Financial Information

Master's Degrees

The Brown School offers generous merit-based scholarships — more than $6 million was awarded last year — as well as need-based financial aid.

Brown School students typically cover their educational expenses through a combination of the following:

  • Scholarships from the Brown School
  • Scholarships from external organizations
  • Brown School fellowships
  • Yellow Ribbon Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
  • Federal work-study
  • Federal student loans
  • Part-time employment
  • Out-of-pocket payments

The MSW tuition rate for the 2022-23 academic year is $22,850 per semester. Learn more about MSW tuition, scholarships and fellowships on our website.

The MPH tuition rate for the 2022-23 academic year is $20,295 per semester. Learn more about MPH tuition, scholarships and fellowships on our website.

Doctoral Degrees

All Public Health Sciences and Social Work students admitted into the Brown School’s doctoral program receive a financial package that consists of tuition coverage and four years of stipend support.

Base stipends for 2022-23 will be $30,000 per year for four years. Receipt of this stipend is not tied to work responsibilities. Students also receive $1,000 per year that can be used toward professional development, which may include computer hardware, software, professional travel, and society memberships.

Additional funding is possible through paid research and teaching practicums, as well as predoctoral and postdoctoral opportunities. For more information, see the Public Health Sciences and Social Work program websites. 

Our programs are full time, and students are expected to be physically present through the first few years of the program.

Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Fellowships: This is a competitive fellowship open to women who intend to commence graduate studies at Washington University the following fall. Applicants must be graduates of a baccalaureate institution in the United States. Olin Fellowships carry stipends for the first four years, full tuition, and a $600 travel award for the first four years. Women wishing to become candidates for the Olin Fellowship competition are asked to submit an essay, their curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation. For more information, call 314-935-2722 or visit the Olin Fellowship website. 

The Chancellor's Graduate Fellowships: These fellowships are designed to facilitate training for students who will contribute to diversity in graduate education and who are interested in becoming college or university professors. Students will be selected who — in light of all pertinent qualifications, experiences and attributes — would contribute to the diversity of graduate education at Washington University. For more information, call 314-935-6821 or visit the Chancellor's Graduate Fellowships website.

Training Fellowships in Mental Health Services Research: These fellowships offer three years of tuition and stipend support from the National Institute of Mental Health. The fellowship is designed to prepare researchers to investigate such issues as the access, organization, and effectiveness of mental health services, particularly for clients in social service sectors of care. Visit the Center for Mental Health Services Research website for more information.

The Social Work Training in Addictions Research (STAR) Program: This program offers tuition, three years of stipend support, and a travel allowance from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Recipients conduct research on services for and treatment of substance-abusing and comorbid populations (particularly those who are underserved). The STAR Program will produce social work researchers who have state-of-the-art knowledge of addiction services, prevention and intervention, and service delivery system costs and burdens. For more information, call 314-935-6685.

Additional Funding

The Brown School provides additional financial support to doctoral students, such as travel subsidies for professional conferences. Advanced doctoral students are encouraged to apply for both internal and external dissertation awards.

Loans are available to graduate students whose financial need is not otherwise met. Application should be made to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Note: Although international students may receive a university fellowship and stipend, they are not eligible for federal financial aid. They are therefore asked to contact our PhD Office for information about nonfederal assistance. Again, we urge students to apply to the program early so that awards may be secured well in advance of the fall term.