Research Support

• UTC SEARCH Award of up to $1,000. Applications due the first week of March each spring.

• Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Awards, Grants, and Scholarships

  • Deadlines vary by program; most open in spring and fall. Must be a Psi Chi member.

    • Awards between $400-$600

    • Grants up to $1,500

    • Scholarships up to $3,000

• Brehm Undergraduate Scholarships

  • Amount: $5,500

  • Eligibility: Undergraduate students majoring in psychology who have a demonstrated financial need and academic excellence (>3.5 GPA).

  • Deadline: July 10 annually

Conference Support

• UTC URaCE Conference Presentation Support up to $300 (only covers conference registration fee). Students support by URaCE must present their research at the Spring Research and Arts Conference.

• Students can print professional-quality conference posters at low cost using the Epson Large Format Printer at the Chattanooga Public Library’s 4th Floor Makerspace. First-time users must schedule a one-on-one appointment with a Makerspace Specialist to learn how to correctly format and print their posters. More information available here.

• Honor's College will cover conference associated fees and poster printing - but only for honor's conferences. 

  • Conference posters for non-honor's conferences will have to be paid by the student.

• Psi Chi Travel Grants

  • Regional Travel Grants (e.g., SEPA) up to $400

  • Unrestricted Travel Grants (e.g., APA) up to $1,500

Other Financial Support

Point Foundation Scholarships

• For LGBTQ+ students demonstrating academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement. Includes financial support, mentorship, and leadership training. Deadline annually in January.

Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation

• Provides $5,000 awards to low-income women with children pursuing education or training. Deadline is typically August 1st.

Gamma Mu Foundation Scholarships

• $2,500-$5,000 for gay men pursuing higher education at colleges, universities, or vocational and professional training programs. Deadline March 31st.

Live Your Dream Awards

• Live Your Dream Awards are for women who are struggling to meet the financial needs of their family while also attending an undergraduate or vocational training program. 

Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga Scholarships

• The CFGC Scholarship program assists high school seniors attending Hamilton County Schools, college students attending local schools or pursuing a specific major at any accredited school as defined by a scholarship, and high school/college students of parents working for a specified employer. Application season is typically late January through March.

Graduate Assistantships

• See list of open UTC Graduate Assistantship positions and application forms here.

Research Support

• UTC SEARCH Award of up to $1,000. Applications due the first week of March each spring.

• Psi Chi Graduate Research Awards, Grants, and Scholarships

  • Deadlines vary by program; most open in spring and fall. Must be a Psi Chi member.

    • Awards between $400-$1,200

    • Grants up to $1,500

    • Scholarships up to $3,000

• American Psychological Foundation Scholarships, Grants, and Awards

  • Various opportunities for graduate students in psychology. Deadlines and amounts vary; typically awarded annually.

    • Wayne F. Placek Grants

      • Amount: Up to $15,000

      • Eligibility: Graduate students and researchers conducting empirical research to increase understanding of LGBTQ+ issues

      • Deadline: March 15 annually

    • Scott and Paul Pearsall Grant (Springfield Research Grant)

      • Amount: $10,000

      • Eligibility: Graduate students and early career researchers investigating the psychological aspects of stigma experienced by adults with visible physical disabilities

      • Deadline: October 1 annually

    • Morris Scholarship Fund

      • Amount: $1,000

      • Eligibility: Graduate students conducting research related to LGBTQ+ youth

      • Deadline: February 15 annually

    • Division 56: Trauma Psychology – Change Grant

      • Amount: $4,000

      • Eligibility: Graduate students and early career psychologists conducting trauma-related research or advocacy projects

      • Deadline: May 1 annually

    • Direct Action Visionary Grants

      • Amount: $20,000

      • Eligibility: Graduate students and early career psychologists with innovative projects that focus on social justice, human rights, or systemic change

      • Deadline: April 1 annually

• APA Divisional Grants

  • Many APA divisions (e.g., Division 35: Society for the Psychology of Women, Division 44: LGBTQ+) offer small grants for thesis or dissertation research focused on diversity-related issues. Most require APA and/or divisional membership. Deadlines vary by division.

• SPSSI Grant-in-Aid

  • Up to $1,000 to support empirical research on social issues. Open to graduate students affiliated with SPSSI (membership required). Deadlines: Fall (October 15), Spring (May 15).

• Clara Mayo Grants (via SPSSI)

  • Up to $1,000 to support research on sexism, racism, or prejudice. Graduate students must be SPSSI members. Membership is $25/year. Deadlines: October 15 and May 15.

• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Research Grant

  • Awards typically between $1,000-$3,000 per proposal. Supports projects on teaching, inclusive pedagogy, and student learning. Deadline is November 1.

• APA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP)

  • Provides financial support, mentoring, and professional development for graduate students committed to ethnic minority behavioral health research. Multiple fellowships available. Deadline is typically in January.

Conference Support

• Psychology Department offers $200 in professional development funds per academic year. These funds can be used toward conference registration fees, membership fees, and/or poster printing costs.

• Students can print professional-quality conference posters at low cost using the Epson Large Format Printer at the Chattanooga Public Library’s 4th Floor Makerspace. First-time users must schedule a one-on-one appointment with a Makerspace Specialist to learn how to correctly format and print their posters. More information available here.

• UTC Graduate School Travel Award up to $500

• Psi Chi Travel Grants

  • Regional Travel Grants (e.g., SEPA) up to $400

  • Unrestricted Travel Grants (e.g., APA) up to $1,500

Other Financial Support

Point Foundation Scholarships

• For LGBTQ+ students demonstrating academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement. Includes financial support, mentorship, and leadership training. Deadline annually in January.

Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation

• Provides $5,000 awards to low-income women with children pursuing education or training. Deadline is typically August 1st.

Gamma Mu Foundation Scholarships

• $2,500-$5,000 for gay men pursuing higher education at colleges, universities, or vocational and professional training programs. Deadline March 31st.

I am happy to write letters of recommendation for students when I feel I can contribute positively to their application. To write a strong and meaningful letter, I need to know you well enough to speak to your strengths, growth, and potential. This means that you must have had at least two points of contact with me—whether that’s taking two classes with me, taking one class and working with me as a research or teaching assistant, or any other combination that allows me to get to know you beyond a single course.

If you meet this criterion and would like me to write a letter, here’s what I need from you to help make the process as smooth as possible:

• A list of the courses (including any TA, RA, or honors project experience) you have taken with me, along with the semester and year you took them.

• A list of the schools/programs you are applying to, their deadlines, and their area of focus (e.g., PhD in I-O Psychology, MS in Clinical Mental Health, Occupational Therapy, etc.). This helps me track submissions and tailor my letter appropriately for each program.

• An updated CV and a brief description of why you are pursuing these programs—this can be your personal statement or application essays if you already have them finalized.

• Any specific points you’d like me to highlight in my letter—for example, if there’s relevant volunteer work, a personal challenge you’ve overcome, or any particular skill or achievement that you feel would strengthen your application.

• Requests should be made at least one month before the earliest deadline, with a minimum of two weeks’ notice. This ensures I have enough time to write a strong and thoughtful letter.