Disability Scholarships from the Best Sources

disability student financial aid
Disability Scholarships from the Best Sources

Disability scholarships can be found mostly through private organizations which provide support for the particular disability in some way; either by selling products, or a non-profit charitable association of some type. These can be societies as well such as the Multiple sclerosis (MS) society. For example wheelchair.com sells wheel chairs to its disabled customers, but also has a wheelchair.com scholarship program for disabled students to apply to.

This will help disabled students looking for scholarships for college in their searching process. If you want to find particular disability scholarships search for organizations which provide support for that particular disability because many times they will have a educational award you can apply to on their website.

It’s that simple!

Support organizations are the best way to find exact disability student financial aid. There are hundreds of disabilities and even more support organizations for these disabilities to go along with it. Fifty percent or more of them will have an educational award program. Some awards are small, while others larger then others.

Disability related Foundations and Memorial websites set up for the purpose of remembering individuals who are no longer with us are good sources also. Foundations serve many purpose’s and many have disability scholarships students can apply to. Looking for these can be easy. Using the search term “disability foundations” or “disability memorials” will uncover many.

An example of a Disability Memorial scholarship can be found for The Alex Lieber Memorial Scholarship. This is a disability scholarship set up in memory of Alex Lieber for those students to apply who are diagnosed with Hemophilia.

An example for a Disability Foundation Scholarship for students with Hemophilia looking for student financial aid can be seen at the National Hemophilia Foundation.

Government Disability Website for Scholarships for Disabled Students

Another place to look is at the government website. You can read more about it at government disability student financial aid website.  This website does a nice job in explaining how to get disability scholarships and other disability student financial aid and with straight forward bare bones advice on what to do when looking for money to pay for your college education.

The Disability Government Website covers everything students need to know when looking for student aid; but stops short of listing all the disability scholarships out there today simply because its hard to cover all of them. There are too many of them and new ones come out every year. They list the larger high profile ones that have been around for awhile, but the under the radar awards don’t get mentioned. This is where the student themselves has to do the digging using the internet to uncover them.

Direct College Fin Aids office for Disability Scholarships

Their is also another place disabled students should automatically look FIRST and that is the college/colleges which they are interested in attending. Most universities and colleges have scholarships for disabled students already in place and you just have to ask about them. This sounds simple enough too; but you must ask, or inquire about them through the financial aids office.

The very best thing to do is to MEET IN PERSON with a financial aids manager who has been there awhile and knows all about these awards. They can be very helpful in their suggestions on applying to everything you can to get your maximum financial aid package. Certain programs may not seem like they are disability programs by name, but they will do they same thing and this is what an experienced Fin Aids manager will know about and can tell you.

Usually, colleges and Universities award disability scholarships to any type of disability too. Proof of disability must be shown that’s all. There are some colleges who are more proactive then others in awarding disability scholarships to disability students and this can be seen on the number of disability student financial aid programs they have available on their websites.

Some colleges will mention they do have disability student aid; but there aren’t any awards to be seen; while others are filled with disability student aid offerings on their websites such as both these articles explain for ‘MSU Disabilities Scholarships‘ and ‘Scholarships for Disabled Students from the University of Maine‘.

Scholarships for Students with Disabilities from MSU

Scholarships for Disabled Students from the University of Maine

In fact, as this PARTICULAR article states ‘Disability Scholarships from the University of Michigan Initiative on Disability Studies (UMInDS) are Awesome!‘ the University of Michigan is about as good as it gets when it comes to colleges who have disability scholarships.

Disability Scholarships from the University of Michigan Initiative on Disability Studies (UMInDS) are Awesome!

https://ssd.umich.edu/

Disabled students with any type of disability can always apply to general disability scholarships, regardless of the type of disability. General disability scholarships are not ‘disability specific’.

Disability Financial Aid for College

Disability financial aid for college come from more places then just a few short years ago when very little existed of scholarships for disabled students.

Disability Financial Aid for College
Disability Financial Aid for College

Disability financial aid for college come from more places nowadays then just a few short years ago when very little existed in terms of scholarships for disabled students. Now there is no shortage for students who are disabled looking for student aid to help pay for college. The below outlines a few of these which may be of assistance to some.

Bottar Leone Scholarship

This disability student aid program is sponsored by Bottar Leone Attorneys in the amount of $2,500 and with a deadline of Dec. 1st. It is for students who have a physical or learning disability and is awarded twice yearly in the amount of $2,500. Applicants must be high school graduates, 3.0 GPA, demonstrate financial need, enrolled full time in college and have a documented disability.

Students are to write an 500-1500 word essay on one of three posted questions dealing with coping with disability.

