The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and Affiliates seeks to advance the profession of counseling, health equity, and access to mental health services across the globe through counselor certification and capacity building. NBCC offers national certification with foundational eligibility requirements defined by counselors, accountable to counselors, and serving as a model for regulatory licensure requirements.
Scholarship Details
- Up to 43 fellowships of $15,000 for master’s-level counseling students specializing in addictions
- Fellowship recipients also receive funding for travel to program-related training events
- Focuses on increasing the number of counselors addressing substance use disorders in underserved communities
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Cannot already possess a master’s degree in a behavioral health field
- Cannot receive any other federal funds (except loans or work-study)
- Must be enrolled in an accredited master’s-level addictions counseling program
- Must be in good academic standing and maintain enrollment throughout the fellowship period
- Must commit to obtaining an addictions counseling credential after graduation
- Must complete 12 semester hours of addiction coursework and a full academic year of internship
- Must demonstrate experience in addressing substance use needs in underserved communities
- Must provide addiction counseling services to underserved communities for two years after graduation
- Must secure a substance use services internship with an underserved population
- Must commit to obtaining National Certified Counselor (NCC) or NCC AP certification
Application Process
- Verify program accreditation status through the CACREP or NASAC websites
- Prepare all necessary documentation, including proof of enrollment and academic standing
- Complete the online application on the NBCC Foundation website
- Submit evidence of addiction counseling experience and commitment to serving underserved communities
- Include proof of commitment to addiction counseling credentialing after graduation
- Must attend the next year's NBCC Foundation’s Bridging the Gap Symposium and additional training events
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 substance use disorder professional counselors who provide direct substance use disorder services to underserved populations.
