students

7 Scholarship Opportunities for Students With Physical Disabilities

Gayathri | Saturday, December 31, 2016 10:01 AM IST

Physical disabilities no longer present the barriers to education they once did. More than 11 percent of students at U.S. postsecondary institutions have physical disabilities, according to available data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

But while many of the factors that once discouraged physically disabled students from pursuing higher education have been eliminated, the high cost still exists. The good news is that some scholarships are designated specifically for students with physical disabilities. Here are seven of the most lucrative.

The Lighthouse Guild offers multiple Lighthouse Guild Scholarships of up to $10,000 each to help legally blind students attend college or graduate school. Students applying for the scholarships must be U.S. citizens.

Applicants must document their academic achievement, provide proof of their legal blindness, submit three letters of recommendation and write an essay up to 500 words on their educational and personal goals. College-bound applicants must write a second essay about an outstanding teacher's influence. The deadline to apply is March 31.

The National Foundation of the Blind provides up to 30 scholarships between $3,000 and $12,000 to recognize blind scholars' achievements. The awards are based on leadership, academic achievement and community service.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens residing in the U.S. or Puerto Rico who are legally blind in both eyes. They must plan to pursue full-time studies at a U.S. college, although one scholarship may be given to a student who works full time and attends school part time. The application deadline is March 31.

Students battling or who have been treated for cancer or chronic or life-threatening, debilitating diseases in the last five years can apply for the Patient Advocate Foundation's Scholarship for Survivors. This $3,000-a-year award, for up to four years, helps students younger than 25 pursue a degree.

To apply, students must be pursuing a bachelor's or higher degree. They must write an essay of up to 1,000 words on how their diagnosis has impacted their life and future goals.

Further, they must submit an official transcript, two letters of recommendation, a financial form and medical documentation. The application deadline is Feb. 25.

Mobility equipment maker Silver Cross offers the Silver Cross Scholarship Program, which awards a $1,500 prize to a full-time college student who uses a power or manual wheelchair or a mobility scooter. Eligibility requirements include enrollment at a recognized U.S. or Canadian college in a three- or four-year undergraduate program.

Applicants must also submit a 500-word essay. The 2016 essay prompt asked applicants to describe the ways in which they have demonstrated leadership and how this has helped them build life skills.

A number of scholarships are also available for students who are deaf or hearing impaired. For example, Cochlear, the organization that developed the multichannel cochlear implant, awards the Graeme Clark Scholarship, worth $2,000 annually for up to four years, to a student who has received a Nucleus Cochlear Implant for hearing impairment.

High school seniors who wish to apply must submit transcripts, three letters of reference and written proof of U.S. residency. Students must also write a personal statement up to 1,000 words that describes their academic aspirations, proposed major, postgraduation goals, definition of success and the reasons they should receive the scholarship. Scholarship recipients must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA.

Students with significant bilateral hearing loss may apply for Sertoma's Scholarship for the Hard of Hearing or Deaf. This $1,000 award is available to high school seniors or undergraduates who are pursuing a four-year college degree in any field.

Applicants must have a minimum 3.2 GPA and must submit an application that includes two letters or recommendation and a personal statement. The deadline to apply is May 1.

Travelers Protective Association's Scholarship Trust for the Hearing Impaired is another scholarship opportunity for students who are deaf or hearing impaired. TPA offers awards in varying amounts, ranging between $100 and $1,000, on a quarterly basis. Special consideration is given to applicants who demonstrate significant financial need. Application deadlines are March 31, June 30, Sept. 30 and Dec. 31.