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Scholarships For Students With Disabilities
In today’s world, getting a higher education degree can get very challenging because of the rising tuition costs and access to quality educational degrees. Getting a higher education degree can get even more challenging for students with disabilities. Luckily, many organizations provide scholarships for students with disabilities. Various organizations, such as private, public, corporations, governmental agencies, educational institutions, etc., provide disability scholarships. These scholarships help the students to explore better opportunities and pay for their higher education as well.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2019, about 19.3% of individuals with disabilities are employed than people with no disability, which means that the number of employed disabled individuals is more than that of individuals with no disability. And according to Pew Research Center analysis for the year 2017-18, about 34% of disabled students suffered from a specific learning disability. The best part of all the study or research is that these individuals show the grit to pursue higher education by taking up disability scholarships and other sources and try to lead an independent life. In this guide, we will walk you through several different types of scholarships for students with disabilities.
Top 10 Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
Scholarships for students with disabilities encourage enthusiastic students towards higher education the challenges. Many institutions are coming forward to assist students with disabilities. While we show dozens of scholarships in this guide, here are the top 10 scholarships for students with disabilities:
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Scholarships by Disability
The scholarship concept is quite different from loans as the scholarships assure you of bearing your tuition fees and books, rooms, boarding, and other expenses without any need to return the amount. Whereas, when a student applies for loans, then it is a must to repay the debt. Many students with disabilities are confidently taking up higher education because of the many financing options like disability scholarships, grants, and many more. Below is the list of disability scholarships based on the situation.
Scholarships for General Disabilities
The disability of an individual does not constrain to any particular disease. Any physical or mental inability that hampers the chances of leading an everyday life is known as a disability. This is why many institutions are coming forward to support by offering scholarships for students with disabilities. These scholarship programs help students lead a stable academic career and further study their interest areas. Below is the list of scholarships for general disability.
| BRAF Cheryl D. Conkling Memorial Scholarship | BRAF Cheryl D. Conkling Memorial Scholarship is granted for hearing challenged students and particularly the ones who are interested in pursuing higher education irrespective of the hardships. |
| Application deadline | Varies |
| Award amount | $12,000 |
| Christopher Mark Pitkin Memorial Scholarship | Christopher Mark Pitkin Memorial Scholarship is for students who are suffering from hemophilia and bleeding disorders. |
| Application deadline | August 2021 |
| Award amount | $1,000 |
| CSU Dale M. Schoettler Scholarship for Visually Impaired Students | CSU Dale scholarship was started in the memory of Mr. Dale M. Schoettler, who became a famous and successful business in California despite being visually impaired. |
| Application deadline | January 2021 |
| Award amount | $10,000 |
| Incight Scholarship | INCIGHT scholarship is awarded to students with disabilities and are interested in pursuing higher education. |
| Application deadline | April 2021 |
| Award amount | $2,500 |
| Margaret Howard Hamilton Scholarship | Margaret Howard Hamilton Scholarship is awarded to students who have learning disabilities |
| Application deadline | February 2021 |
| Award amount | $4,000 |
| Richland County Foundation Mansfield Noon Lions Club Scholarship Fund | Students with visual impairment are provided educational assistance through Richland County Foundation scholarship |
| Application deadline | January 2021 |
| Award amount | Varies |
| Sertoma Hard of Hearing or Deaf Scholarship | Students who are clinically suffering from hearing disability and are pursuing four-year college degrees in any discipline are eligible for Sertoma Hard of hearing. |
| Application deadline | March 2021 |
| Award amount | $1,000 |
| The Anne Ford Scholarship | The Anne Ford Scholarship is given to students graduating high school senior with learning disabilities or ADHD. The scholarship is provided for full-year graduation (four-year program). |
| Application deadline | January 2021 |
| Award amount | $10,000 |
| The Armando J. de Moya Scholarship | The Armando J. de Moya Scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. |
| Application deadline | March 2021 |
| Award amount | $5,000 |
| UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship | UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship is granted to kids who are suffering from epilepsy. |
| Application deadline | February 2021 |
| Award amount | $10,000 |
| Alabama Scholarships for Dependents of Blind parents | Alabama Scholarships are given to students whose parents are blind, especially the head of the family. Also, the parents and the student should be a resident of Alabama for at least five years. |
| Application deadline | Varies |
| Award amount | Varies |
| Caroline Kark Award | This award is given to a student with hearing impairment and furthering for higher education. It is also given to an individual preparing to serve/take up a career to work with the deaf. |
| Application deadline | April 2021 |
| Award amount | Varies |
| GLHF Education Scholarship | GLHF Education Scholarship assists students suffering from a bleeding disorder or have parents/spouses going through the same situation. |
| Application deadline | March 2021 |
| Award amount | $3,000 |
| Matrix Health Group Memorial Scholarship Programs | Students diagnosed with hemophilia or any blood disorder are granted the Matrix Health Group Memorial Scholarship program. This scholarship assists the students through their higher education. |
| Application deadline | August 2021 |
| Award amount | Varies |
| Millie Brothers CODA International Scholarship | Millie Brothers CODA International scholarship is granted to students whose parents are deaf or suffering from hearing impairment. The scholarship can be either used for graduate study or undergraduate. |
| Application deadline | April 2021 |
| Award amount | $3,000 |
ADHD Scholarships
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a form of disability. Individuals who have ADHD go through hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. ADHD scholarships are granted for students who are interested in and passionate about taking up academic programs. Scholarships for students with ADHD will help them to go ahead with their pursuit of higher education.
| Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship | Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarships is offered to students with documented learning disability or ADHD and are enrolling in specialized programs. This scholarship is awarded for a two-year duration. |
| Application deadline | April 2021 |
| Award amount | $5,000 |
| Anne Ford Scholarship | Anne Ford Scholarship is granted to students graduating from high school and having a documented learning disability. |
| Application deadline | April 2021 |
| Award amount | $10,000 |
Mental Health Scholarships
Mental Health Scholarships are offered to students diagnosed with mental health conditions and pursue education, similar to those with no disability.
| The Baer Reintegration Scholarship | Sidney R. Baer Jr. Foundation, along with the Center for Reintegration, is offering the Baer Reintegration Scholarship. This scholarship is given to the mentally ill students that carry the zeal to their goals and dreams. This scholarship supports mostly covers all the educational costs of the student. |
| Application deadline | January 2021 |
| Award amount | Varies |
| The Buckfire Law Scholarship | Buckfire Law Scholarship is offered to students with mental health issues. This scholarship is available for students of any age and supports them through their educational process. |
| Application deadline | January 2021 |
| Award amount | Varies |
| The Jared Monroe Foundation Scholarship | The Jared Monroe Foundation Scholarship is offered to high school seniors and full-time college students with bipolar disorder. |
| Application deadline | N/A |
| Award amount | Up to $2,300 |
Scholarships for students with Autism
ASD Ascend College Autism Scholarships | Many students in today’s world are diagnosed with autism. This doesn’t stop these brave students from pursuing education. There are many scholarships available for students with autism. Here is a list of scholarships for students with autism. |
| Application deadline | December 2021 |
| Award amount | $10,000 |
| Autism Can Do Scholarship | In the current year, Autism Can Do Scholarship will be co-sponsored by Doug Flutie. Jr Foundation. This scholarship program is for students on the autism spectrum. |
| Application deadline | June 2021 |
| Award amount | $5,000 |
Schwallie Family Scholarship | Schwallie Family scholarship is given to students across the autism spectrum, looking forward to pursuing their full-time, post-secondary, undergraduate, or technical training. |
| Application deadline | May 2021 |
| Award amount | $3,000 |
| Making a Difference for Autism Scholarship | Kerry Magro’s scholarship program supports students with autism for pursuing post-secondary education |
| Application deadline | May 2021 |
| Award amount | $500 |
Dyslexia Scholarships
Individuals suffering from learning disabilities and pursuing higher education can take advantage of many available scholarships. Dyslexia Scholarships aim the same – to help students with learning disorders. Here are some of the learning disability scholarships that grant students the opportunity to pursue their educational goals.
| The John Lepping Memorial Scholarship | The John Lepping Memorial Scholarship is granted to qualifying students who plan to attend college irrespective of their learning disabilities. |
| Application deadline | May 2021 |
| Award amount | $5,000 |
| Pine Cone Foundation Scholarship | Students with documented learning disabilities and aspiring to attend community college are granted with Pine Cone Foundation Scholarship. It is for the students belonging to the state of California. |
| Application deadline | April 2021 |
| Award amount | $3,500 |
| Ralph G. Norman Scholarship | An Arkansas resident and student with a documented learning disability or dyslexia seeking financial help to enroll for a two-year community college or vocational program are eligible for Ralph G. Norman Scholarship. |
| Application deadline | March 2021 |
| Award amount | $2,500 |
Scholarships for Hearing Impaired
Loans can be a strenuous burden for students seeking financial help. Scholarships relieve students’ financial needs by letting them concentrate and help themselves in pursuing higher education better. Students with hearing disabilities should not stop their educational pursuit because of the financial burden. Many organizations offer scholarships for students diagnosed with hearing impairment. Here are a few scholarships for students with hearing impairment.
