Higher education can be a transformative and empowering experience for students with disabilities. However, the high cost of tuition and other expenses can make pursuing a college degree seem out of reach for many. Fortunately, there are numerous scholarships available specifically for students with disabilities to help alleviate the financial burden. In this article, we have compiled a comprehensive list of 30 scholarships for disability students to assist in making their academic dreams a reality.
Scott and Kim Verplank Foundation – Up to $10,000 per year (renewable for up to 4 years)
The Scott and Kim Verplank Foundation are awarded to college-bound high school seniors living with Type 1 diabetes. Applicants must be high school seniors, have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, successfully manage diabetes with proper medication, exercise, and diet, show commitment to maintaining a GPA of over 3.0, participate on an organized athletic team, and be U.S. citizens.
John Lepping Memorial Scholarship – Up to $5,000
The Lep Foundation is an organization that provides scholarships to students in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The Lep Foundation John Lepping Memorial Scholarship is offered to disabled students in the award area. Eligible disabilities include physical conditions such as spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, birth defects, and psychological conditions such as autism or post-traumatic stress. Applicants must be able to provide proof of disability in the form of a letter by a physician.
Doctor Duane Buckley Memorial Scholarship – $1,000
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) have now partnered together to offer several scholarships to students attending technical colleges and to students pursuing both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Applicants for all ACB scholarships must be legally blind. The funds from the awards may be used toward any academic costs as well as costs associated with adaptive technology. The Dr. Duane Buckley Memorial Scholarship awards students who can demonstrate that they have overcome major difficulties.
AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship – $500-$5,000
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America holds an annual college scholarship essay contest for high school seniors, for which the grand prize winner is granted a $5,000 scholarship. Entrants must write a 1,200 to 1,500-word essay describing the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on themselves, their families, or their communities, and what they have learned in light of coping with the brain disorder. Only high school seniors are eligible.
Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship – Up to $5,000
Offered by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, the Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship is annually awarded to the children of deceased or permanently disabled highway workers. Each applicant’s parent must have been the employee of a transportation construction firm or a transportation public agency and have suffered a work-related roadway construction zone accident. Recipients must use the scholarship award to attend a post-secondary institution that requires a high school diploma or GED for admission.
Google Lime Scholarship – $10,000 USD (USA), $5,000 CAD (Canada)
Google has partnered with Lime Connect, a nonprofit organization that supports students with disabilities while they pursue education and promising careers, to offer the Google Lime Scholarship to students with disabilities majoring in computer science. The award is 10,000 USD for winning students studying in the United States or 5,000 CAD for those studying in Canada. Applicants must have, or consider themselves to have, a visible or invisible disability (see Lime Connect’s approach to disability); be currently enrolled as a full-time student in a Bachelor’s program at an accredited university or college for the current academic year; intend to be enrolled in or accepted as a full-time student in a Bachelor’s program at an accredited university in the United States or Canada for the upcoming academic year; demonstrate a strong academic record; be pursuing a degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a degree in a closely related technical field; and exemplify leadership and demonstrate passion for computer science and technology.
Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities – 7,000 Euro
Google offers the Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. This scholarship is granted to university students with a disability studying computer science, computer engineering, informatics, or a closely related technical field at a university in Europe or Israel. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and may not be employed by Google.
Diabetes Scholars College Scholarships – $1,000-$5,000
Diabetes Scholars offer a set of scholarships for students with Type 1 diabetes. Those interested fill out one application and are automatically considered for multiple awards. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and incoming freshmen seeking higher education at a four-year college or university, college, technical or trade school. Applicants need to also have Type 1 diabetes.
GLHF Education Scholarship – $250-$3,000
Administered by the Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation (GLHF), the Education Scholarship is annually awarded to students with bleeding disorders as they pursue their education at an accredited, not-for-profit college, university or vocational/technical school. Applicants must live in Wisconsin or receive care at one of the Wisconsin Hemophilia Treatment Centers. The scholarship is also open to the parents, spouses, or siblings of those with bleeding disorders if enough funding is available.
Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation’s Education Scholarship – $250-$3,000
Administered by the Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation (GLHF) , the Education Scholarship is annually awarded to students with bleeding disorders as they pursue their education at an accredited, not-for-profit college, university or vocational/technical school. Applicants must must live in Wisconsin or receive care at one of the Wisconsin Hemophilia Treatment Centers. The scholarship is also open to the parents, spouses, or siblings of those with bleeding disorders if enough funding is available.
Marion Huber Learning Through Listening Awards – $2,000-$6,000
Learning Ally, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving literacy, offers scholarships for educators and outstanding students with print and learning disabilities. The Marion Huber Learning Through Listening (LTL) Awards are offered to high school seniors with learning disabilities. All applicants for this award must be Learning Ally members. Applicants must submit a personal narrative in writing and a video recording discussing their learning differences and how their experiences with Learning Ally have impacted them. Applications open in September each year.
Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards (SAA) – $3,000-$6,000
Learning Ally, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving literacy, offers scholarships for educators and outstanding students with print and learning disabilities. The Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards are offered to Learning Ally members who are completing undergraduate and graduate degrees and are blind or visually impaired. Applicants must submit a personal narrative in writing and a video recording discussing their learning differences and how their experiences with Learning Ally have impacted them. Applications open in September each year.
Lighthouse Guild Scholarships – Up to $10,000
Lighthouse Guild, a charity devoted to vision rehabilitation, awards scholarships to high school and college students with vision loss. Each year, 17 scholarships go to incoming freshmen, and 1 scholarship goes to a current or aspiring graduate student. The scholarships are unrestricted, so they can be used to pay for tuition, room and board, books, and travel. Applicants must be legally blind and provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency.
Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship – $5,000 (over 2 years)
Administered by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship is annually awarded to college-bound seniors with a learning disability. Applicants must plan to enroll in a two-year community college, a vocational or technical training program, or a specialized program in the fall and be diagnosed with a documented learning disability and/or ADHD.
Anne Ford Scholarship – $10,000 (over 4 years)
Administered by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the Anne Ford Scholarship is annually awarded to college-bound seniors with a learning disability. Applicants must be enrolled in a full-time bachelor’s degree program in the fall and be diagnosed with a documented learning disability and/or ADHD.
AbbVie CF Scholarship – $3,000
The AbbVie CF Scholarship is annually awarded to students who are diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited institution. Each applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, be diagnosed with cystic fibrosis by a physician, and be enrolled in or awaiting acceptance to an accredited college, university, or trade/vocational school.
AbbVie Immunology Scholarship – Up to $15,000
The AbbVie Immunology Scholarship is designed to help students living with inflammatory diseases pay for higher education. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, be diagnosed with AS, CD, HS, JIA, Ps, PsA, RA, UC, or UV by a healthcare professional, and be enrolling in full-time undergraduate or graduate study at an accredited U.S. two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school. Applications open in late October each year with a December deadline.
ACB Scholarship Program – Up to $7,500
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) have now partnered together to offer educational scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $7,500 to students attending technical colleges and to students pursuing both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Applicants must be legally blind, maintain a 3.0 GPA to be eligible for most scholarships, be a full-time student or work 32+ hours per week and attend college part-time, and be involved in their school/local community. The funds from the awards may be used toward any academic costs as well as costs associated with adaptive technology.
AG Bell College Scholarship Program – Up to $2,500
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) offers scholarships for full-time students who are deaf and hard of hearing and who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited mainstream college or university. Applicants must use Listening and Spoken Language as their primary mode of communication, have a hearing loss that is bilateral and in the moderately-severe to profound range, have a hearing loss diagnosis before their fourth birthday, be a full-time student pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree at a mainstream four-year college or university, and meet a minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.
Rick and Sherry Murray Medical Futures Scholarship – $5,000
The ALS association, an organization dedicated to fighting the neurodegenerative disease ALS, offers the Rick and Sherry Murray Medical Futures Scholarship. This scholarship is available to students in Florida who have or have had a close family member diagnosed with ALS and are pursuing a degree in a medical-related field. Applicants must submit a 500-word essay on how the student’s experiences with ALS have affected their decision to enter their field of work.
Winterhoff Arthritis Scholarship – $5,000 per year (renewable up to 4 years)
The Arthritis Champions Scholarship is annually awarded to students with arthritis or a related rheumatic disease. Each applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal and permanent resident, be diagnosed with rheumatic disease, be an undergraduate, graduate, or medical student at an accredited college or University in the United States, be an engaged Arthritis Foundation advocate, fundraiser, participant, volunteer, and/or supporter, and meet a minimum 2.5 GPA requirement. If awarded the scholarship, recipients must maintain a 2.5 GPA each academic semester, be involved publicly with the Arthritis Champions Scholarship, and remain active in events and/or programs with the Arthritis Foundation.
HFA Medical/Health Services Educational Scholarship – $4,000
Administered by the Hemophilia Federation of America, the Jacob is annually awarded to a student with a bleeding disorder or related to someone with a bleeding disorder, who is pursuing a career path in the medical or health care services field. Applicants must submit a completed application consisting of an essay, transcript (official or unofficial), acceptance letter (for freshmen and transfer students, only), two letters of reference (both letters from a professional such as a teacher or supervisor), and proof of a bleeding disorder (documentation that they or their family member has a bleeding disorder).
Carolyn Wilson Dialysis Patient Scholarship Program – Up to $5,000
The American Kidney Fund offers the Carolyn Wilson Dialysis Patient Scholarship. This award is granted to students from Arkansas, Louisiana, or Oklahoma, who have been diagnosed with ESRD (stage 5 kidney disease). Applicants must be current dialysis patients or kidney transplant recipients.
