Disabilities Grants
There are numerous grants and scholarships for disabled students. Disabled veterans wishing to attend college will also find grants and scholarships available on the page for veteran’s college grants. The best time to apply for college grants is in early January because federal and state funding is limited and after it runs out, it does not become available until the following year.
The website disaboom is a great place to begin searching for scholarships for disabled people. Under “Disability Scholarships”, the website includes Autism, Blind or Vision Impaired, Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis, Deaf or Hearing Impaired, Immunodeficiency Disease, Learning Disabilities, Lupus, and Wheelchair Users among other disabilities.
There are also merit-based scholarships for disabled veterans. See the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) for more details.
Organizations such as the National Federation for the Blind, the Jewish Guild for the Blind, and the National Association of the Deaf also have disabled scholarships.
Universities with Scholarships and Fellowships for Disabled Students
• George Mason University – contact the Disability Resource Center
• George Washington University – contact Disabilities Support Services, ask for their brochure, “Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities”
• Western Michigan University – fellowships for disabled students pursuing degrees in rehabilitation sciences.
• Gallaudet University is a college in Washington, D.C., for the deaf or hearing impaired. They have several scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate students. There is also a scholarship for foreign students.
College Grants for Blind Students
There is also a grant for blind students studying art in college, called the Contact hhmiller@citcom.net for an application. Or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Harvey Miller, 402 East French Broad Street, Brevard, NC 27812-3410.
The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults is the sponsor of the Kenneth Jergian Scholarships.
For more information contact the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults - 1800 Johnson Street, Suite 100 Baltimore, MD 21230 - Telephone: 404-371-1000 – E-mail: actionfund@nfb.org
The American Council of the Blind has several scholarships for the legally blind. For applications or additional information contact: The American Council of the Blind (ACB) Scholarship Program Attn: Dionne Matthews 2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 Telephone: 800-424-8666.
Additional Resources for Disabled Student Grants and Scholarships
The California Association for Postsecondary Education and Disability (CAPED) has several scholarships in the range of $1,000 to $1,500.
The Johnson Scholarship Foundation is a great resource for grants and scholarships for disabled students. Although it does not issue the grants and scholarships, it has links to several foundations that do.
The Anne and Matt Harbison Scholarship is awarded to a student with a language impairment such as dyslexia. Nominations for the scholarship are made by members of the P. Buckley Moss Society. For more information telephone (540) 932-1728.
The National Science Foundation sponsors the Graduate Research Fellowship Program. They award research-based grants for students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree. They encourage applications for women, ethnic minorities, and those with disabilities as a way of increasing diversity in the fields of science, mathematics, technology and engineering.
Disabled students should check with their high school counselor for additional opportunities to find help to pay for college. In addition scholarships for disabled students can often be found directly at the college (either from the department of study or the financial offices) where the disabled student intends to study.
