Are you looking to earn a Ph.D. in counseling while avoiding significant student loan debt? One option to explore is tuition-free counseling Ph.D. programs. As a prospective Ph.D. student, your successful application can result in a fellowship, which often includes various benefits to help you pursue your studies with fewer financial concerns. Use this guide to search for a tuition-free counseling doctoral program that suits your career goals.
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Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Tuition-Free Doctoral Programs in Counseling
Explore our ranking of the top tuition-free doctoral programs in counseling. Graduates of these programs can pursue licensure or further education and training.
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Auburn UniversityLocation
Auburn, AL
Tuition$23205
Graduation Rate78%
Auburn University's counselor education Ph.D. program is one of four advanced counseling degree programs in the university's Counselor Education Programs department. Complete with a practicum and internship, Auburn's program has produced graduates presently working in mental health, rehabilitation, counselor education, and school counseling.
As part of the coursework, the practicum for this tuition-free Ph.D. focuses on teaching, supervision, and advanced counseling. Also, the internships are adjustable to the students' professional goals. Graduate students meeting the university's requirements can receive a tuition waiver from the tuition fellowship program. To be eligible for the tuition waiver, students must obtain a graduate assistantship.
Courses Include
Counselor Education Pedagogy
Advanced Theories: Cognitive/Behavioral Theories
Research Design in Counseling and Evaluation
Contemporary Issues in Counselor Education
Diversity and Social Justice in Counselor EducationUnique Features
Cost: $11,796
Credit Required: 61
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSee School Website
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Ball State UniversityLocation
Muncie, IN
Tuition$13642
Graduation Rate63%
At Ball State, the pathway to becoming a doctor of counseling psychology features several emphases, including rehabilitation counseling, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. Most students satisfy the degree requirements within four to five years. Every Ball State doctoral student is eligible for a graduate assistant tuition and fee remission program.
Courses Include
Career Theories and Realities
Theories and Techniques of Counselor Supervision
Psychopathology
Objective Personality Appraisal
Analysis of varianceUnique Features
Cost: $16,0442
Credit required: 106 minimum
Accreditation: Higher Learning CommissionSee School Website
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Boston CollegeLocation
Chestnut Hill, MA
Graduation Rate92%
This tuition-free Ph.D. program provides students with the foundational knowledge consistent with the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Most BC graduate students complete all of the program's requirements in six years. The university guarantees assistantships with tuition remission awards for the first four years.
Courses required
Quantitative Research Design in Counseling and Developmental Psychology
Biological Bases of Behavior
Advanced Psychological Assessment
Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior
Quantitative Research Design in Counseling and Developmental PsychologyUnique features
Cost: $38,450
Credits required: 54
Accreditation: New England Commission on Higher EducationSee School Website
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Carlow UniversityLocation
Pittsburgh, PA
Graduation Rate53%
Carlow's Psy.D. in counseling psychology demands about four years of dedicated study with a year-long internship, a dissertation, and a practicum. The program does practicum placements at well-known mental health agencies, medical hospitals, and rural locations in the Pittsburgh area. For tuition concerns, the university sponsors a limited number of assistantships, scholarships, and grants.
Courses Include
Counseling Skills and Techniques
Diagnosis of Abnormal Psychology
Social and Cultural Foundations of Diversity Training
Research Methods (Statistical and Quantitative Methods)
Human Growth and Lifespan DevelopmentUnique Features
Cost: $26,475
Credits Required: 93
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationSee School Website
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College of Saint ElizebethLocation
Morristown, NJ
Graduation Rate50%
CSE's Ph.D. program requires the doctoral students to complete the four categories of discipline-specific knowledge (DSK): the history of psychology systems, basic knowledge in scientific psychology, integrative knowledge in scientific psychology, and methods of inquiry and research. Most students complete the requirements for this degree in four years. Assistantships pay for one course (3 credits) for every 10 hours of work.
Courses Required
Advanced Psychometrics
Advanced Cognitive and Personality assessment
Physiological Psychology
Social Aspects of Behavior
Child & Adolescent PsychopathologyUnique Features
Cost: $19,236
Credits required: 88
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationSee School Website
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Marquette UniversityLocation
Milwaukee, WI
Graduation Rate85%
Along with the standard Ph.D. program requirements, Marquette engages its students in multicultural research, top-ranked internships, and opportunities to work with prominent qualitative researchers. Its students perform practicums in top hospitals and veterans administrations. After completing the program in four to five years, many graduates assume leadership roles in their specialties. Marquette offers assistantships with a full stipend and merit-based aid.
