their member departments.

This is an important detail: the scholarship is not open to all psychology graduate students in the US. Only students whose departments are active members of COGDOP can be nominated. This departmental membership requirement is one of the first things you need to check before starting your application process.

COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarship Award Amounts

One of the most commonly asked questions about this scholarship is how much money is on the table. The answer is quite generous compared to many other graduate research scholarships in the humanities and social sciences.

APF currently awards 9 annual scholarships under this program. Here is a breakdown of each named scholarship and the award amount that comes with it:

• Harry and Miriam Levinson Scholarship – $5,000
• Charles and Carol Spielberger Scholarship – $5,000
• Peter and Malina James and Dr. Louis P. James Legacy Scholarship – $5,000
• William and Dorothy Bevan Scholarship – $3,000
• Ruth G. and Joseph D. Matarazzo Scholarship – $3,000
• William C. Howell Scholarship – $2,500
• Clarence J. Rosecrans Scholarship – $2,000
• Raymond K. Mulhern Scholarship – $2,000
• Dr. Judy Kuriansky Scholarship – $2,000

Each of these scholarships is named in honor of significant contributors to the field of psychology, and winning one carries a certain prestige within the academic psychology community. The awards range from $2,000 to $5,000, and all of them are intended to go directly to the student to support their research activities.

The awards are given to individual students rather than to departments, which means the funding goes directly where it is needed. For many students, even a $2,000 award can be the difference between a study that gets completed and one that stalls out because of funding gaps.

Eligibility Requirements for the COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarship

Before you get excited and start writing your research proposal, you need to confirm that you actually qualify. Here are the key eligibility requirements you should check off one by one.

1. You Must Be Enrolled in a Psychology Graduate Program

This scholarship is specifically for graduate students in psychology. If you are in a related field such as social work, neuroscience, or education, you would not qualify unless your degree is formally housed in a psychology department.

2. Your Department Must Be a COGDOP Member

This is probably the most critical requirement. Your graduate department of psychology must be an active member of COGDOP. You cannot self-nominate or apply independently. Your department chair or director of graduate studies must submit a nomination on your behalf. If you are unsure whether your department is a member, check the COGDOP Member Directory directly or ask your graduate coordinator.

3. You Must Be in an Eligible Program Type

Graduate students enrolled in an interim master’s program or a doctoral program are eligible. If you are in a terminal master’s program, you must be able to show that you intend to go on and enroll in a PhD program after completing your master’s. Students in a standalone terminal master’s program who do not plan to pursue a doctorate are not eligible unless they can demonstrate that doctoral enrollment is part of their academic plan.

4. You Must Be Enrolled When Awards Are Made

This is a detail that catches some students off guard. You must still be enrolled in your graduate program at the time the scholarships are actually awarded. If you graduate before the awards are given out, you would no longer be eligible even if you were nominated. This means timing matters, and you should factor this into your decision about whether to apply in a given year.

5. Students at Any Stage of Graduate Study Can Apply

There is no requirement to be in a specific year of your graduate program. You could be a first-year master’s student or a fifth-year doctoral candidate. However, the program does note that special attention is given to applications from students who are within their first two years of graduate study at the time of application. This does not mean later-stage students cannot win, but it is something to keep in mind when thinking about timing your application.

6. Diversity is Actively Encouraged

APF explicitly encourages applications from students with diverse backgrounds. This includes diversity across age, race, color, religion, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geography. This is not a passive statement from the organization. It reflects a genuine commitment to ensuring that the scholarship pool represents the full breadth of perspectives that exist within the field of psychology. If you come from an underrepresented background, your perspective is valued here.

How the Nomination Process Works

The nomination process for the COGDOP scholarship is a bit different from scholarships where you apply directly. Here, your department has to nominate you first. Understanding how this process works will help you navigate it more strategically.

The number of students a department can nominate each year is based on the total number of doctoral students enrolled in the program. Departments with 100 or fewer doctoral students may nominate one candidate. Departments with between 101 and 200 doctoral students may nominate up to two candidates. Departments with more than 200 doctoral students enrolled may nominate up to three candidates.

What this means practically is that in smaller departments, there may be a competitive internal selection process to determine which one or two students get nominated. In larger programs, there may be more space, but the competition is still real.

The takeaway here is that your relationship with your department chair or director of graduate studies matters. If you are interested in being nominated, you should let the relevant faculty members know early in the cycle. Do not wait for your department to come to you. Proactively express your interest, share your research proposal idea, and make the case for why your project deserves the departmental nomination spot.

