Most scholarship lists skip Masters Scholarships in Social Work. They go straight to engineering, medicine, law. The fields that get glamorised. But here is the truth. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, social work jobs are expected to grow 16% through 2026. That is more than twice the average growth rate of 7% across all occupations. Child protection social workers, mental health social workers, disability support coordinators, hospital social workers, aged care social workers, community development workers, and refugee integration workers are among the most in-demand social work roles globally in 2025 to 2026. These roles are in critical shortage across the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland.
Mental health awareness is expanding. Family dynamics are evolving. Economic inequality continues to rise. Migration and refugee crises require skilled professionals to support displaced populations. Each of these factors underscores why social work is not just growing but essential.
Projected social work job growth by specialisation – USA through 2026 (BLS)
Here are 14 ways to get your Masters in Social Work fully funded in 2026.
1. Erasmus Mundus ESWOCHY – Social Work with Children and Youth (Europe)
Deadline: Programme starts September 2026.
Host: Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), Riga Stradiņš University (Latvia), Catholic University in Ružomberok (Slovakia), ISCTE Lisbon (Portugal).
This is the only Erasmus Mundus programme in the world dedicated specifically to social work with children and young people. That alone makes it extraordinary.
The ESWOCHY programme is a two-year master’s for students who want to help kids and young people in a changing world. You study intercultural social work, digital tools, human rights, and how to make policies for children. The programme focuses on humanistic views, communication across cultures, and online social work. You study in Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, and Portugal at four universities. Full scholarships are available to top students from any country in the world.
You need a bachelor’s degree in social work, education, psychology, or a related field. English B2 level is required. And you need a genuine interest in working with children across different cultural contexts.
The scholarship covers full tuition, a monthly stipend of €1,400 for 24 months, travel money, health insurance, and an installation allowance. That is over €33,600 in living support on top of free tuition.
Apply at: erasmusscholarship.com/eswochy
2. Erasmus Mundus EMHRPP – Human Rights Policy and Practice (Europe)
Deadline: Admissions open October 2026 for the 2027 intake.
Host: University of Gothenburg (Sweden), University of Deusto (Spain), University of Roehampton (UK), Arctic University of Norway.
If your social work interest sits in human rights advocacy, policy reform, or working with NGOs and international organisations, this programme was made for you.
The Erasmus Mundus EMHRPP is a two-year joint master’s programme for students who want to become experts in human rights policy and practice. You learn theory, research methods, advocacy, and real-world skills to work in NGOs, governments, or international organisations. You start in Sweden, then move to Spain, then the UK, and finish your thesis wherever your supervisor is, including the option of Norway. You need at least two years of practitioner experience in human rights, either paid, internship, or voluntary. English proficiency at IELTS 6.5 minimum.
Apply at: emhrpp.com
3. CSWE Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) -USA
Deadline: May 11, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
Host: Council on Social Work Education, USA.
The 2026 to 2027 MSW Minority Fellowship Program application opened on March 16, 2026 and closes May 11, 2026. The purpose of the Minority Fellowship Program is to improve behavioural health care outcomes for all by providing professional development and training opportunities for the behavioural health workforce.
The CSWE Minority Fellowship Program supports MSW students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who are preparing for leadership roles in behavioural health. Awards include financial support, mentorship, and professional development.
Applicants must be a final-year MSW student with a graduation date between March 2026 and December 2026. Their career goal must be to lead practice, research, teaching, or policy in government or private social work settings. This is a prestigious, career-changing fellowship. If you are an MSW student in your final year and you qualify, stop reading and go apply today.
Apply at: cswe.org/mfp-masters
4. National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship – USA
Deadline: Check nhsc.hrsa.gov for the 2026 to 2027 cycle opening.
Host: US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
This scholarship is one of the most generous in the entire social work and public health space. And it is built specifically for people who want to serve communities that need help the most.
The NHSC Scholarship Program provides full tuition, a monthly stipend, and funding for other education costs to MSW students who commit to working in high-need Health Professional Shortage Areas after graduation.
The NHSC network supports more than 18,000 providers serving at more than 8,400 community health care centres that see nearly 18.9 million patients. When you take this scholarship, you are not just funding your degree. You are committing to a career that directly serves underserved populations. The service commitment runs for the duration of time your education was funded, typically two to four years of full-time work in an approved shortage area after graduation.
