COGDOP Graduate Student Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by American Psychological Foundation

Overview
The American Psychoanalytic Foundation (APF) offers graduate-level research scholarships to help cover expenses connected with a psychology student’s master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Applications are being accepted for awards to be made in 2026.

Deadline
June 26, 2026

Awards and Sponsor
Sponsor: APF
Nine (9) annual scholarships are available, with awards up to $5,000. The individual named awards and their amounts are:
- Harry and Miriam Levinson Scholarship — $5,000
- William and Dorothy Bevan Scholarship — $3,000
- Charles and Carol Spielberger Scholarship — $5,000
- Peter and Malina James & Dr. Louis P. James Legacy Scholarship — $5,000
- 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

Who May Apply
APF welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and identities (including but not limited to age, race, color, religion/creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, gender, and geographic location).

Eligible applicants are graduate students enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program in psychology. Students in terminal master’s programs are eligible only if they intend to continue into a PhD program. Candidates at any point in their graduate study may apply, but they must be enrolled in their graduate program at the time the scholarships are awarded.

Departmental Nomination Rules (COGDOP)
Only graduate psychology departments that are members of COGDOP may submit nominations. To confirm membership, consult the COGDOP Member Directory or contact COGDOP directly; APF does not maintain this list.

Each member department may nominate:
- 1 candidate if the department has 100 or fewer graduate students,
- up to 2 candidates if the department has 101–200 graduate students,
- up to 3 candidates if the department has more than 200 graduate students.

Note: Nominees must still be enrolled in their graduate program when awards are made.

Required Application Materials
Prepare the following documents for submission:
- A concise proposal for the thesis or dissertation project (work in progress is acceptable). Maximum 10 pages, excluding references.
- A department endorsement (e.g., chair or Director of Graduate Studies).
- Curriculum vitae (CV).
- Transcript (unofficial or student copy acceptable).

Evaluation Criteria
Primary emphasis will be on the research proposal. Reviewers will assess:
- The research context and brief literature review,
- Clarity and precision of the research question(s),
- Appropriateness and rigor of the proposed research design,
- Theoretical and/or applied significance of the project,
- Budget justification, with preference for funds used to conduct research (rather than tuition, travel, or library/journal subscriptions).

Secondary considerations include the applicant’s academic record and research promise: prior publications or conference presentations, institutional awards, endorsement from the department, range of coursework, and grades.

How to Apply / Additional Instructions
For full application formatting and submission instructions, log into (or create) your GivingData account and review the detailed instructions available in the portal. If you have questions after consulting the portal, contact APF Programs at programs@ampsychfdn.org.