What to Include in Your Application

Once your department nominates you, you will need to submit a formal application package. Here is what the application requires.

Research Proposal

This is the heart of your application and carries the most weight in the review process. You will need to submit a brief research proposal for your master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation project. The proposal can be a maximum of 10 pages, not counting the references. Even if your research is still in progress when you apply, you can submit a proposal based on where your project stands at the time.

Your proposal should include a brief literature review that sets the context for your research, a clearly stated and well-articulated research question, an explanation of your research design and methodology, and a discussion of the broader significance of your research, both theoretically and in terms of real-world application. You should also include a budget justification that explains how you plan to use the scholarship funds.

Reviewers pay close attention to proposals that request funding for direct research activities, meaning money to actually run your study, rather than for indirect costs like tuition, travel, or purchasing textbooks. If your proposal requests funds for things that are not directly related to conducting the research, it will be viewed less favorably.

Department Endorsement

You will need a formal endorsement from your department chair or director of graduate studies. This endorsement is part of what confirms your departmental nomination and tells the reviewers that someone who knows your work and your program is vouching for the quality of your research.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

You will need to submit an academic CV. This is your chance to highlight any previous publications, conference presentations, academic awards you have received at your institution, and other evidence of your scholarly productivity and potential. Even if your CV is relatively thin at this stage, include everything relevant. Reviewers do look at the secondary criteria related to your background, and a well-organized CV can strengthen your overall application.

Academic Transcript

You will need to submit a transcript of your academic record. The good news is that an unofficial transcript or a student copy is acceptable. You do not need to pay for official transcripts for this application.

How Applications Are Reviewed and Evaluated

Understanding the review criteria is one of the most useful things you can do before writing your application. The good news is that APF is fairly transparent about what reviewers are looking for.

The primary criteria are all focused on the research proposal. Reviewers look at the quality of your literature review and contextual framing, the clarity of your research question, the appropriateness of the methodology and research design, the broader significance of the research question, and how thoughtfully you have planned to use the requested funds. That last point about funds is worth repeating: reviewers prefer proposals where the money would go toward directly conducting the research rather than covering ancillary costs.

Secondary criteria are related to your academic background and record. This includes any publications or conference presentations you have already produced, awards you have received at your institution, the strength of the endorsement from your department chair or graduate director, the breadth and rigor of your coursework, and your academic grades.

The practical implication of this two-tier review structure is that a compelling research proposal can carry a less experienced student to a strong result. If your study is asking an important question and your methodology is sound, the reviewers will notice. That said, a strong academic record and evidence of scholarly engagement will always help your overall application.

Tips to Strengthen Your COGDOP Scholarship Application

Here are some practical tips that can genuinely make a difference when you sit down to write your application.

Start with a strong research question

The clearest sign of a well-prepared graduate researcher is the ability to articulate a focused and meaningful research question. Before you write a single word of your proposal, make sure you can explain your research question in one or two sentences. If you cannot do that, your proposal will feel muddled even if the underlying idea is good.

Show that you know the literature

Your literature review does not need to be exhaustive, but it needs to show reviewers that you understand where your research fits in the broader conversation of the field. Cite foundational studies, mention recent developments, and explain why your research is needed given what we already know.

Be specific about how the money will be used

Do not just say that funds will support your research. Break it down. If you need $3,000 for participant compensation, say so. If you need $1,500 for a specific software license, say so. A specific and realistic budget builds confidence in your application.

Get feedback on your proposal before submitting

Ask your faculty advisor or a trusted peer to read your proposal before you submit it. Fresh eyes often catch unclear writing, gaps in logic, or methodological assumptions that you might not notice after staring at your own work for weeks.

Talk to your department early

Since nomination comes through your department, the earlier you express your interest, the better. Do not wait until a week before the deadline. Talk to your graduate coordinator or department chair well in advance of the nomination deadline so that your name is in the conversation when the department decides who to put forward.

Highlight your research’s real-world significance

Psychology is a science with enormous real-world applications. Whether your research touches on mental health treatment, educational outcomes, organizational behavior, trauma recovery, or human development, make sure reviewers understand why your findings will matter beyond the academic literature.

Application Deadline and How to Apply

The current application deadline for the COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships is June 26, 2026. This is the date by which your completed application, including your research proposal, CV, transcript, and departmental endorsement, must be submitted through the APF portal.

