Tag: chronic illness scholarships

Disability Scholarships for Financial Aid

There are really nice disability scholarships offered by some new disability related organizations worth looking into. Summary of disability financial aid.

Disability Scholarships for Financial Aid
Disability Scholarships for Financial Aid

There are really nice disability scholarships offered by some new disability related organizations worth looking into. Below are a summary of those disability financial aid.

Rehabmart.com Disability Scholarships

Rehabmart.com that are worth looking into because there are multiple awards given out yearly which increases the chances of winning. Rehabmart.com has established a $25,000 scholarship fund for students with disabilities, and for students pursuing a college degree in a health sciences/healthcare-related field, along with students pursuing special education degrees.

Rehabmart is owned and operated by Occupational and Physical Therapists who also happen to be parents of disabled children. They have designed their Scholarships to promote awareness to the cause of making higher education accessible for students living with disabilities. Rehabmart.com strongly feels that this is a way for them to give back, while at the same time showing their gratitude for the healthcare, health sciences and special education professions.

In 2016 there were 35 Rehabmart scholarship winners from a pool of 900 applicants who responded. This was the very first year that the scholarship was offered by Rehabmart.

Students can apply online for a chance to win from $250 to $2,500 by writing a short thoughtful essay about this question posted on their scholarship website page:

“What medical device, technology, or therapeutic technique do you believe has made the biggest difference in the life (or will make in the future) of a disabled adult or child? Tell us what your chosen device / technology / technique is, and explain how it has/will make a difference”.

The essays most considered are ones which have 250 or more words in them, and are clear, concise, and informative biographies having pertinent material such as how applicants overcame their own physical & mental challenges, what extra-curricular activities they participate in, what causes they volunteer for, and alternative ways that people are helping others.

Students with a disability of ANY major can also apply too for a chance at winning one of the awards; and not just health science students and special needs education. There will be multiple disability scholarships given out to those qualified fitting the scholarship criteria. The deadline date for all submissions is May 31st.

To apply go to the Rehabmart Scholarships.

Axon Optics Migraine Story Scholarships for Disability

Axon Optics has a $1,000 disability scholarship for students affected in one way or another by migraine. Any full time student can apply too. To apply, applicants must submit an essay with no more then (300) words, OR a video less then one minute, OR an image such as a drawing or photograph, or similar: on answering ONE of these questions:

1) What is your migraine story?
2) What is your light sensitivity story?

This MUST be submitted on the applicants social media account!

This past year’s submission deadline has just passed (November 30th) , but you can apply for next year.

Axon Optics is a provider of eyeglasses and contact lenses that block the wavelengths of light shown to reduce light sensitivity & migraines. They assist hundreds of individuals who suffer with this incurable debilitating illness. It is estimated that over 10% of the population suffer from migraine headaches and it has become the eighth most disabling illness in the world today.

ASAN Autistic Scholars Fellowship Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities

Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a non-profit organization run by and for Autistic people. It was started for the disability rights for the Autistic community. They work for Autistic public policy changes, cultural activities, information, education, and advocacy relevant Autistic projects.

Up to six students have a chance to win $5,000 in tuition disability scholarships who suffer from autism. Applicants will be screened based on a strong background in civil rights activism, a commitment in working in an inclusive fashion, and building up of the the Autistic cause in their college – all for Autistic people. November 15th is deadline yearly.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Disabilities Scholarships for Graduate Students

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation offers up to (15) scholarships, $ 5,000 each, for students enrolled full time in graduate study in a communication sciences and disorders program in the US. Two each will be awarded for minority, international, and NSSLHA students. It appears that this award does NOT need applicants to have a disability to apply; but asking them first would be advisable before applying.

The ASHFoundation started in 1946, is a charitable organization that supports the advancement of knowledge in the field of communication sciences and strives to assist the lives of people with hearing, speech and language disorders. Its estimated that 49 million Americans are affected with a speech-language-hearing disorder of some kind.

Bella Soul Disabled Scholarships

The Bella Soul Yow Sibling disability scholarships are for full time students who actively participates in taking care of their sibling with a physical ailment, physical disease, and/or physical disability – ie. suffering with some type of chronic illness or physical disability. Not based on GPA. Applicants are to write a three page double spaced essay about what it’s like taking care of a sibling afflicted with a disease/disorder of some type:

1) Explain day to day routine.
2) Explain what you have learned from your sibling who is confronting a disability?
3) What advice would you give to another individual confronting similar adversity?

Applicants do not have to be suffering from a disability to apply to this scholarship either.

Chronic Illness Scholarships for Disabilities

Chronic Illness scholarships for disabilities are available to students who are interested through institutions of high learning but living with chronic diseases.

Chronic Illness scholarshipsChronic Illness scholarships for disabilities are available to students who are interested in getting degrees through institutions of high learning but are also living with chronic diseases. The programs designed for this purpose are very often inspired under the hope that by providing some financial assistance students with chronic diseases will be able to better attend school with fewer worries on their minds. Students who have lived their entire lives with a disease, or some portion of a recurring and debilitating illness, have often struggled quite enough as it is. By relieving the financial burden of higher education costs their lives are in all hopes made a little easier.

Such illness scholarships are provided at many different levels – nationally in some instances by large non-profits and regionally by colleges or groups with more local mandates. Those students who have lived their lives with a chronic illness should consider these programs. However, interested students should know that not all programs are designed with all diseases in mind, and they should look over eligibility requirements to make sure that the chronic illness scholarship they are interested in does in fact apply to them.

Amongst the organizations which provide chronic illness scholarships, the Foundation for Science and Disability gives out multiple $1,000 awards every year. This particular illness scholarship is specifically offered to graduate students looking to continue their education. All applicants must be studying a STEM course (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and must also be citizens of the United States. Applicants should also be suffering from a disability for chronic illness which otherwise incapacitates them. The deadline for this program is December 1.

The Incight Education program provides a varying number of scholarships every year which range from $750 to $1,000. This program is limited to students who are suffering from a chronic condition which is debilitating. While the number of recipients varies, in 2010 over 80 different students received awards from the organization. There are very few eligibility requirements for this program outside of having a documented chronic disability and attending school full time. Deadlines for future academic cycles will be posted on the Incight website, so students should pay attention and stay tuned. Interesting to note about this program is the potential of going to a “matching” partner school. This illness scholarship allows students who are attending specific schools to have their award amount matched by the institution they are attending. Students interested in this option should review the schools which participate in the matching program.

Not all chronic illness scholarships for disabilities are available only through these nationally oriented programs. Many different universities provide their own illness scholarships which students should be interested in considering. Those students interested in finding chronic illness scholarships at their own academic institution should consider checking with their local office of Continuing Education or Department of Financial Aid. The Timothy Weise Memorial Scholarship is a good example of such a program available at San Francisco State University. The award amount given out by this program is $600. All applicants will need to have at least a 2.5 grade point average, have a financial need as shown by their FAFSA filing, and be registered with the school’s Office of Disability Resources. Students who are enrolled in a graduate program at San Francisco State University will be able to apply for this illness scholarship as well but must maintain a 3.0 grade point average.

Chronic illness scholarships largely focus around those conditions which cause debilitating effects in their victims. Not all programs are equal, but all provide something which a student will be able to use. Students who are suffering from exceptional disabilities should also consider making use of equipment scholarships which are also offered by many organizations or schools which help provide assistance for equipment an individual may need to make their student experience better in the long run. Students should find that organizations and schools offering illness scholarships are genuinely interested in providing them the support they need to have a successful run in their chosen college, and interested applicants should consider all available options at their disposal.