Disabled Scholarship Opportunities
Many Funding Options Available
With growing medical costs, education costs and business shifting from small easy repetitive tasks to more holistic service oriented businesses it has become more difficult for disabled people to compete in the US economy.
Students with disabilities can qualify for a number of unique scholarships. While we have assembled a few well-respected resources and organizations here, you should not by any means discount the other scholarship resources in our pages. Disabled students might also focus on minority scholarships, and females might seek assistance with a scholarship that is designed for women.
The Disabled Minority
Often considered under the umbrella of other minority groups, the disabled sometimes pass unaccounted for.
Because of either physical or learning disabilities, disabled individuals have been much more challenged in professional and educational environments than have many other groups.
Lack of self-esteem in the business world, as well as an historic lack of both educational and career resources, has made their numbers alarmingly low among the population of well-educated professionals.
Prior to the fairly recent Americans with Disabilities Act, the disabled have even been denied physical access to most public places and have often been denied jobs because of lack of adequate facilities and adaptive equipment to meet their unique needs.
Foundations and Associations
The Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation is specially designed for physically disabled women participating in graduate studies. This grant accomplishes a couple of important goals:
- to offer financial support to disabled female students who are working on their graduate studies, possibly against numerous odds;
- and to encourage women, who already constitute a significant minority group, to overcome multiple challenges.
Not only have many professional circles been historically dominated by males, but most industries are severely lacking in disabled and female professionals.
Another reputable resource is the Learning Disabilities Association. This national organization is committed to providing services, education, and resources for those individuals with learning disabilities such as dyslexia and ADHD, among others. Students facing such challenges might benefit from contacting their state’s chapter of the LDA.
Federal Scholarships
One of the most informational resources online is the Federal government’s Disabilities Information website. Students and parents will find quite a bit of information regarding educational assistance. Once again, parents and students are advised to explore all types of scholarship opportunities.
Unique Scholarships
Another excellent resource for links associated with scholarships for the disabled is the Grants for Disabled Individuals. There is even the Billy Barty Foundation, offering scholarship money to students with dwarfism.