| Hearing Impaired Scholarship | Students with hearing impairment are relieved from the financial burden during their educational pursuit with the Hearing-Impaired Scholarship’s help. This program supports advanced education in four-year college or technical school programs. |
| Application deadline | April 2021 |
| Award amount | $3,000 |
| Graeme Clark Scholarship | Graeme Clark Scholarship is offered to students with hearing impairment. This prestigious scholarship is provided by Cochlear Nucleus Implant, the ones who developed hearing solutions. |
| Application deadline | September 2021 |
| Award amount | $1,000 – $10,000 |
| Minnie Pearl Scholarship Program | The Scholarship program is granted for students with hearing impairment planning to pursue their junior college, university, technical school, and other academic programs. |
| Application deadline | March 2021 |
| Award amount | $2,500 |
Physical Disability Scholarships
Physical disability scholarships are for those deserving and qualifying students who want to pursue their educational and career goals irrespective of their physical impediments. Following are some of the scholarships that help deserving students choose their academics by staying out of debt.
| AmeriGlide Achiever Scholarship | AmeriGlide Achiever Scholarship is granted for students who use a manual wheelchair, power wheelchair, or mobility scooter. This scholarship helps students in covering their expenses of tuition and books. |
| Application deadline | May 2021 |
| Award amount | $2,500 |
| Christopher Mark Pitkin Memorial Scholarship | Christopher Mark Pitkin Memorial Scholarship is for students who are suffering from hemophilia and bleeding disorders. |
| Application deadline | August 2021 |
| Award amount | $1,000 |
| Craig H. Nielsen Scholarship Fund for students with disabilities | Students with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities are granted Craig H. Nielsen Scholarship funds. This scholarship program provides for tuition, books, and college/university fees. |
| Application deadline | N/A |
| Award amount | $7,000 |
| Ethel Lousie Armstrong Foundation Scholarship | Ethel Lousie Armstrong Foundation Scholarship (ELA) is entirely for women graduate students with physical disabilities and enrolling for U.S. college or university for higher education. |
| Application deadline | June 2021 |
| Award amount | $500 – $2000 |
| Chair Scholars Foundation | Chair Scholars Foundation award is granted for students with physical disabilities and attending the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania or the University of Tampa for higher education. |
| Application deadline | N/A |
| Award amount | Up to $30,000 |
Colleges with Programs for Disabled Students
Financing for a college education might be a challenge for disabled students. Scholarships will help. But finding educational institutions that support students with disabilities can also get a challenge. Here at Online Masters Colleges, we believe that disabilities should not stop students from pursuing their higher educational goals. We researched dozens of educational institutions are created a list of colleges with programs for disabled students. Colleges with programs for disabled students are students with disabilities with a good teaching environment and support. Here is a list of the universities and colleges that support students with disabilities:
Additional Resources for Students with Disabilities
In addition to financial aid, students with disabilities should also use the below resources to take advantage by networking and finding career opportunities and associating with like-minded groups who overcame educational challenges and steered toward better academic and career success. Here is a list of resources that students with disabilities can immensely benefit from:
- ChairScholars Foundation: This foundation is created for students with physical challenges. Individuals who are pursuing vocational training or post-secondary education with disabilities are awarded scholarships through this foundation.
- Rewarding Individual Success in Education (RISE): RISE Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides scholarship opportunities for high school students with learning disabilities.
- Learning Disabilities Association of America: Individuals with learning disabilities are accepted, supported, and encouraged to pursue their education through education scholarships provided by LDAA. Their mission and vision are to create successful opportunities for students/individuals suffering from physical or mental impairments.
- Organization for Autism Research: Organization for Autism Research (OAR) understands the unique challenges that individual autism goes through with. The association ensures to support these families/individuals/students through comprehensive programs.
- California Association for Postsecondary Education and Disability (CAPED): CAPED is an advocacy group that provides increasing educational access to students with disabilities at all levels.
- McBurney Disability Resource Center: This Resource Center is an office for students with disabilities and classroom accommodations on the UW-Madison campus. The students are provided with adequate accommodations and chances to engage, explore, and participate in the Wisconsin idea.
- Disability.gov: This is a federal information resource for citizens with disabilities. This resource comprises useful information for disabled students and their parents. This national association details the financial aids and their availability in different formats like scholarships, grants, and loans.
