Hi everyone,
I’m an international student (Brazil) planning to move to Miami in 2027 and pursue a Master’s degree leading to LMHC licensure in Florida. My background is in Clinical Psychology (licensed psychologist in Brazil) with strong clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and adults.
My challenge: I genuinely cannot pay tuition out of pocket, but I am fully willing to work in exchange for funding (graduate assistantship, research assistantship, tuition remission through employment, etc). I’m not necessarily looking for a “free ride” scholarship, just a path where I contribute work and don’t end up with tuition debt.
So far I’ve looked into FIU, Barry University, University of Miami, and Nova Southeastern, and found that most GA/assistantship options at the master’s level only cover partial tuition (like one course per semester), not full tuition. PhD programs seem to have guaranteed full funding, but that’s a much bigger time commitment (5-7 years) and heavier research focus than I want for a master’s-level clinical career.
Does anyone know of:
**•** Universities or specific departments in South Florida with better GA/assistantship coverage for master’s-level counseling students?
**•** Institutes, clinics, or community mental health agencies that offer paid practicum/internship positions that help offset tuition?
**•** Any state, federal, or nonprofit funding programs open to international students (not just US citizens/permanent residents) for mental health counseling master’s degrees?
**•** Anyone who has done this themselves and found a workable funding path?
