Scholarships for students pursuing college or graduate study are invaluable in making educational opportunities more widely available. A number of scholarships exist to support the education of students with vision impairment. In preparing for the coming year, students and their families can explore offerings that may match their interests and goals. Those considering scholarship opportunities are advised to apply for funding from their state’s Commission for the Blind or equivalent agency; some scholarships require proof of this step for a student to be considered. Following are some individual scholarships available for the upcoming academic year:
– The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is accepting applications for its annual scholarships from high school seniors through graduate school students who are blind or have low vision. The application deadline is midnight ET, March 31, 2024. Currently 30 “merit-based scholarships” of $8,000 each are available. Recipients attend the NFB national Convention in July. In addition, NFB and HumanWare are collaborating to offer the “Jim Halladay HumanWare/NFB” scholarship to four candidates, each of whom will receive $1,000 and one Braillant BI40 braille display. NFB scholarship applicants can select a checkbox on their application to gain access to the questions related to this award.
– Lighthouse Guild offers merit-based scholarships to students with vision loss who are about to enter college or embark on a graduate education. Each year, up to 20 scholarships are offered to “outstanding high school students” and at least one to a graduate student. Applications are due by March 31, 2024.
– Lavelle Fund for the Blind provides two scholarships for college and graduate students who are legally blind and visually impaired and studying at one of twelve partnering colleges and universities in the Tri-State New York area. The Lavelle-Brother Kearney Scholarship Program provides financial support and career preparation assistance to students to enter and advance in the profession of their choice. Their Lavelle Leaders Awards are one-time only merit awards of $5,000 offered to two students per year. The application deadline is June 30, 2024.
For lists and details about these and other scholarships, check these links to webpages of the Lavelle Fund for the Blind and Lighthouse Guild. For further details about specific scholarships of interest, it would be advisable to contact the scholarship provider directly. Additional scholarship information for the coming academic year was featured in a previous issue of this Bulletin. Parents, educators, students, and others can also connect with local community organizations that provide services to individuals with vision loss to inquire about other funding opportunities to support the pursuit of higher education.
