Some speech pathologists work in education, while others are hospital-based.
Speech-language pathologists are professionals who assess and treat speech, communication and swallowing disorders in people of all ages. Professional associations and foundations offer a variety of grants and scholarship opportunities to help aspiring speech-language pathologists pay for master's degrees in the field, which can be costly. Some grants are also available for travel to professional meetings and conferences.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHF)
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people with speech, language and hearing disorders, offers clinical graduate students a number of funding opportunities that do not have to be repaid. The Foundation offers up to seven $5,000 scholarships per year, awarded on the basis of academic achievement. ASHF also offers three special scholarships for students, minorities and international students, also for $5,000 each. Applications and additional details are published on the "News" section of the Foundation's website between February and March each year.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the professional body representing speech-language pathologists in the United States, also offers grants to students. While the Minority Student Leadership Program doesn't directly fund speech-language pathology education, it provides students complementary registration for ASHA's national conference, along with funding for food and lodging. The application deadline is usually in early May, and forms are available on ASHA's website. Students who are members of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association can submit essays on ethical issues to win cash awards. Topics and award information are posted on the ASHA website in September.
Research Grants
Both ASHA and ASHF offer grants and scholarships to master's-level students engaged in research activity and clinical training. For example, ASHF offers master's students up to $2,000 for conducting research in child language issues. ASHA offers a grant called Students Preparing for Academic Research Careers (SPARC) that gives recipients $1,000 for travel to conferences, workshops and research labs. Research funding is also available through a number of federal and private institutions, such as the National Institutes of Health Office of Extramural Research, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Cleft Palate Foundation and others.
School and State Funding
Individual schools are another source for scholarships and grants. Using ASHA's school finder to filter by colleges offering grants and scholarships turns up a list of well over 100 schools in the United States. If you're interested in schools in a particular part of the country, ASHA allows you to further refine results by geographic area. Some states may also offer educational funding specific to speech-language pathology. Visit Education Online to find opportunities available in your state.
