Scholarships for Massage Therapy Students (2025)

Whether you're considering massage school or are already enrolled, chances are you're looking for ways to make your program more affordable. After all, most massage programs are cheaper than college, but they're not exactly free. That's where scholarships can come in handy! But where do you find massage school scholarships? And how can you make your application stand out from the crowd?
 
 Here, you can find a list of scholarships that massage students may be eligible for, including their basic requirements. Then, we cover best practices for scholarship applications. Let's dive in!

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Scholarships for Massage Therapy School

This list of scholarships for massage students is here to help you get started on your scholarship search. With so many financial aid and scholarship resources out there, putting every option into one list would be impossible!  

Note: This scholarship information is accurate as of publication. However, things can change – be sure to look at each link to make sure you have all of the most recent details.

Where to Find Massage School Scholarships

There are many places to look for scholarships, from your school to local organizations and beyond. A few spots to check are:

• Your massage school. Most schools offer scholarships to help students with their tuition costs. Eligibility and amount offered are often based on need, though this isn't universal.
• The Department of Education. The federal government offers financial aid to qualifying learners. One of the first things you should do when applying to schools is fill out the FAFSA so you can find out how much you could receive. Plus, a lot of organizations offering scholarships require you to have finished the FAFSA. 
• Professional organizations. Associations focusing on the beauty, health and wellness, or massage industries may offer scholarships specifically for people in school for those fields. Check out the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals and the American Massage Therapy Association to learn more about their benefits.
• Online searches. Try broad and narrow searches, starting with massage or vocational school scholarships. Then, get more and more specific about your situation: Scholarships for women. Scholarships for rural students. Scholarships for students in your state. Weird scholarships. The list goes on!

Of course, you don't even have to leave this site to find more scholarships for massage and other students. Check out our other scholarship resources:

• Scholarships for Beauty School: This resource digs even deeper into how to succeed on scholarship applications and has an extensive list of scholarships, many of which massage students may be eligible for. (And you can find even more scholarships on our similarly named Beauty School Scholarships page!)
• Frequently Asked Questions About Beauty School Scholarships: You can find answers to FAQs and a brief scholarship list here.
• Resources and Scholarships for First-Generation Students: If you're the first person in your family to attend a higher education program, this resource is for you.
• Scholarships for LGBTQ+ Students: If you're a member of the LGBTQ+ community, you may be eligible for specific scholarships.
• Trade School Guide for Students with Disabilities: This article includes a list of scholarships for learners with disabilities.

How to Win Massage School Scholarships

The key to winning scholarships is to try to win the scholarships. A big mistake people make is giving up, either in their search or partway through an application.

This means applying for as many scholarships as you can. If you qualify for an award and can use it for a massage program, apply! Unsure if it would cover a massage program? Contact the organization offering the scholarship. The time spent applying may pay off in the end.

Speaking of paying off, no award amount is too small. Of course, you should apply for the scholarships that could cover most or all of your tuition…but a lot of other people are likely to apply for those as well. Meanwhile, there are a lot of small scholarships out there, and they may have far fewer applicants for you to compete against. Every little bit helps! 

Of course, applying for scholarships is more than jotting down a few things and hoping for the best. (Well, usually. Some scholarships, like the Massage Envy Scholarship Sweepstakes, just need a few details and draw a winner's name!) Here are a few tips to help you improve your chances of doing well on more involved scholarship applications.

• Have a resume ready. Even if the application doesn't require a resume, having one can help you remember details while you apply for a scholarship.
• Read directions thoroughly – and follow them. With how competitive many scholarships are, it's pretty easy to justify putting applications in the "no" pile if the applicant didn't follow instructions.
• Proofread. If you have to submit an essay, edit it so it shows your best self. Use tools like Word's built-in spelling and grammar checker and Grammarly to help with proofreading. 
• Review your video. If you need to submit a video, while no one is expecting it to be a high-budget movie, make sure you're visible and easy to understand. Writing a script – or at least an outline of what you plan to say – can be hugely helpful.
• Meet deadlines. Late scholarship applications are rarely considered.

For more details on how to win scholarships, check out the "How to Win Beauty Scholarships" section of our Scholarships for Beauty School page.