Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

These scholarships have expired. We'll be updating this blog post soon. 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 will be of interest. We've compiled seven 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.

American Association on Health and Disability Scholarship

For students pursuing health and disability studies

How to Apply: Submit your college transcript and two letters of recommendation, and write a personal statement of no more than 2 pages on your educational/career goals, extra-curricular activities, and reasons why you should be selected
Eligibility: Must be at least a sophomore in college with a disability as defined by the ADA pursuing studies related to health and disability, including public health, health promotion, disability studies, disability research, rehabilitation engineering, audiology, disability policy, and special education
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 1, 2024
Website: https://aahd.us/initiatives/scholarship-program/ 

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 the lives of 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 2024 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 13, 2024
Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/microsoftdisabilityscholarship.aspx   

Autism Can Do Scholarship

For students interested in design

How to Apply: Provide a brief statement about yourself and design a pair of socks using the template provided
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors and current college students who are on the autism spectrum
Amount: Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000
Deadline: March 15, 2024
Website: https://johnscrazysocks.com/pages/autism-can-do-scholarship-2024 

National Federation of the Blind Scholarship

For students with legal blindness

How to Apply: Submit an application, which includes one letter of recommendation, your academic transcript, proof of legal blindness, an interview with your NFB affiliate president, and an essay of 700 words or less on what sets you apart from other applicants
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 2024. Must also participate in the NFB National Convention (finalists will receive assistance to attend)
Amount: Multiple winners of $8,000 each
Deadline: March 31, 2024
Website: https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program

Organization for Autism Research Scholarship

For students with autism
How to Apply: Choose between three scholarship options, all of which require completion of an application, which includes three short-essay questions; 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 22, 2024
Website: https://researchautism.org/how-we-help/scholarships/

180 Medical Scholarship

For students with a medical condition
How to Apply: Tell your story, including how your medical condition has affected your life and your goals for the future, through either a video of 5 minutes or less or an essay of 750 words or less
Eligibility: Open to incoming and current college or graduate students who are under a physician's care for a spinal cord injury, spina bifida, transverse myelitis, neurogenic bladder, or ostomy (ileostomy, colostomy, or urostomy)
Amount: Seven winners of $1,000 each
Deadline: June 1, 2024
Website: https://www.180medical.com/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, 2024
Website: https://www.abclawcenters.com/cerebral-palsy-scholarship/

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