Apply at: nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarships
5. Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans – USA
Deadline: October 2026 for the 2027 cohort.
Host: Paul and Daisy Soros Foundation, USA.
If you are an immigrant or the child of immigrants living in the United States and pursuing an MSW, this fellowship was designed with you specifically in mind.
The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship supports graduate students who are immigrants or children of immigrants to the United States. MSW students are eligible to apply, and awards include up to $90,000 in funding over two years.
Up to $90,000. Over two years. That is one of the highest-value graduate fellowships available to MSW students anywhere in the world. And it is tied to your lived experience as someone who has navigated systems as an immigrant, which is exactly the background that makes a great social worker.
Apply at: pdsoros.org
6. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship (JJ/WBGSP) – Global
Deadline: Window 2 closes May 29, 2026.
Host: World Bank and Government of Japan, 24 universities worldwide.
Social work sits firmly within the development-related fields this scholarship was built for. Community development, child welfare policy, social protection systems, and public health are all relevant entry points.
The JJ/WBGSP is open to citizens of eligible World Bank member developing countries who have relevant professional experience and a demonstrated commitment to development. The programme supports scholars enrolled in 44 participating master’s programmes at 24 universities across the United States, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan.
The scholarship provides tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, health insurance, and a travel allowance. After earning their degree, developing country scholars commit to returning to their home country to apply their skills. That final condition is important. This scholarship is for people who plan to go back and build something. If that is you, apply today.
Apply at: worldbank.org/jj-wbgsp
7. Fulbright Foreign Student Program – Social Work in the USA
Deadline: February to October 2026, varies by country.
Host: US Government, top American universities.
The USA has some of the strongest MSW programmes in the world. University of Michigan, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and UCLA all have highly regarded schools of social work. The Fulbright programme gets you into any of them fully funded.
Social work, social policy, community development, public health, and human rights are all eligible fields. The scholarship covers full tuition, airfare, a monthly living stipend, and health insurance.
Check your local US Embassy or Fulbright Commission website for your country’s specific deadline.
Apply at: foreign.fulbrightonline.org
For more ideas on studying fully funded, read our guide on 30 fully funded master’s scholarships for international students in 2026.
8. Chevening Scholarship – Social Work at any UK University
Deadline: Next cycle opens October 2026 for the 2027 to 2028 academic year.
Host: UK Government.
The UK is one of the most in-demand destinations in the world for social workers. The NHS, local councils, and nonprofit sector all actively recruit qualified social work professionals. Studying a Masters in Social Work in the UK puts you right inside that ecosystem.
Chevening funds a full one-year master’s at virtually any UK university. It covers full tuition, accommodation, flights, and a monthly living allowance. You need at least two years of professional work experience before applying.
Start your application in September 2026. The personal statement is the heart of every successful Chevening application and it takes longer to write than most people expect.
Apply at: chevening.org
9. DAAD Scholarship – Social Sciences and Community Development in Germany
Deadline: October to January annually, varies by programme. Host: German Academic Exchange Service.
Germany has a serious and growing need for social workers, particularly those who can work with its large refugee and immigrant communities. German universities offer strong programmes in social work, social pedagogy, and community development — many with English-taught options.
German public university tuition is essentially free. The DAAD adds a monthly stipend of €992 (roughly $1,100), health insurance, and a travel allowance. There is also a dedicated DAAD In-Country/In-Region track for Sub-Saharan African students who want to stay on the continent.
Apply at: daad.de
10. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – Africa and Global Partners
Deadline: Varies by partner university.
Host: Mastercard Foundation in partnership with multiple universities.
Social work, community development, public health, and social policy are all eligible fields under the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. The programme is built for young Africans with strong academics and a clear commitment to making an impact in their communities after graduating.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program partners with universities including Carnegie Mellon University Africa in Rwanda, the University of Oxford, McGill University, and the University of California Berkeley. The programme provides full scholarships and integrates rigorous academics with leadership development and social entrepreneurship training.
