Stipend Programs

Financial Aid Disclosure Policy for MSW Students Receiving Stipends, Awards or Scholarships

The Master of Social Work Program will forward information about all students receiving stipends, awards and scholarships to the University's Financial Aid Office. The information provided by the School will include the student's name, student ID number, source of funds, amount of funds and the semester/time frame of the financial award. Please be aware that this may change all funding students receive, if any, from the Financial Aid Office. Students applying for a stipend, award or scholarship are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office directly to discuss their overall financial aid package.

Stipend for Incoming Students

 PUBLIC CHILD WELFARE

California Title IV-E Education Program- (Formerly known as CalSWEC) Is a 2-year stipend program ($25,000 per year) open to full-time students entering their Generalist Practice year committed to serving children and families in the public child welfare system. In exchange, awardees will pay back at least 2 years of paid employment to any public child welfare agency in California. Please visit California Title IV-E Education Program Overview and Application on our website for more information. Application cycle for 2025 is open! All interested applicants for Fall 2025 must apply by April 30th, 2025, even if you have not received an admissions decision from the department. Please submit your application via email to: 

 Professor Dr Lynn Harris

California Title IV-E Education Program Application

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Stipend- is a 2-year stipend program ($26,000 per year for a total of $52,000 for both years) open to full-time students entering their Generalist Practice year committed to serving children and families in the public child welfare system with LA County DCFS. Stipend awardees will intern with a community-based organization during Generalist Practice year and with DCFS during their Specialized Practice year and will receive stipend payment disbursements during both years of the MSW program. Stipend awardees also agree to a minimum of 2-year paid employment payback commitment at one of the DCFS regional offices. Application cycle for 2024 has closed. All interested applicants for Fall 2025 must apply by April 30th, 2025. Please submit your application via email to:

Professor Paul Vu

DCFS Stipend Program Application


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Stipends for Current Students

 COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH

Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health offers 1 type of stipend program:

Specialized Practice Year Mental Health Stipend- is a 1-year stipend program ($18,500) open to Specialized Practice Year full-time and part-time students interested in working in community mental health. Awardees will pay back a minimum of 1 year of paid employment to a Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) county operated program or a LACDMH contracted agency in Service Areas 1 (Antelope Valley), 4 (downtown LA), 6 (South LA), 7 (East LA) or if supplying services in a LACDMH threshold language. Campbellsville University is a third party selected by DMH to operate the Stipend Program. Campbellsville University will make the application available in late August and will close the application process in October. The MSW Program will convene an information session at the beginning of the academic year to support students with the application process. 

 GERIATRIC SOCIAL WORK

 Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC)- is a network of local Master level Social Work (MSW) Programs with Centers of Excellence (local agencies) who host MSW interns for one academic year. The network was established by Partners in Care Foundation (PICF) with the main goal to increase the number of students who will be trained to work with older adults and “be leaders in the field of aging." For additional information, please visit GSWEC: Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium | Partners In Care Foundation (picf.org)

These agencies serve the local Los Angeles and Orange County communities and provide a one-year stipend ($4000) to Specialized Practice Year students (2nd year) who are interested in working with older adults. The stipend does not require work-back; however, the stipend involves a competitive process that will determine which students will be a good fit with each participating hosting agency. The required application is due during the Spring semester of the Generalist Practice Year (1st year). The application will be made available to students once it becomes available through PICF. 

Students will be required to complete 20 hours per week for the total program’s hour requirement. For CSUDH, the number is 540 hours with Wednesday being a mandatory field day. Additional information is provided to students during the 2nd Year Placement process between January and February. In addition, the GSWEC Centers of Excellence host an annual Open House to which interested students are encouraged to attend.

For more information, please contact Director of Field Education, Iris A’Hirataro.