Bottar Leone, PLLC, is central New York’s largest law firm devoted to representing injured patients, workers, motorists & consumers.

Beat the Odds Scholarship

The Children’s Defense Fund sponsors the BOS scholarships for disabled students. High school seniors attending school in Minneapolis, St. Paul, or a twin city suburb who has limited income or family support, demonstrates devotion to social justice and community can apply.

An essay of no more then 750 words about how the applicant has overcome major obstacles & challenges, how they have achieved academic success despite their hardships endured (even though no GPA requirements necessary) and high-lite their commitment in serving others in ANY way! The disability financial aid amount varies around $5,000.

An easy online application is available for submissions.

The Children’s Defense Fund is a private & not for profit organization supported by individual donations, foundation, corporate & government grants whose sole purpose is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life & a successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

Injury Lawyer News Annual Disability Scholarship

This $1,000 disability financial aid is available to law; and pre-law students who have been accepted into a university who have a documented physical, or learning disability. Applicants are to submit a 1500 to 2000 word essay about the biggest challenges they have overcome because of their disability; AND what area of law they desire to practice, and why. December 31st is deadline.

Injury Lawyer News brings the latest information about lawsuits involving personal injury resulting from taking dangerous drugs and other defective products which involve the safety & well being of all consumers in the United States.

ExceptionalNurse.com College Scholarships

ExceptionalNurse.com has a number of disability scholarships all ranging up to $500. The Scholarships are open to those students who have a documented disability who been admitted to a college or university program on a full-time basis only.

They also have nursing only applicant disability scholarships all ranging up from $250 to $500 all with similar requirements too.

ExceptionalNurse.com mission is to help and assist people with a disability who are involved with nursing, students as well ass active nurses.

Jesse Brown Scholarships

The Disabled American Veterans sponsors disability financial aid of up to $20,000 for the first place winner, 15K, 10K, 7.5K and 5K for other winners as well. It’s an award in memory of Jesse Brown which honors young volunteers whose dedication is to have served veterans.

Scholarship applicants may be volunteers who are age 21 or younger; & have volunteered for a minimum of 100 hours annually at a VA medical center during the previous calendar year. An essay about their experiences of volunteering for the Veterans must accompany their scholarship submission.

The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is dedicated in providing support to those who have served, (and their families) for the well being of our country and its ideals.

Surgical Watch Scholarship for Disabled Students

This disability scholarship is created for students pursing a career in their field of choice; with no precise field of study to apply required.

Applicants are to submit a 1500-2000 word essay about “if your disability has effected you personally and academically” for a chance to win a $1,000 award?

Deadline is December 31st. Must be currently enrolled in a 4 year university or in an accredited law school.

SurgicalWatch.com is a provider of up to date information on lawsuits involving defective medical devices that affect US patients & consumers. They are owned by Eisbrouch Marsh, LLC, which is a national law firm located in New Jersey.

Illinois State University Scholarships for Disabled Students

Illinois State University scholarships for disabled students are provided through donors and sponsors irrespective of their ability or disability status.

Scholarships for Disabled Students
Illinois State University Scholarships for Disabled Students

In conjunction with Illinois State University Disability Concerns has been offering scholarships to students from time to time at the learning institution.

These scholarships for disabled students are normally provided through donors and sponsors who are passionate about ensuring that all students are able to attend the best schools in the country irrespective of their ability or disability status.

The main goal is to make sure that all students have the same opportunities to realize their growth potential and make the best use of it so that they can attain all their goals whether professional or personal.

Through the disability scholarships the students can look forward to becoming successful alumni in the institution and also possess some of the necessary skills to become successful individuals later on in their lives. The following are some of the disabilities scholarships that are awarded to students who are enrolled in the institution.

All of the scholarships for disabled students are normally awarded based on merit due to the need to encourage participation of students with disabilities at a higher level professionally. Therefore, before you apply you have to make sure that you are within the acceptable academic standings necessary for the award.

Disability Concerns Educational Enhancement Scholarship

The institution offers six of these disabled scholarships every other year. Each of the scholarships is worth $2,000 and the selection and award criteria is rather different from what other scholarship programs require.

For you to be considered for the award you must be a client of Disability Concerns, an existing client.

The award is normally given to students with particular disabilities, which include vision, traumatic injury to the brain, speech disorders, mobility and hearing.

In as far as you are applying for this award it is important to ensure that you understand the award is given based on demonstrated financial need.

Disability Concerns Will to Succeed Scholarship from Illinois State University

The Will to Succeed Scholarship offers one scholarship worth $2,000 to the applicants every other year. Before you are awarded the scholarship there are some conditions that you have to meet to be considered.

