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Top Learning Disabilities Scholarships in September 2022
People with learning disabilities face unique challenges in the college application process. Standardized testing is a substantial factor in college admissions, and numerous studies have shown that these tests are skewed to a disadvantage for students with learning disabilities.
Luckily, as educators have begun to realize these disadvantages, they have made attempts to make the process more fair for students with learning disabilities. There are many learning disabilities scholarships to make college attendance more feasible once students are admitted.
Jump ahead to:
- Top learning disabilities scholarships
- Frequently asked questions
- Upcoming scholarships
- Explore these other scholarship categories
Check out our list of the best learning disability scholarships below and find some opportunities to reduce your tuition costs!
Top learning disabilities scholarships
Academy of Special Dreams Scholarship
- Eligibility: Special needs applicants who applied to and/or have been accepted or are currently enrolled in a college or university, trade school, art school, or other recognized degree-awarding program. Student must express a desire to study or major in art
- Amount: $250 to $1,000
- Deadline: Rolling
Marion Huber Learning Through Listening Award
- Eligibility: High school seniors with learning disabilities who plan to continue their education after graduation.
- Amount: $2,000-$6,000
- Deadline: December 31, 2022
ALA Century Scholarship
- Eligibility: Library school students with disabilities enrolled at an ALA-accredited library school to pursue a Master’s or Doctorate in Library Science and looking to become a library or information studies professional
- Amount: $2,500
- Deadline: March 1, 2023
American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: Full-time undergraduates who completed one full year of college and have a disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: March 1, 2023
Upcoming scholarships
Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors with documented learning disabilities who are enrolling in a two-year community college, a vocational or technical training program, or a specialized program for students with LD and/or ADHD
- Amount: $5,000
- Opens: October 4, 2022
Anne Ford Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors with documented learning disabilities who are enrolling in a bachelor’s degree program
- Amount: $10,000
BMO Capital Markets Lime Connect Equity Through Education Scholarship
- Eligibility: Current undergraduates with a visible or non-visible disability at a four-year university pursuing a degree in business/commerce, computer science, engineering, math, physics, statistics, or a related discipline. Interested in a career in Financial Services with a focus on Capital Markets preferred
- Amount: $10,000
Joseph James Morelli Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students enrolled or planning to enroll at an undergraduate school, community college, or technical/trade school in the United States who are pursuing a degree in STEM and a demonstrated learning challenge (disability) of dyslexia or similar reading and/or language-based disability
- Amount: $500 to $2,500
- Opens: January 1, 2023
Karina Eide Memorial College Scholarship
- Eligibility: Current students at a US college or vocational or technical school with demonstrated financial need and dyslexia documentation
- Amount: $1,000
Lime Connect Pathways Scholarship for High School Seniors
- Eligibility: High school seniors with all types of disabilities. While financial need is considered, the awards are merit-based
- Amount: $1,000 (multiple scholarships awarded)
Mays Mission Scholarships
- Eligibility: Students enrolled in four-year undergraduate programs with documented significant disabilities and scores of 20 or better on the ACT or 970 on the SAT
- Amount: $1,000
Microsoft Disability Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrated financial need, leadership skills, and interest in technology. Applicants must be living with a disability (as defined by the WHO) and enrolling in an undergraduate program at a 2 or 4-year institution in the US. Must enroll full-time or half-time, and declare a major in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, law, business, or a related field. See page for additional details
- Amount: Up to $20,000
NBCUniversal Tony Coehlo Media Scholarship
- Eligibility: Open to incoming and current university students with disabilities majoring in the media, communications, or entertainment fields.
- Amount: $5,625
P. Buckley Moss Endowed Scholarship
- Eligibility: High school seniors with a verified learning difference and financial need who are enrolling in a two or four-year program in the United States and are pursuing a career in a visual arts field, taking art classes each semester
- Amount: Up to $1,000
- Opens: January 1, 2022
Wells Fargo Scholarship Program for People with Disabilities
- Eligibility: High school senior or graduate with a 3.0 GPA or above planning to enroll (or who is already enrolled) in full- or half-time at an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the US as an undergraduate
- Amount: $2,500 for full-time students, and $1,250 for half-time students (renewable scholarships!)
See also: Top ADHD Scholarships
Resources for students with learning disabilities
Learning Disabilities Association of America
LDA has a wide host of resources to help students with learning disabilities succeed in school and in general throughout life. You can keep up with their periodical journal, or just look into their pamphlets for students and educators.
Learning Disability Resources and Tools: Know your Rights
Although advocacy for students with learning disabilities has made substantial progress in recent years, there remain some educators who are not wise to the rules or do not respect them. It’s a good idea to go over this document of rights for students with common learning disabilities. This will ensure that you know if a teacher or professor is not respecting your rights, and teach you what to do about it. Here’s hoping you never have to use this – but it’s good to have in your back pocket.
National Center for College Students with Disabilities
This organization is the only federally-funded group for undergraduate and graduate students with any type of disability, be it a learning disability, a physical one, or any other type. They have programs which include a disability campus database which will provide information on disability accommodations at colleges around the country. This is a hugely useful tool for any student with learning disabilities who is deciding what colleges to apply to, or which offer to accept.
Frequently asked questions about learning disability scholarships
Can I get a scholarship for having ADHD?
Several scholarships on this list are designated for students with ADHD, including the Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship.
What are the best schools for learning disabilities?
Beacon College and Landmark College are two colleges that have built their curriculums around supporting students with learning disabilities. Best Value Schools also ranks Mitchell College as having some of the best accommodations for students with learning disabilities.
Can a disabled person go to college for free?
There are many opportunities available for disabled people to lessen the burden of their college expenses. Because disabled people face unique challenges in their college education, many organizations have set aside funds to help mitigate those challenges. This list contains many opportunities for people with learning disabilities to reduce the cost of their education.
You can learn more about scholarships for disabled students with our top disabled scholarship list.
