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Nursing school scholarships for students living with disabilities provide funding for undergraduate and graduate degrees. Disability scholarships from private foundations and public agencies help individuals living with specific physical, mental, or learning disabilities. Some disability scholarship opportunities limit awards to students who plan to attend particular schools or programs.
Students living with disabilities may be unaware of the many available scholarships for nursing school. While the following list of scholarships is not exhaustive, it covers several different funding opportunities for high school and undergraduate students living with disabilities.
AbbVie Cystic Fibrosis Scholarship
Who Can Apply: This scholarship assists exceptional students living with cystic fibrosis. Candidates must provide evidence of U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status, academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and creativity.
Amount: $3,000
AG Bell College Scholarship Program
Who Can Apply: This scholarship awards students with bilateral hearing loss diagnosed before the age of four who use listening and spoken language as their primary communication mode. Each candidate must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher and attend a four-year college or university.
Amount: $1,500-$2,500
Beth Carew Memorial Scholarship Program
ho Can Apply: Undergraduate students with hemophilia, Von Willebrand disease, or a related inherited bleeding disorder may apply. Candidates must demonstrate a record of community service or volunteer work.
Amount: $500-$6,000
BRAF Cheryl D. Conkling Memorial Scholarship
Who Can Apply: The Baton Rouge Area Foundation sponsors this award for students living with hearing and other physical impairments. Applicants must live in or attend school in Baton Rouge or nearby communities.
Amount: $1,500 per semester for eight semesters, totaling $12,000
Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship
Who Can Apply: This award provides college funding for sophomore and junior high school students who have overcome major physical or mental abuse or catastrophic illness. Recipients must demonstrate high financial need and academic promise.
Amount: Varies
Christopher Mark Pitkin Memorial Scholarship
Who Can Apply: This scholarship supports postsecondary and college education for individuals living with hemophilia and HIV, along with their family members. Applicants must reside in Southern California counties, including Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, and Santa Barbara.
Amount: $1,000
CSU Dale M. Schoettler Scholarship for Visually Impaired Students
Who Can Apply: Students who have a visual impairment and attend California State University may apply for this award. Each applicant must have a minimum 2.8 GPA and enroll in 6.1 credits.
Amount: $10,000
ExceptionalNurse.com College Scholarship Awards
Who Can Apply: Nursing students who have applied to or received admission to full-time nursing programs may apply.
Amount: $250-500
Faith Hope and Love Jesus, Inc. College Scholarship
Who Can Apply: This organization awards an annual undergraduate scholarship to students who provide documentation of blood disorders or cancer diagnoses. Each candidate must provide a copy of their college acceptance letter or transcript and submit an essay on any topic of their choice.
Amount: $500
GLHF Education Scholarship
Who Can Apply: Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation provides tuition assistance to students living with bleeding disorders or their family members. Applicants must reside in Wisconsin or receive care at the Wisconsin Hemophilia Treatment Centers.
Amount: $250-$3,000
JCS Community Services Scholarship
Who Can Apply: The Jewish Federation of Baltimore offers this Jewish Community Services Scholarship to high school seniors living with learning disabilities. Recipients must attend accredited U.S. schools.
Amount: Varies
International Essential Tremor Foundation
Who Can Apply: Individuals with an essential tremor who possess GPAs of at least 2.5 and attend accredited institutions may apply. Applicants must have a record of community service and leadership skills.
Amount: $1,000
Jennifer Leigh Soper Cystic Fibrosis Scholarship
Who Can Apply: Sponsored by the Blue Grass Community Foundation, this award supports graduating high school students living with cystic fibrosis who plan to attend college. Past recipients may reapply annually.
Amount: Varies
Several nursing careers require advanced training beyond a bachelor's degree. This list provides a sample of scholarships for students with disabilities who want to pursue graduate-level education.
Incight Scholarship
Who Can Apply: Current residents of Washington, Oregon, or California with any type of documented disability may apply for this award. Each recipient must fulfill a community/volunteer service requirement.
Amount: Varies
NCJW NY Jackson-Stricks Scholarship
Who Can Apply: The Jackson-Stricks Scholarship provides financial aid to students with physical challenges affecting mobility, vision, or hearing. Recipients must maintain current enrollment in undergraduate or graduate programs in the New York metropolitan area.
Amount: $5,000-$10,000
Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Scholarship
Who Can Apply: This scholarship supports students who have experienced any kind of cancer (not restricted to mesothelioma). Students with an immediate family member or close friend who has battled or is currently fighting cancer may also apply.
Amount: $4,000
NCCF Survivor Scholarship Program
Who Can Apply: Administered by the National Collegiate Cancer Foundation, this award assists cancer survivors or current cancer patients aged 18-35. Each applicant must enroll in an undergraduate, master's, or doctoral program at an accredited college or university.
Amount: $1,000
Powering Education Scholarship
Who Can Apply: The Alpha One Center for Independent Living established this scholarship for Maine residents with documented disabilities as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Amount: $2,000
Soozie Courter Hemophilia Scholarship Program
Who Can Apply: U.S. residents living with hemophilia A or B may apply for this award. Each candidate must demonstrate superior academic standing, submit a persuasive essay, and provide strong letters of recommendation.
Amount: $5,000
UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program
Who Can Apply: Awarded by the biopharma company UCB, this scholarship program offers several awards to individuals living with epilepsy, their family members, and caregivers pursuing higher education, including graduate training.
Amount: $5,000-$10,000
Frequently Asked Questions: Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
Although each scholarship program establishes its own deadlines, students should generally begin their search for funding at least a year before their intended start dates. High school students may begin applying between their junior and senior years. Prospective graduate students should begin applying for grants approximately two semesters before planning to start their programs.
The above lists of disability scholarships indicate the range of merit-based and need-based funding possibilities that organizations provide for undergraduate or graduate education. Students with documented physical and mental disabilities must meet their intended program's admission and academic requirements, either with or without accommodation.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, disability is a legal term referring to individuals with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit major life activities. Colleges and universities, along with other scholarship providers, may adhere to more narrow medical definitions or adopt the terminology used by the federal government or WHO.
Despite the availability of disability scholarships, disclosing a disability may not result in increased financial aid and may restrict students from work-study opportunities or graduate assistantships. Students with disabilities often must pay out of pocket for accommodations. They also may experience higher educational costs not covered by scholarships due to reduced course loads and extended time needed to complete their degrees.
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