Top 15 Autism Scholarships in September 2023

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

Are you a graduate student interested in working directly with children to address their special needs? If so, consider applying for the NAJA Graduate Scholarship Program! The program is open to students pursuing graduate-level studies for one year in fields that address the special needs of children and youth. Some such needs may include counseling, mental health, special education, speech pathology, exceptional children, remedial skills development, and gifted and talented. To help address these needs, the scholarship program was created by the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries (NAJA). Since 1962, the Junior Auxiliary Project has served to help children and make a difference in their lives by providing support, resources, and education for its programs. Each year, multiple scholarships of varying amounts are awarded to help pay for the education of students planning to work with children. If you are interested in working with children and attending to their special needs, we encourage you to apply!

Are you under the age of 18, have a disability, and have been accepted for membership by a guide dog training program? If so, consider applying for the Canines for Disabled Kids Scholarship! The scholarship is open to minors with physical disabilities, psychological disabilities, or who are on the Autism Spectrum. In addition, applicants must have been accepted by a guide dog training program. The scholarship is funded by Canines for Disabled Kids, a non-profit organization that supports child-canine service teams to promote independence and social awareness. The scholarship recipients are awarded between $250 and $5,000 to help pay for their guide dog training program. Applications are considered semiannually, with deadlines typically on both the last day of December and May. If you could use some help paying for your guide dog training program, we encourage you to apply!

The Sunwise Capital Autism Scholarship is funded by Sunwise Capital, an organization that provides business owners the capital to achieve financial credibility resulting in their business. Each year, their Sunwise Capital Autism Scholarship awards $500 to multiple high school graduates, undergraduates, and life skill students with autism. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

The Mays Mission Scholarships are funded by Mays Mission for the Handicapped, an organization that offers scholarships to deserving students with physical and/or mental disabilities. Each year, their Mays Mission Scholarships award grants of varying amounts to students working towards a bachelor's degree who have a physical or mental disability. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

The Schwallie Family Scholarship is funded by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), an organization that is dedicated to applying research to the challenges of autism. They aim to use science to address the social, educational, and treatment concerns of autistic people, their caregivers, and their loved ones. Each year, OAR awards $3,000 to multiple students with autism to help them fund their education. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

Are you a current or prospective college student on the autism spectrum? If so, applying for the Making A Difference For Autism Scholarship may interest you! The scholarship is open to both current and incoming undergraduate students with autism who are from anywhere around the world. The scholarship is offered by KFM Making A Difference, an organization founded by Kerry Magro focused on spreading awareness, supporting education for students with autism, and “making a difference” for those with special needs. The scholarship awards $500 to one winner each year. If you are a student looking to pay for college costs and are on the autism spectrum, we encourage you to apply!

Are you a student with autism attending a two-year, vocational/trade school, or life skills program? If so, you might be interested in applying for the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship! This scholarship is open to students with “an established autism diagnosis”. Since 2013, the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) has offered the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship. It is funded by the Lisa Higgins Hussman Foundation and aims to support students whose everyday lives face challenges related to autism. Each year, the scholarship awards $3,000 to multiple eligible applicants. Out of the typical 600+ applications that the program receives, only around 50 scholarships are awarded in the program per cycle. If you have an autism diagnosis and are looking for help paying off a degree or transition program, consider applying!

The INCIGHT Scholarship is funded by INCIGHT, an organization that unlocks the potential of individuals with disabilities through employment, education, and independence. Every year, their INCIGHT Scholarship awards $500 to multiple Washington, Oregon, and California residents who will be attending institutions of higher education and have any type of disability. If this scholarship sounds like a fit for you, keep on reading for more application details.

Are you the parent, friend, or teacher of a beloved student with autism? If so, consider applying for the Varghese Summersett Autism Scholarship on their behalf! The scholarship is open to students aged 15 or younger on the autism spectrum. If selected, the scholarship money can go towards a camp, tutoring, education, or other tools to help the student live a joyful and fulfilling life. Varghese Summersett PLLC, an organization made up of board-certified criminal defense attorneys, offers the scholarship. They do so to recognize and honor the children of two Varghese Summersett criminal attorneys whose children have disabilities. Winning applicants will receive $500 to go towards camp, tutoring, education, or something else of their choice. If you are the parent, friend, or teacher of a student with autism and want to help them with educational expenses, we encourage you to apply!