Society of School Psychology Dissertation Grant Awards (US and Canada)

Deadline: 02-Nov-2026

The Society of School Psychology Dissertation Grant Awards provide financial support to doctoral students conducting dissertation research in school psychology. The programme is designed to strengthen research training, promote excellence in school psychology, and help doctoral students develop careers focused on impactful research that advances the science of the field. The awards are available to eligible doctoral students in the United States and Canada, including certain students in combined programmes and doctoral students mentored by a member of the Society of School Psychology.

About the Society of School Psychology Dissertation Grant Awards

The Dissertation Grant Awards were established to foster excellence in research training within school psychology. The programme aims to enhance the ability of doctoral students to pursue meaningful research careers and contribute to the advancement of school psychology science. By providing dissertation research funding and proposal feedback, the awards can help doctoral researchers strengthen their research experience while completing their doctoral studies. How Much Funding Is Available? Up to four high-quality proposals are funded during each funding cycle.

Each award is capped at:

- $5,000 per award - Up to four awards per funding cycle - Typically two funding cycles each year - One funding cycle in spring - One funding cycle in fall The grant is intended to support dissertation research and research training rather than provide unrestricted institutional funding. Who Can Apply? The primary eligible applicants are doctoral students enrolled in school psychology programmes in the United States or Canada. Eligibility also extends to certain doctoral students outside traditional school psychology programmes when they can demonstrate a strong school psychology emphasis or mentoring relationship.

Eligible categories include:

- Doctoral students enrolled in school psychology programmes in the United States. - Doctoral students enrolled in school psychology programmes in Canada. - Doctoral students in combined programmes who can demonstrate that their primary emphasis is school psychology. - Doctoral students mentored by a member of the Society of School Psychology, even if they are not enrolled in a school psychology programme.

Eligibility for Students in Combined Programs

Doctoral students enrolled in combined programmes may also be eligible. However, applicants must provide evidence that their primary emphasis is in school psychology.

Examples of evidence may include:

- A statement from the student’s advisor. - Relevant committee membership. - Other appropriate evidence demonstrating a primary focus on school psychology. This provision allows students in interdisciplinary or combined doctoral programmes to demonstrate their connection to the field.

Eligibility Through Society of School Psychology Mentorship

Students do not necessarily have to be enrolled in a formal school psychology programme to qualify. Doctoral students who are mentored by a member of the Society of School Psychology may also apply. This provides an additional pathway for doctoral researchers whose programmes may have a different formal title but whose research and mentorship are strongly connected to school psychology. What Is the Purpose of the Grant? The Dissertation Grant Awards focus on strengthening doctoral-level research training and supporting the future research workforce in school psychology.

The programme seeks to:

- Foster excellence in research training. - Encourage impactful doctoral research. - Strengthen students’ research capacity. - Support the development of research careers. - Advance the science of school psychology. - Encourage high-quality dissertation research. The emphasis is therefore on research development and contribution to the broader scientific field. How Many Awards Are Made? The Society of School Psychology funds up to four high-quality proposals per funding cycle. Because the number of awards is limited, applicants should present a clear and well-developed research proposal that demonstrates the significance and quality of their dissertation research. There are typically two funding cycles each year, giving doctoral students opportunities to apply during either the spring or fall cycle. Indirect Costs The Dissertation Grant Awards do not provide indirect costs. Applicants and their institutions should therefore plan their proposed research budgets with this restriction in mind. The available award should be focused on eligible direct research needs associated with the dissertation project. Proposal Feedback for All Applicants One notable feature of the programme is that all applicants receive feedback on their proposals, regardless of whether their application is funded. This means that submitting a proposal can provide a valuable research-development opportunity even for applicants who do not receive an award. Feedback may help doctoral students identify ways to strengthen their research proposals and improve future applications. How to Prepare a Strong Dissertation Grant Proposal Because only a limited number of proposals are funded in each cycle, applicants should make their research proposal clear, focused, and compelling. A strong application should clearly communicate: - The central research question or problem. - The importance of the proposed dissertation research. - How the research contributes to school psychology. - The proposed research approach. - How the project supports the applicant’s research training. - The potential contribution to the science of school psychology. - How the requested funding will support the dissertation research. Students in combined programmes should also clearly document their primary emphasis in school psychology. What Combined-Program Applicants Should Provide Applicants from combined doctoral programmes should make their school psychology connection especially clear. Eviden