The NBCC Foundation is pleased to announce the 2024 application period for the Garden State Master’s Counseling Initiative Fellowship. The NBCC Foundation will administer one master’s-level counseling fellowship of $10,000 for a student pursuing a career in professional counseling.

The Garden State Master’s Counseling Initiative Fellowship was created to increase the number of Black or African American counselors available to serve underserved populations in New Jersey inner cities. This fellowship provides financial support to one student who is currently enrolled in a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited counseling master’s program and will commit to serving underserved populations in New Jersey inner cities within one year of graduation for the duration of a minimum of at least two years post-graduation.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicants must identify as Black or African American.
• Applicants must currently live or study in New Jersey.
• Applicants can be a United States citizen, permanent resident, or international student with an F-1 Visa.
• Applicants must not already possess a master’s degree in a behavioral health field.  
• Applicants must be currently enrolled full time and be in good standing in a CACREP-accredited master’s-level counseling program. Applicants must be currently taking courses. Applicants may not have a pending status, deferred status, or other future start date for coursework.
• Applicants are expected to graduate by May 31, 2027 (within three years of the date of the fellowship funding). 
• Eligible applicants must not have an anticipated program completion date before Dec. 31, 2024, which will be verified in writing by their academic department prior to the awarding of funds.
• Applicants must commit to becoming board certified by applying for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification prior to graduation and to completing the application process. It is the applicant’s responsibility to determine their eligibility to obtain this certification prior to applying for the fellowship.  
• Applicants must commit to providing mental health services to underserved populations in New Jersey inner cities within one year of graduation and for the duration of a minimum of at least two years post-graduation. 

 
       To check the CACREP status of a program, search the CACREP website.

The application opens Oct. 15, 2023, and the application deadline is April 30, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST.

Fellowship awardee will be announced by the end of June 2024.

For questions, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). If you still have questions after reviewing our FAQ document, please email foundation@nbcc.org or call 336-232-0376.

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