2025 NBCCF Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counseling (Master’s)

The NBCC Foundation (NBCCF) is pleased to announce the 2025 application period for the NBCCF Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) for Mental Health Counseling (MHC-M). This program is made possible by a grant awarded to the NBCC Foundation by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The NBCC Foundation will administer up to 32 master’s-level counseling fellowships of $12,000, plus the travel expenses to participate in program-related trainings for mental health counseling students. 

The NBCCF MFP 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 fellowships to master’s-level counseling students, the NBCCF MFP strengthens the infrastructure that engages diverse individuals in counseling and increases the number of professional counselors.

Eligible applicants must demonstrate knowledge of and experience with one or more underserved communities. Eligible applicants must commit to teach, administer services, conduct research, and/or provide direct mental health counseling to an underserved community.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status.
• Applicants must not already possess a master’s degree in a behavioral health field. 
• Applicants must not receive any other federal funds (except for federal loans, work-study, or employment).
• Applicants must have completed courses in fall 2024 or spring 2025 in a master’s-level counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or      counseling program pending CACREP accreditation.
• Applicants must be currently enrolled full time and be in good standing in a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited, master’s-level counseling program or counseling program pending CACREP accreditation. If awarded, all MFP-Mental Health Counseling Master’s recipients must remain enrolled full time in their academic program for the duration of the fellowship.
• Applicants are expected to graduate by Dec. 31, 2028 (within 3 years of the date of the fellowship funding).
• Eligible applicants must not have an anticipated program completion date before Sept. 30, 2026, which will be verified in writing by their academic department prior to the awarding of funds.
• Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of and experience with underserved communities. 
• Applicants must commit to teach, administer services, conduct research, and/or provide direct mental health counseling to at least one underserved population within 1 year of graduation and for the duration of 2 years      postgraduation. 
• Applicants must commit to securing an internship that includes experience with one or more underserved populations.
• Applicants must commit to becoming nationally certified by applying for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification prior to graduation and 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 should be able to attend the 2026 NBCC Foundation’s Bridging the Gap Symposium the week of March 12–14, 2026, and to close their fellowship year at the 2026 NBCCF Fall Institute during the week of Sept. 9–13, 2026, and up to two other training events during their fellowship year. If applicants cannot attend a training, an alternate assignment identified by NBCCF will be required.

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

NOTE: Applicants are strongly advised to verify their eligibility for the NCC prior to applying. Requirements of the NCC certification can be found on NBCC’s website at nbcc.org/Certification/NCC.

The application opens March 28, 2025, and the deadline is June 30, 2025, at 11:59 pm EDT. 

Fellowship awardees will be announced in October 2025. 

Disclaimer: Please be advised that all NBCCF MFP awards are subject to future funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

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