Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

These scholarships have expired. We'll be updating this blog post in the spring. Please visit our other scholarship blog posts to see current scholarships you can apply for.

If you're a student with disabilities or you know one, this post is for you. We've compiled five scholarships dedicated to individuals with disabilities pursuing postsecondary education. Prizes cap out at $8,000, and some submission requirements include medical confirmation of a certain disability. Take a look through the details below to get started.

Microsoft Disability Scholarship

For students interested in the technology industry

How to Apply: Submit your future plans, academic transcript, a letter of recommendation, and an essay on your vision for a new technology innovation to enhance inclusion for people with disabilities
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors living with a disability as defined by the World Health Organization, planning to attend a U.S. 2 or 4-year college or university in Fall 2023 with a declared major in engineering, computer science, CIS, law, business, or a related field with a GPA of 2.5 or higher
Amount: $5,000 per year, up to $20,000 total
Deadline: March 15, 2023
Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/microsoftdisabilityscholarship.aspx  

National Federation of the Blind Scholarship

For students with legal blindness

How to Apply: Submit an application, which includes an essay, one letter of recommendation, your academic transcript, and proof of legal blindness, and an interview with your NFB affiliate president
Eligibility: Open to U.S. and Puerto Rican residents who are legally blind and pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time course of study in a degree program at a U.S. college or university in Fall 2023. Must also participate in the NFB National Convention (finalists will receive assistance to attend)
Amount: Multiple winners of $8,000 each
Deadline: March 31, 2023
Website: https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program

Will2Walk Foundation Scholarship

For those who suffered a spinal cord injury

How to Apply: Submit an application, which includes several short-answer questions. Scholarship funds can be used for fitness memberships, team dues, everyday living supplies, work-related equipment, educational expenses, or participation in a special event related to spinal cord injuries
Eligibility: Open to students with a traumatic spinal cord injury due to a single, catastrophic event
Amount: Multiple awards of $5,000
Deadline: May 1, 2023
Website: https://will2walk.org/scholarship-program/

Organization for Autism Research Scholarship

For students with autism

How to Apply: Choose between three scholarship options. All require completion of an application, which includes three short-essay questions, and some also require two letters of recommendation
Eligibility: Open to students with an autism diagnosis pursuing full-time education or vocational-technical training at a 2-year or 4-year school, a trade, technical, or vocational school, or in a cooperative life skills program
Amount: $3,000
Deadline: April 24, 2023
Website: https://researchautism.org/how-we-help/scholarships/

ABC Law Centers Cerebral Palsy Bi-Annual Scholarship

For those with cerebral palsy

How to Apply: Submit a complete application, academic transcript, and an essay or other creative project explaining how you have been affected by cerebral palsy and obstacles you've overcome 
Eligibility: Open to current college students who have cerebral palsy and a GPA of at least 3.0
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 31, 2023
Website: https://www.abclawcenters.com/cerebral-palsy-scholarship/

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