Courses Required
Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior
Consultation Strategies
Biological Basis of Behavior
Professional Ethics and Legal Issues
Career Development and CounselingUnique Features
Cost: $81,900; Marquette offers assistantships with a full stipend and merit-based aid.
Credit required: 91
Accreditation: Higher Learning CommissionSee School Website
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Our Lady of the Lake UniversityLocation
San Antonio, TX
Graduation Rate37%
Upon completing the degree requirements, students are ready to become competent and licensed psychology practitioners. The average program completion period is five years, including a one-year internship. This doctorate program's design meets the requirements of Texas state licensure. It focuses more on the delivery of services than the standard research activity aspect of psychology. OLLU Graduate assistantships are available to offset the cost.
Courses Required
Cognition and Emotion
Psychoeducational Assessment: Cognitive Testing
Abnormal Psychology
Advanced Systemic Approaches to Psychotherapy
Behavioral NeuroscienceUnique Features
Cost: $23,315
Credits required:117
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSee School Website
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Radford UniversityLocation
Radford, VA
Tuition$15636
Graduation Rate59%
This tuition-free doctorate program primarily concentrates on rural mental health, but it also favors social justice, cultural diversity, and evidence-based psychology. Since it stresses clinical teaching and application, students must complete a 2,000-hour internship. For full-time students in good standing, Radford provides tuition remission through assistantships and grant-funded fellowships.
Courses Required
Couples and Family Systems Therapy
Multivariate Analysis
Psychopharmacological Medication
Psychometrics
Biological FoundationsUnique Features
Cost: $12,409
Credit required: 128
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSee School Website
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SUNY at AlbanyLocation
Albany, NY
Tuition$15844
Graduation Rate64%
UAlbany's Ph.D. program requires proof of research tool competence, a 2,000-hour internship, a dissertation, and dissertation defense. Upon completion of the four-year curriculum, graduates are eligible for licensure in New York State. All first-year students receive guaranteed tuition funding, with assistantships covering the remaining years.
Course Required
Proseminar in Research in Counseling Psychology
Regression Analysis for Counseling Research
Ethics and Professional Issues in Counseling Psychology
Multivariate Applications in Counseling Psychology
Doctoral Practicum in Specialized ProceduresUnique Features
Cost: $13,454
Credits: 81
Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationSee School Website
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University of HoustonLocation
Houston, TX
Tuition$16002
Graduation Rate59%
Students benefit from student-faculty mentorship, top-notch sites for clinical training, and a robust curriculum. This Ph.D. program also offers a health psychology emphasis. Even with the addition of this 15-hour minor, most students complete the program within five to six years. UH Doctoral students can use assistantships and tuition fellowships to offset the cost of tuition and fees.
Courses Required
Atypical Growth and Behavior
Advanced IRT Theory Models in Psy/Educ Research
Clinical Interventions in Counseling Psychology
Inferential Statistics in Psychological and Educational Research
Human Growth and DevelopmentUnique Features
Cost: $18,528
Credits required: 48
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSee School Website
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University of MemphisLocation
Memphis, TN
Tuition$13174
Graduation Rate48%
All UofM coursework and program requirements focus on a scientific approach to understanding and dealing with human behavior's positive and negative dynamics. For this tuition-free Ph.D. program, a typical doctoral student completes the coursework in three years and the internship in one year. This schedule makes graduation reachable by the end of the fourth year. Graduate assistantships provide a stipend and a tuition/fee waiver.
Courses Required
Advocacy, Consultation, & Ethics
Multicultural Counseling
Statistical Method Application
Adult Personality Assessment
Developmental Aspects of BehaviorUnique Features
Cost: $5,970
Credits Required: 99Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
See School Website
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University of MiamiLocation
Coral Gables, FL
Graduation Rate82%
UM's Counseling Psychology doctoral program allows students to participate in grant-funded projects that address underserved populations' health-related needs. On average, most students complete the required coursework in four years and the internship in one year. Assistantships alleviate cost concerns with a tuition remission benefit.
Courses Required
The Social Bases Of Human Activity And Flourishing
Adult Psychopathology
Cultural Diversity and Mental Health
Quantitative Methods II
Vocational Psychology and Career DevelopmentUnique Features
Cost: $40,220
Credits required: 72
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSee School Website
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University of North DakotaLocation
Grand Forks, ND
Tuition$15374
Graduation Rate55%
Doctoral students get specialized training in several fields such as vocational psychology, integrated behavioral healthcare, leadership, and grant writing. They work alongside nationally acclaimed faculty members serving as mentors in critical research. On average, UND doctoral students complete the standard and electives required for this program in four to six years. Assistantships and tuition waivers are available to offset the cost of tuition.
