Financial Aid and Scholarships

  • The University FAFSA award: A small fund of grant money is set aside for doctoral students who qualify on the basis of need.
  • For assistance with SF State Financial Aid or other options for Ed.D students, please send questions and inquiries to Financial Aid by email (finaid@sfsu.edu) or by phone (415) 338-7000.

Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program

Applications are now being accepted for the Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program. The program seeks to provide loans to doctoral students who are interested in applying and competing for CSU instructional faculty positions after completion of the doctoral degree.

College of Education Scholarships Open to Ed.D. Students

Crumpton/Baxter/Bonham Memorial Scholarships

  • Must be a continuing or prospective graduate, doctoral or credential candidate
  • Fall and Spring awards available.

Chris Larsen Scholarship

  • Must be a continuing or prospective graduate, doctoral or credential candidate
  • Fall and Spring awards available.

Hilda Taba Scholarship

  • Must be a continuing or prospective graduate, doctoral or credential candidate
  • Awards available spring semester only.
  • Preference to students with publications, creative works, research projects, or other evidence of outstanding academic record, including a GPA of 3.0 or higher.#

DEADLINES: Fall Semester: 1st week in March / Spring Semester: 2nd week in October.

Nationally Competitive Fellowships and CSU Awards

The Graduate Fellowships Office explores national fellowships and CSU system-wide awards for students pursuing or holding an Ed.D. The Fellowships Office provides feedback on applications for many of the programs listed on its site.

California State University Foundation – Hearst/CSU Trustees Award

  • The Hearst CSU Awards recognize students who have overcome adversity, demonstrated financial need, and have attributes of merit, including superior academic performance, significant personal achievements, and exemplary community service.
  • The award is for $3,000. The award amount will be greater for two Hearst CSU winners: one for the highest scorer, the second in recognition for outstanding public service: usually $6,000 and $10,000, respectively.
  • DEADLINE: Usually around mid-March.

Graduate Equity Fellowship

  • The purpose of San Francisco State University's Graduate Equity Fellowship Program is to increase diversity by encouraging students with educationally or economically disadvantaged backgrounds and outstanding academic records to pursue and complete master's and doctoral degrees.
  • Under the Graduate Equity Fellowship Program, awards of up to $3,400 may be made to graduate students in master's degree programs, and up to $5,000 for graduate students in doctoral programs at San Francisco State University.

Ed.D Program Awards

Limited funding is available to current students enrolled in the Ed.D Program.

Ed.D Scholarships

  • Vanson Nguyen Scholarship: A competitive scholarship that supports Ed.D students who demonstrate commitment to and accomplishments in transformative research and work for social justice and equity in education. Awarded in the fall.
  • The Ed.D Scholarship:  A competitive scholarshipto provide support to full-time Ed.D students who are emerging and innovative scholar-practitioners.  Award amount and term varies.
  • The EdDoc Grant: Awarded to all Ed.D students who meet the eligibility criteria determined by the Office of Financial Aid. Students do not apply for this award but must have submitted a FAFSA application for the upcoming academic year. Award amount varies and is disbursed after census in fall and spring.

Graduate Assistantship

  • Generally open to students in their final year.
  • Size of award is variable.
  • GAs are expected to attend each class meeting and work with faculty to support students in class and outside of class.
  • Award available for the semester following application.
  • Student must be enrolled full-time during semester of award.

Travel Award

  • An award up to $1,500
  • Awarded to attend /present at educational conferences

Research & Student Assistant Opportunities

  • Available to generally second and third-year student fully enrolled in the program.
  • Size of award is variable.
  • Flexible hours.
  • Some types of work available include Creating a Catalogue of Theoretical Frameworks Relevant to Educational Research & Examples of Educational Research Across Research Designs

Newsletter Editor

  • Available to generally second and third-year student fully enrolled in the program.
  • Size of award is variable.
  • Flexible hours.
  • Editor compiles and edits monthly EdD newsletter for publication between August through June.
  • Publish in Constant Contact and create archives for the EdD website

For more information about the Ed.D. Program Awards, please contact the Ed.D. Program Office.