NEWARK, DE — The Sallie Mae Fund is doubling the size of its graduate scholarship program, increasing the number of awards available to students pursuing advanced degrees as the cost of graduate and professional education continues to rise.
The organization said it will award 20 scholarships worth up to $10,000 each through its Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students program, expanding support for students enrolled in or accepted to graduate and professional degree programs in fields including healthcare, nursing, law, and education.
The expansion increases the program’s total available funding to as much as $200,000 for the current application cycle.
Applicants must demonstrate financial need and a commitment to community impact. The scholarship program is administered by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and applications will be accepted through July 17, 2026.
The announcement comes as graduate education enrollment remains strong in many professional fields despite concerns about student debt burdens and workforce shortages in sectors such as healthcare and education.
“As more students pursue graduate education to advance their careers and meet critical workforce needs, access to scholarships becomes even more important,” Sallie Mae Executive Vice President Nic Jafarieh said.
The Sallie Mae Fund is also continuing its Completing the Dream Scholarship program, which will provide 50 scholarships worth up to $2,500 each to students expected to complete two-year, four-year, career-training, or other post-secondary programs during the 2026-27 academic year.
According to the organization, the Completing the Dream program has awarded nearly 1,000 scholarships since 2021 to help students manage unexpected expenses that could disrupt their education.
The Sallie Mae Fund said it has awarded nearly $5 million in scholarships since 2021 through its education-access initiatives.
Applications for both scholarship programs are open through July 17, 2026, at SallieMae.com.
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