Courses Required
Supervision, Theory, and Technique
Multicultural Counseling
Research Issues in Counseling Psychology
Child and Adolescent Counseling
Advanced PsychometricsUnique Features
Cost: $12,797
Credits required: 98
Accreditation: Higher Learning CommissionSee School Website
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University of Northern ColoradoLocation
Greeley, CO
Tuition$14641
Graduation Rate47%
As part of becoming licensed psychologists, doctoral students go through two-plus years of systematic in-clinic practicum activities. It generally takes four to six years to complete the dissertation, internship, coursework, and supervised clinical training. Through assistantships, doctoral students can get full-tuition assistance for up to 10 credit hours per semester.
Courses Required
Advanced Practicum in Individual Counseling
Advanced Research Methods
Advanced Methods: Couples and Family Therapy
Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
Psychological Consultation: Theory and PracticeUnique Features
Cost: $7,200
Credits Required:126
Accreditation: Higher Learning CommissionSee School Website
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University of OregonLocation
Eugene, OR
Tuition$15939
Graduation Rate73%
This Ph.D. program has a curriculum that dispenses discipline-specific knowledge to the students in six categories: research methods, psychometrics, the history and systems of psychology, basic content areas, advanced integrative knowledge of the basic content areas, and quantitative methods. Students with a master's degree in counseling psychology can finish the program in four to six years. OU offers scholarships and doctoral research awards to offset the tuition.
Courses Required
Educational statistics
Micro Counseling Skills
Professional Ethics
Multiple Regression in Educational Research
Child-Family InterventionsUnique Features
Cost: (Based on 5 years) $17,787 resident, $149,995. OU offers scholarships and doctoral research awards to offset the tuition.
Credit required: 165
Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesSee School Website
How Do Fully Funded Counseling Doctorate Programs Work?
Fully funded counseling Ph.D. programs offer opportunities for ambitious professionals to pursue their career goals and a terminal degree while reducing student loan debt. Tuition-free doctoral programs often require fellowships that provide the financial freedom to focus on research, academic rigor, and professional advancement.
Application requirements may include a master's degree, a detailed CV, letters of recommendation from experts in your field of study, research experience, a statement of purpose, a draft research proposal, and a strong academic record.
While some programs solely require the student to conduct research in their chosen field, others may also require students to serve as teaching or administrative assistants in their academic discipline.
In return for fulfilling these work requirements, doctoral candidates in fully funded programs may receive a combination of full tuition and fee remission, a stipend, health insurance, and funding for research-related travel.
What to Look for When Choosing a Tuition-Free Doctoral Program in Counseling
When you’re looking for a fully funded counseling Ph.D. program, there are several factors to consider.
- Competition and Application Process: As one might expect, tuition-free programs can be highly competitive and require a rigorous application process. Programs may request letters of recommendation, research proposals, resumes, and other documents. When selecting a program, research its acceptance rate and a complete list of application requirements.
- Funding Package: Depending on the cost of living where you’ll work and study, your stipend may not cover all living expenses. You may also find that some programs only supply stipend funds during the academic year.
- Teaching or Research Assistantship Opportunities: Teaching assistant and research positions may be key to certain programs, so you’ll need to discover which institutions expect openings. Reaching out to potential supervisors provides valuable information about what topics receive an institution’s greatest emphasis.
- Professional Development and Networking: Doctoral counseling programs provide opportunities to network with experts in your field, both at your academic institution and within the larger professional sphere of your specialty area. Your doctoral program can also provide additional career benefits, including job placement assistance and career support.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fully Funded Ph.D. Counseling Programs
What does it mean when a program is tuition-free?
Students enrolled in tuition-free Ph.D. programs do not have out-of-pocket costs for their studies. These programs usually give tuition waivers for graduate students and offer monthly stipends or low salaries for students who work as graduate teaching or research assistants. Some graduate programs offer benefits, such as health insurance coverage.
What can I do with a doctorate in counseling?
Professionals with a doctoral degree in counseling psychology can work as psychologists, researchers, or faculty members. By earning your doctorate in counseling psychology, you can apply for licensure and practice under the title of psychologist. A doctorate may also prepare you to teach at the postsecondary level.
How much do counselors with a Ph.D. in counseling make?
Professional counselors with a Ph.D. can earn around $84,000 per year compared to an average salary of $59,000 per year for a counselor with a master of science degree in counseling.
How long does it take to complete a Ph.D. in counseling program?
Fully funded counseling Ph.D. programs usually take four years of full-time study and up to six years if pursued part-time. Credit hours generally range from 80-120 hours.
Note: Page last reviewed on February 2, 2024. The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by Best Counseling Degrees.
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