Only current clients of Disability Concerns get to enjoy the benefit of the scholarship. Apart from that it is also mandatory that you are a registered undergraduate student at Illinois State University, and be an individual of good standing socially and academically. With that in mind, candidates must at least attain a minimum 2.5 GPA based on the 4.0 GPA scale.

There are different disabilities that are considered eligible for these scholarships, and they include only the following: persons with communication disorder, autism spectrum disorder, psychiatric disability, medical disability, and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.

Apart from these, students who suffer from different learning disabilities are also eligible for the award and are therefore encouraged to apply.

Dr. Judith Joan Smithson Scholarship for disabled students

The institution offers one scholarship every year up to $1000 to the student. Before you are awarded the disability scholarship, the awards committee will have to make sure that you are a graduate student who has attained good academic standings.

In particular, you must have attained on average between 3.2 and 4.0 GPA in your academics.

If possible the committee will be looking to award students who are actively pursuing a degree program, any certification program of if not, you are enrolled in any job enhancement course through your graduate classes.

The applicant must be considered a disabled person under the Americans with Disability Act, and if you are awarded the disabilities scholarship, you have to be willing to serve in the position of a spokesperson for Disability Concerns.

This means that you can be called upon whenever and wherever necessary to serve in your ambassadorial role as a spokesperson.

Though a lot of students normally apply for this scholarship, students who hold an undergraduate degree from Illinois State University normally have an upper hand in the awards.

Read more at: Illinois State University Disability Concerns.

Scholarships for Disabled Students from the University of Maine

Through scholarships for disabled students the University of Maine with its Disability Support Services (DSS) offers disability scholarships.

Scholarships for Disabled Students
Scholarships for Disabled Students from the University of Maine

Through scholarships for disabled students the University of Maine, with its Disability Support Services (DSS) aims to make sure that the students that are living with disabilities are able to get a chance at a good education more or less in the same way that their peers who are not disabled.

Through the DSS the institution offers not just an opportunity for equal learning with the rest of the student population, but they also ensure that the disabled students are able to enjoy a good accommodation while in campus.

These students are normally accorded special services which include accommodation when they are having tests, note takers, relocation of their classrooms and so forth to ensure that they are in a good position to study at the same pace with the rest of the student body.

Class of 1963 Scholarships for disabled students from Main University

This disability scholarship is normally available for students with all kinds of disabilities, and because of this all students with any disability is encouraged to apply so that they can be considered for the award.

Albert Conley Scholarship for disabled students

In as much as all students are normally encouraged to apply for this scholarship as long as they are disabled, preference is given to those who are suffering from speech and/or language impairments from time to time.

Maine Vocational Rehabilitation Thank You Scholarship for the disabled student

This particular scholarship is available for the students who particularly are enrolled in the Maine Vocational Rehabilitation program and for this reason it is rather unique only to this category of students.

Veronica Barry Scholarship for students with disabilities

The Veronica Barry scholarship was instilled into the Maine University system in order to provide a means of uplifting students who are living with physical disabilities. These are students who have personal needs in as far as equipment is concerned. At the same time, students who require general assistance are also encouraged to apply for this scholarship.

Before you apply for this college disability scholarship however, it is important that you send a quote for the equipment that you intend to use, especially if this is available from a very reputable vendor. This will help your cause towards having the equipment funded for you.

Henriette C. Murphy Scholarship

Undergraduate students at the University of Maine who are disabled are encouraged to apply for this particular scholarship. It is not just about being disabled or undertaking an undergraduate study program here that will help you get this award, but it is also awarded on merit. The award is normally given by Henriette C. Murphy’s family so as to honor the work that she championed with students who live with disabilities over time.

The student will have to demonstrate a strong academic standing before they are considered for the award. In this regard, you have to sustain an average GPA of 2.5 or its equivalent. Alongside that, you must have also enrolled in a part time degree or a full-time degree in a 2-4 year degree program.

For those who are undertaking undergraduate studies, you need at least 6 credit hours to be considered for the award, while those who are undertaking graduate courses need at least 3 hours to be eligible for the scholarship.

It is also mandatory that you are enrolled into the institution for the current semester within which you are making an application for consideration of an award of the scholarship.

Due to the high number of applications that are received each time the award is open for candidates, besides the academic qualifications that are considered, the award committee normally takes into consideration students who have a demonstrated financial need together with their academic merit.

All of these scholarship awards for disabled students will be overseen by a subcommittee of the President’s Council on Disabilities towards the end of the Fall semester before the awards are given out.

However, there is no precise amount of disability college scholarships available because they are all available on an endowment basis so the amount is different every other year.

Read more about the University of Main’s disability scholarships.