Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans for Psychoanalytic Candidates

Institute Administered Scholarships

June Jackson Christmas Scholarships—Division I and CAPTP

These scholarships honor the Institute’s first Black female graduate, June Jackson Christmas, MD, who graduated in 1959. These need-based scholarships are awarded to Black candidates in Division I (our adult analytic training program) and our Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Training Program and provide funding for up to the full amount of program tuition. The scholarships are renewable on a yearly basis.

Dr. Christmas used her psychoanalytic training to inform her work in a range of urban mental health settings, including as a psychiatrist at Riverdale Children’s Association, as Founder/Director, Harlem Hospital Rehabilitation Center, Harlem Hospital/Columbia University (1962-1972), and as NYC Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services from 1972 till 1980. Dr. Christmas also led the transition team for Carter’s incoming Department of Health, Education and Welfare; served as a member of New York Governor Mario Cuomo’s Advisory Committee on Black Affairs in 1986; and chaired NYC Mayor David Dinkins’ Advisory Council on Child Health in New York City from 1990 to 1994. Dr. Christmas retired from private practice in 2019.

Mark J. Blechner Psychoanalytic Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to a person of color or a transgender person with financial need and high academic ability. It provides funding toward the Institute’s tuition for one year of psychoanalytic training in Division I, with year-to-year renewal for up to three years based upon the scholarship winner’s performance in the preceding year of training.

Marylou Lionells Psychoanalytic Scholarship Endowment Fund

This fund was created to encourage a broad spectrum of meritorious professionals, who might otherwise have been unable to do so, to pursue psychoanalytic training.

Benjamin Wolstein Memorial Scholarship Fund

Established to help defray the costs of training for an outstandingly gifted student in financial need.

The Michael Herman Scholarship

This scholarship is in memory of Michael Herman, who suffered from lifelong depression. The scholarship is intended for Division I candidates with a strong interest in working with chronically depressed patients. It has been endowed with funds left in Mr. Herman’s will at the request of his mother, Iris Ivers, and his stepsister, Dr. Karen Ivers. Applicants are required to provide a statement outlining their interest as well as documentation of financial need. The scholarship is renewable on a yearly basis

Independently Administered Fellowships and Scholarships

Catherine Stuart Memorial Fellowship

Catherine Stuart was a graduate of the William Alanson White Institute. Prior to her untimely passing in 2007, Cathy had begun to address the challenge of increasing the diversity of analytic candidates–and broadening the internal conversation about race and gender–within the Institute. This fellowship encourages applicants who either increase the diversity of the class or bring significant clinical experience with diverse clinical populations. Applicants for fellowship grants should submit a CV and a brief personal introduction (three or four paragraphs in length) that describes how they meet the Fellowship’s mission to Bill Lubart (doclubart@gmail.com). You may also submit materials by mail at the following address: William D. Lubart, PhD, Catherine Stuart Memorial Fellowship; 450 West 24th Street, Suite 1A; NY, NY 10011.

Psychoanalytic Society Scholarship

The Psychoanalytic Society of the William Alanson White Institute (composed of graduates of the Division I training program) offers a yearly scholarship of $3000 to help a BIPOC candidate with financial need. This scholarship is a cash award for the student’s training and education-related costs other than tuition. It is intended to support the Psychoanalytic Society’s commitment to increasing the diversity of our field. Applicants should submit a CV and brief personal introduction (three to four paragraphs), which also offers an idea of how you would use the scholarship. Please send inquiries and/or application materials to Katherine Noordsij, LCSW, PhD(Lit) (noordsij.katherinem@gmail.com).

Loans and Other Funding Sources

Judith Harris Selig Memorial Fund

The fund provides a revolving educational loan to defray expenses of training for worthy applicants with inadequate financial resources.

Jane Michel McGarry Revolving Loan Fund

Established to defray the expenses of training, this revolving loan fund is intended to aid worthy psychologists whose financial resources are inadequate.

APSA Fellowships and Awards

Click here for awards including the Psychoanalytic Social Work Tuition Support Award.

Candidate Assistance Fund of the American Psychoanalytic Association

Analytic candidates may apply to the fund for loans of up to $5,000 to defray the costs of training. Loans are made from a revolving fund and must be repaid within a maximum of six years to allow the fund to continue making loans. Loans are interest-free, but carry a one-time 1% service charge that is deducted when the loan is made. Decisions are based on need and ability to repay the loan. Any questions should be addressed to Tom Newman at tnewman@apsa.org.

Except where indicated, inquiries regarding the above scholarships, awards and loans should be addressed to Elizabeth Krimendahl, Psy.D., Executive Director, at (212) 873-0725, Ext. 15 or director@wawhite.org for confidential consideration by the Financial Aid Committee. In keeping with the mandate of the Board of Trustees, any financial aid must be need-based and may be further subject to the donor restrictions. See Financial Aid Policies and Application for a list of the required documentation.

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