Tuition-Free Doctoral Programs in Counseling

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Updated October 11, 2024

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Want to study psychology through a tuition-free Ph.D. program? Check out this guide, which lists the best fully-funded psychology Ph.D. programs.

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Are you ready to discover your college program?

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.

Popular Online Counseling Programs

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.

At BestCounselingDegrees.net, we use data from reputable sources like the U.S. Department of Education to help you find the best school for your needs. The most important metric in our rankings -- affordability -- accounts for 60% of our formula. We also consider academic quality, program offerings, online enrollment, and graduation rates.

This ranking list has not been updated for 2024. Learn more about our ranking methodology.

  • Auburn University
    Location

    Auburn, AL

    Tuition

    $23205

    Graduation Rate
    78%
    View School Profile

    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 Education

    Unique Features

    Cost: $11,796
    Credit Required: 61
    Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

    See School Website

  • Ball State University
    Location

    Muncie, IN

    Tuition

    $13642

    Graduation Rate
    63%
    View School Profile

    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 variance

    Unique Features

    Cost: $16,0442
    Credit required: 106 minimum
    Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

    See School Website

  • Boston College
    Location

    Chestnut Hill, MA

    Graduation Rate
    92%
    View School Profile

    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 Psychology

    Unique features

    Cost: $38,450
    Credits required: 54
    Accreditation: New England Commission on Higher Education

    See School Website

  • Carlow University
    Location

    Pittsburgh, PA

    Graduation Rate
    53%
    View School Profile

    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 Development

    Unique Features

    Cost: $26,475
    Credits Required: 93
    Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

    See School Website

  • College of Saint Elizebeth
    Location

    Morristown, NJ

    Graduation Rate
    50%
    View School Profile

    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 Psychopathology

    Unique Features

    Cost: $19,236
    Credits required: 88
    Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

    See School Website

  • Marquette University
    Location

    Milwaukee, WI

    Graduation Rate
    85%
    View School Profile

    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 Counseling

    Unique Features

    Cost: $81,900; Marquette offers assistantships with a full stipend and merit-based aid.
    Credit required: 91
    Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

    See School Website

  • Our Lady of the Lake University
    Location

    San Antonio, TX

    Graduation Rate
    37%
    View School Profile

    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 Neuroscience

    Unique Features

    Cost: $23,315
    Credits required:117
    Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

    See School Website

  • Radford University
    Location

    Radford, VA

    Tuition

    $15636

    Graduation Rate
    59%
    View School Profile

    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 Foundations

    Unique Features

    Cost: $12,409
    Credit required: 128
    Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

    See School Website

  • SUNY at Albany
    Location

    Albany, NY

    Tuition

    $15844

    Graduation Rate
    64%
    View School Profile

    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 Procedures

    Unique Features

    Cost: $13,454
    Credits: 81
    Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

    See School Website

  • University of Houston
    Location

    Houston, TX

    Tuition

    $16002

    Graduation Rate
    59%
    View School Profile

    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 Development

    Unique Features

    Cost: $18,528
    Credits required: 48
    Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

    See 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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