2L Diversity Scholarship – $50,000
International law firm Milbank offers the 2L Diversity Scholarship. This scholarship is offered to law students who are members of historically underrepresented groups in the legal profession. This includes students who are of a racial or ethnic minority group, are differently abled, or are from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the United States; be enrolled at an ABA accredited law school with an expected graduation date of spring 2025; possess outstanding academic achievement, leadership ability, and excellent writing and interpersonal skills; and show active involvement in the community. Recipients are given a paid summer internship position and granted a $50,000 scholarship, payable in installments.
National Federation for the Blind Scholarships – $3,000-$12,000
The National Federation for the Blind (NFB) awards $120,000 annually to blind students studying in the U.S. through several scholarships included in their annual scholarship program. Through one application, interested students can apply to all scholarships offered by NFB. In order to qualify, applicants must be legally blind in both eyes, live in the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time course load at a U.S. institution, and participate in the entire NFB National Convention and all of its scheduled scholarship program activities.
Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students – $10,000
In 2021, the Sallie Mae Fund partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to expand the Bridging the Dream Scholarship Program for Graduate Students to help graduate and professional students from minority and other historically underserved communities reach their education goals. The program will award 30, $10,000 scholarships over three years to graduate students, totaling $300,000. To qualify, applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or legal permanent resident, be a diverse candidate (including gender, disability, race, ethnicity, or belonging to an underserved community), be enrolled full-time or part-time at an accredited post-secondary institution graduate level program for during the 2022-2023 academic year, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and demonstrate leadership qualities and good moral character.
Bridging the Dream Scholarship Program for High School Seniors – $10,000
In 2021, the Sallie Mae Fund partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to expand the Bridging the Dream Scholarship Program in an effort to further promote diversity in higher education among minority students and others from historically underserved communities. The program will award 75 $10,000 scholarships to high school seniors over three years. High school seniors who are facing financial challenges may apply to win a $10,000 scholarship to help them attend college or a vocational-technical school. Applicants must belong to a diverse community, be currently enrolled as a high school senior, plan to be enrolled at an accredited post-secondary institution or continuous education program, have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher, be Pell-Grant eligible, and meet other terms.
Completing the Dream Scholarship Program – $2,500
Launched in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Sallie Mae Fund’s Completing the Dream Scholarship Program awards a one-time scholarship of up to $2,500 to help diverse students from historically underserved communities complete their post-secondary education. By 2024, the program will award nearly 800 scholarships totaling $1.95 million. Applicants must be in good academic standing, but at risk of not returning to or graduating/completing due to an outstanding financial need, and/or emergency situation that leads to a financial aid crisis. To qualify, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, be a diverse candidate (including gender, disability, race, ethnicity, or belonging to an underserved community), be enrolled full-time or part-time at an accredited two- or four-year colleges or universities, or vocational/technical certificate/certification program, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75, and demonstrate leadership qualities and good moral character. The program is open to students who plan on completing their degree or program by the end of Spring 2023 semester.
Step Up Scholarship – Varies
Step Up For Students, a Florida nonprofit scholarship funding organization, helps administer four scholarships for Florida schoolchildren, which “empowers families to pursue and engage in the most appropriate learning options for their children.” The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC) is for lower to middle income families. The Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES), formerly known as the Gardiner Scholarship, is for lower to middle income families and students with unique abilities. The Hope Scholarship is for public school students who are bullied or victims of violence. And the Reading Scholarship Accounts is for public school students in grades 3-5 who struggle with reading.
Family Empowerment Scholarship – Varies
The Family Empowerment Scholarship (formerly, the Gardiner Scholarship) is available to Florida students – ages 3 through 12th grade, or up to age 22 – with special needs. A qualifying disability includes anaphylaxis, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, deaf or hearing-impaired, Down syndrome, dual sensory-impaired, emotional or behavioral disability, intellectual disability, language-impaired, muscular dystrophy, orthopedic impaired, Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, rare disease (as defined by the National Organization for Rare Disorders), speech impairment, specific learning disability, spina bifida, traumatic brain injury, or Williams syndrome. Students ages 3-5 who are deemed “high risk” because of developmental delays may also qualify. Families can choose financial assistance toward private school tuition and fees or assistance with transportation to a public school in and out ther school district.
In conclusion, the journey to finding the perfect scholarship doesn’t have to be daunting. Whether you’re just beginning your search or looking to expand your options, our comprehensive scholarship directory offers a wide range of opportunities catering to diverse academic interests and backgrounds. For a more personalized approach, consider leveraging the power of TUN AI, our innovative tool designed to match you with scholarships uniquely suited to your profile. Start exploring today and take a step closer to securing the financial support you need for your educational journey.