College can be expensive for anyone, but it can be especially costly for those with disabilities. Some classroom accommodations are paid for out-of-pocket, medical bills tend to be much higher, and even transportation costs can be greater than what a typical student would have to pay to get to and from class. These are just a few of the reasons why it’s so important for students with disabilities to have ample funding options available to them. This guide focuses on those options, with the goal of helping students with disabilities find the resources they need to pay for and succeed in college.

ABC Law Centers Cerebral Palsy Annual Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000  

Deadline: July 31 (annually)  

Eligibility: Seeking or completing or have obtained higher education at an institution in the United States, have cerebral palsy, GPA of at least 3.0  

Description: This scholarship “for financial assistance designed to simultaneously increase awareness about cerebral palsy (CP) and celebrate the achievements of those with cerebral palsy.” The application requires an official academic transcript, a project (either an essay or creative project), and an explanation of what you plan to do with the scholarship funds. The project portion addresses a specific topic with a creative video or essay, depending on what your strength is.

Anne Ford Scholarship

Award Amount: $10,000 total ($2,500/ four years)

Deadline: April 5, 2021 (annual)

Eligibility: Must have a documented learning disability and/ or ADHD, currently a graduating high school senior, will be enrolled in a full-time bachelor’s degree program in the fall

Description: The Anne Ford Scholarship is specifically for students who have a learning disability and plan on attending a four-year university. This organization has a similar scholarship for students with a learning disability that plan on attending a two-year college. Applicants have to complete the online application; this requests documentation to confirm your learning disability and/or ADHD along with academic documentation, recommendation forms, and financial forms. The National Center for Learning Disabilities is looking for applicants who “express financial need” and “demonstrate their ability to contribute positively to society and present opportunities for other students with learning disabilities.”

Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship

Award Amount: $5,000

Deadline: July 31, 2021

Eligibility: You or a close family member has been diagnosed with a form of autism (including Asperger syndrome), enrolled in or accepted into an accredited college or vocational school

Description: This scholarship memorialized fourteen-year-old Avonte Oquendo, a boy with autism who went missing and ultimately passed away. The scholarship is geared toward showing “support for the autistic community in memory of this extraordinary young man.” The application requires an official or unofficial transcript and an essay between 500 and 1,000 words on one of the three specified topics.

Hard of Hearing Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Deadline: March 30, 2021 (annual)

Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen, must have a minimum 40dB bilateral hearing loss, currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree on a full-time basis, GPA of at least 3.2 (specific GPA guidelines apply to high school seniors vs college students)

Description: The Hard of Hearing or Deaf Scholarship is “ the leading scholarship for hard of hearing or deaf students since the program’s inception in 1994.” The application requires two letters of recommendation, a high school and/or college transcript (official or unofficial), and a recent audiogram from a hearing health professional (must’ve been taken in the last two years).

Graeme Clark Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,000/ year (up to four years)

Deadline: March 31 (annually)

Eligibility: Must be Baha/ Osia/ Nucleus recipient, citizen of United States or Canada, graduating high school seniors, undergraduate or graduate students that have applied or will be enrolled in an accredited college or technical school, GPA of at least 3.0, excludes Cochlear employees or their family members

Description: The Graeme Clark memorial scholarship celebrates professor Graeme Clark, who researched the first Nucleus implant. The scholarship recipients are selected based on academic achievement, “a demonstrated commitment to the Cochlear ideals of leadership and humanity,” and your extracurricular and community service involvement. The application is online and gets reviews by an internal Scholarship Selection Committee; final winners are selected by healthcare professionals.

INCIGHT Scholarship

Award Amount: Varies

Deadline: Varies

Eligibility: Currently a resident of Washington/ Oregon/ California, have a disability as defined by ADA/ DSM-V/ IDEA (autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, developmental delay, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment), must be attending college/ community college/ university/ vocational school (any degree type), enrolled to INCIGHT

Description: The INCIGHT Scholarship aids students with disabilities who are pursuing a higher education. This organization is looking for “students who demonstrate outstanding service to their community and overcome personal obstacles.” The application consists of an online application form, two completed essay responses. The essay responses can be in video format, one to three minutes in length.