Applications are submitted through APF’s online GivingData portal. You will need to create a free account on the portal and follow the detailed application instructions provided there. The portal also includes comprehensive formatting and content guidance that you should read carefully before starting your application.

If you have questions that are not answered by the portal instructions, you can contact the APF Programs team directly by email.

To get started with your application, visit the official APF scholarship page and click through to the application portal: Apply for the COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarship on the APF Portal.

What Happens After You Apply

Once the submission deadline passes, the APA Science Directorate takes over the administration of the review process. Applications are evaluated by a panel of reviewers who assess both the primary criteria around the research proposal and the secondary criteria around your academic background.

One thing to be aware of is that APF does not provide feedback to applicants on their proposals. This is a common policy among major scholarship programs and simply reflects the volume of applications they receive. If you are not selected, you will not receive a detailed explanation of why. This makes it all the more important to put your strongest possible application together before you submit, because you will not get a chance to revise based on reviewer input.

Award recipients are notified directly, and the scholarship funds are given directly to the individual students. Past recipients have come from universities across the country, and the list of alumni who have gone on to successful academic and research careers after receiving this award is a testament to the quality of the program.

Recent Award Recipients

Looking at past recipients is a useful way to get a sense of the kinds of research projects that tend to be funded. A recent recipient, Allison Tobar-Santamaria from Virginia Tech, conducted research on navigating trauma and alcohol use among undergraduate Latina sexual assault survivors, examining the role of cultural identity and social support. This kind of research reflects the program’s values perfectly: it is methodologically grounded, addresses a real and underserved population, and contributes to both the theoretical and applied sides of psychology.

Other recent recipients include students from Iowa State University and other programs across the country. The diversity of institutional affiliations and research topics in the recipient list is encouraging for students from all kinds of programs and research backgrounds.

Why This Scholarship Matters for Your Academic Career

Beyond the immediate financial benefit, winning a COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarship carries real career value. Here is why this kind of award matters beyond the dollars in your pocket.

First, it validates your research. Being selected by a national program administered in partnership with the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Foundation signals to future employers, postdoctoral supervisors, and academic hiring committees that your research was recognized as meritorious on a competitive national stage.

Second, it funds the work that builds your CV. The research you do with this funding will lead to publications, conference presentations, and a completed dissertation or thesis. Those outcomes are what will define your career in the long run.

Third, it connects you to a larger community. Being part of the APF and COGDOP scholarship community puts you in a group of researchers who have been supported by two of the most important organizations in American psychology. That kind of connection can open doors in ways that are hard to predict but very real.

Other Funding Opportunities to Consider Alongside COGDOP

If you are actively looking for graduate research funding in psychology, you should not rely on any single scholarship. Here are some other places to look alongside the COGDOP scholarship.

The APA itself offers several funding programs for graduate students and early career researchers, including awards from its various divisions. Many of the APA’s 54 divisions offer division-specific scholarships and awards that are less competitive than national programs and could be a good fit depending on your sub-field.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) offers Graduate Research Fellowships that fund doctoral students across many disciplines including psychology. The NSF GRFP is highly competitive but provides substantial multi-year support for students who are accepted.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and other National Institutes of Health (NIH) agencies fund graduate research through training grants and individual fellowship mechanisms such as the F31 award, which supports doctoral dissertation research in health-related fields including psychology.

Your own institution may also have internal funding available through graduate school fellowships, departmental research funds, or competitive dissertation completion awards. Always check with your graduate office before assuming you need to look externally for every dollar..

Final Thoughts

The COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships represent one of the most accessible and meaningful funding opportunities available to psychology graduate students in the United States. The awards are substantial, the program has a strong track record, and the application process, while competitive, is manageable for a student who is genuinely invested in their research.

The key things to take away from this guide are these: confirm your department’s COGDOP membership early, have a conversation with your faculty advisor or department chair about being nominated, and put real time and care into your research proposal. That proposal is where your application will be won or lost.

If you are a psychology graduate student with a research question you believe in and a department that can nominate you, this scholarship is worth every hour you invest in the application. The financial support and the recognition that come with it can genuinely shape the next chapter of your academic career.

Good luck, and do not put it off. The deadline of June 26, 2026 will come faster than you think.

Ready to apply? Head directly to the official application and get started today: Access the COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarship Application Portal.