Apply at: mastercardfdn.org/scholars
11. Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarships – UK Online Social Work
Deadline: Check the Open University website for the 2027 cycle.
Host: The Open University, United Kingdom.
For social workers who cannot leave their jobs or their communities to study abroad, the Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship offers a fully funded online MSW option. You study from home in your own country while earning a UK-accredited degree.
The programme targets educators and social care professionals in Commonwealth countries including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, and many more. The scholarship is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Apply at: open.ac.uk/commonwealth-scholarships
12. Australia Awards Scholarship – Social Work in Australia
Deadline: April to June annually
Host: Australian Government.
Australia has a critical shortage of aged care and disability social workers, and its Masters in Social Work programmes are among the strongest in the Asia-Pacific region. The Australia Awards scholarship makes studying there fully free for students from eligible developing countries.
The scholarship covers tuition, travel, living expenses, and health cover in full. African eligible countries include Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe among many others.
Apply at: Australia Awards
13. Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarship – Social Sciences in Germany
Deadline: March and September annually.
Host: Heinrich Böll Foundation, Germany.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is a German political foundation with a strong focus on social justice, gender equality, and community development. Its scholarship programme is one of the best fits for social work students in Germany.
As we explored in our dedicated guide, the Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarship covers monthly living costs, health insurance, and study expenses on top of the already-minimal German university tuition. Recipients are also integrated into an active political and social justice network across Germany and Europe, which is enormously valuable for anyone planning a career in social work or social policy.
Apply at: boell.de/en/scholarships
14. Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) – Social Sciences in South Korea
Deadline: February to March annually.
Host: Korean Government.
South Korea has invested significantly in its social welfare systems over the past two decades and its universities offer graduate programmes in social welfare, community development, and social policy. The GKS covers full tuition, a monthly allowance of ₩900,000 (roughly $650), a round-trip flight, health insurance, and one year of free Korean language training.
South Korea is not the first country most social work students think of when they consider studying abroad. That is exactly why it is worth considering. Less competition, strong infrastructure, and a government that takes social welfare policy seriously.
Apply at: studyinkorea.go.kr
For more fully funded opportunities to study for a PhD after your masters, have a look at our guide on 40 fully funded PhD scholarships for international students in 2026.
Quick Reference Table
| # | Scholarship | Country | Deadline |
| 1 | Erasmus Mundus ESWOCHY | Europe | Sep 2026 intake |
| 2 | Erasmus Mundus EMHRPP | Europe | Oct 2026 (2027 cycle) |
| 3 | CSWE Minority Fellowship (MFP) | USA | May 11, 2026 |
| 4 | NHSC Scholarship | USA | Check 2026/27 cycle |
| 5 | Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship | USA | Oct 2026 |
| 6 | JJ/WBGSP (World Bank) | Global | May 29, 2026 |
| 7 | Fulbright | USA | Feb–Oct (varies) |
| 8 | Chevening | UK | Oct 2026 |
| 9 | DAAD | Germany | Oct – Jan |
| 10 | Mastercard Foundation | Africa/Global | Varies |
| 11 | Commonwealth Distance Learning | UK (Online) | Check 2027 cycle |
| 12 | Australia Awards | Australia | Apr – Jun |
| 13 | Heinrich Böll Foundation | Germany | Mar & Sep |
| 14 | Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) | South Korea | Feb – Mar |
Final Thoughts
Here is something worth saying out loud. Social workers do not get enough credit. They hold families together during the worst moments of their lives. They sit with people in crisis. They advocate for children who cannot advocate for themselves. They rebuild communities after disasters. They navigate systems on behalf of people who do not know how.
And right now, there are not enough of them. The increasing need for mental health services, child welfare support, and services for ageing populations are all contributing to a growing demand for qualified social work professionals that communities around the world are struggling to meet.
If you are reading this, you probably already know what social work means. You know the kind of difference it makes. You have likely seen it up close. The only thing standing between you and a fully funded master’s degree in this field is an application. Pick two or three scholarships from this list that match where you are and where you want to go. Start today.
Want more scholarship opportunities? Browse our full Education Page for daily updates. You may also want to read our guide on 18 Masters in Education scholarships open in 2026 or our roundup of 15 Masters scholarships in Engineering open in 2026.
