2025 NBCC Foundation Dr. Nicholas Vacc Scholarship

The NBCC Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 application period for the Dr. Nicholas Vacc Scholarship. The NBCC Foundation will administer one doctoral-level counseling scholarship of $5,000. This program is made possible by an endowment in memory of Dr. Nicholas Vacc. The NBCC Foundation helps ensure that the behavioral health needs of all Americans are met, regardless of language or culture, thereby reducing health disparities and improving overall community health and well-being. By strategically promoting and providing scholarships to doctoral counseling students, the Dr. Nicholas Vacc Scholarship Endowment supports the infrastructure that engages individuals focused on research and/or testing that strengthens the profession of counseling. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status. 
• Applicants must not already possess a doctoral degree in a behavioral health field. 
• Applicants must currently be nationally certified by holding the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification. If the applicant is not currently nationally certified, they must document all of the following:  

1. A full state license as a professional counselor;  
2. A passing score on the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE); and  
3. A commitment to apply for the NCC certification and to complete the application within the shortest possible timeframe after notification of the award. 

• Applicants must be currently enrolled full time for the fall 2024 semester and be in good standing in a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited doctoral-level counseling program. Applicants may not have a pending status, deferred status, or other future start date for coursework.  
• Applicants are expected to graduate by May 31, 2028 (within 3 years after notification of the award). 
• Eligible applicants must not have an anticipated academic program completion date before Dec. 31, 2025, which will be verified in writing by their academic department prior to the awarding of funds. 
• Applicants must focus their dissertation on research and/or testing that strengthens the profession of counseling.  
• Applicants must be a member of Chi Sigma Iota.  

To check the CACREP status of a program, search the CACREP website. The application opens Oct. 1, 2024, and the application deadline is Dec. 31, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST.  

Scholarship awardees will be announced by the end of March 2025.  

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

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