CRISP Scholar Award

Awarding a full scholarship to the School Counseling Program

Loyola University Maryland School Counseling Scholarship Program: Culturally Responsive and Inclusive School-Counselor Preparation, or “CRISP,” provides a select number of qualified applicants a full scholarship to the School Counseling Program in Loyola’s School of Education. The award is made possible through a $3.3 million School-Based Mental Health Services Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Grant Goals:

1. Increase the number of highly qualified counselors from diverse backgrounds.
2. Increase access to high quality school-based counseling for youth in high-need schools.

The CRISP Scholar award will cover full tuition for the M.A. or M.Ed. in School Counseling degree and provide an internship grant that totals $20,000 ($10,000 awarded each semester of internship). The priority deadline to apply for Summer 2025 admission is March 8, 2025. 

Eligible applicants must meet one or more of the following qualifications: 

• Come from a background that reflects the communities, identities, races, ethnicities, abilities, and cultures of the students in a high-need school system/district, including underserved students.
  and/or 
• Come from a community like those with students who are enrolled in high-need K-12 schools.
• Be bilingual.

Please note: International students are not eligible to receive the CRISP scholarship.

Additional Requirements: 

• Demonstrate a strong desire to work with youth who attend high-need schools and increase high quality mental health access for children and youth in Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS). 
• Meet the admission requirements of the School Counseling Program.
• Commit to enrolling as a full-time School Counseling student and completing the degree within 2 years; completing all course requirements to graduate with a Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree.
• Complete CRISP program evaluation data, which includes completion of surveys and work products related to the internship.  
• Complete an internship over the course of two semesters at a designated high-need school within Baltimore County Public Schools.

Additional Information: 

• Awardees are responsible for paying other expenses related to the program (e.g., books, background check, living expenses). The CRISP Scholar Award only covers tuition and provides the internship grant that totals $20,000 ($10,000 awarded each semester of internship).
• Applicants representing an underrepresented population in the field of education are encouraged to apply.
• Recipients will participate in Loyola School Counseling Program’s culturally responsive, and trauma informed professional development (specific for CRISP Scholars). In addition to two workshops a year, this includes participating in bi-weekly small group mentoring with a Licensed Professional Counselor and supervision provided by Loyola’s Internship Professors and Site-based School Counseling Supervisors.
• The School Counseling program is CACREP-accredited and meets the educational requirements necessary for licensure as a Maryland licensed professional counselor and certification as a school counselor in Maryland. For graduates interested in working outside of Maryland, it is important to learn that state’s licensure requirements. For more information review our Professional Licensure Disclosure website.

The application for the CRISP Scholar program is available within the School of Education application. Interested candidates must submit their application and supporting documentation for the School Counseling program and the CRISP scholarship by March 8 for priority consideration for the Summer 2025 term.

Please contact graduate@loyola.edu for additional information.