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How to Get Scholarships for Hearing Impairment

By Sawyer Hiton
Sawyer Hiton is a former scholarship and financial aid writer with Scholarships360. Previously, Sawyer worked with the nonprofit College Possible, supporting high school juniors in beginning their college plans and applications. Sawyer graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in Philosophy. Full Bio
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Updated: August 30th, 2023

When it comes to earning a degree, being a deaf student can be difficult. Our school system is geared towards the hearing, which leaves many deaf students out. Thankfully, there are scholarships for hearing-impaired students to earn financial aid for higher education. No matter what kind of school you came from, nor where you’re headed, there is money for you.

Some of the scholarships below have qualifications for the extremity of hearing loss, and some don’t. Some apply widely to all students with disabilities. We then review some popular schools for the deaf, many of which offer their own financial aid programs. So, the short answer to “how to get scholarships for hearing impairment” is this: Do your research and apply for all the scholarships you qualify for!

Jump ahead to:

Keep reading to learn about scholarships for the deaf and hearing impaired!

Top scholarships for hearing impaired students

Anders Tjellstrom Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Applicants must be Cochlear Baha or Osia recipients, with at least 3.0 GPAs
  • Amount: Varies year to year
  • Deadline: September 30, 2023

Graeme Clark Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Applicants must be Cochlear Nucleus implant recipients, with at least 3.0 GPAs
  • Amount: Varies year to year
  • Deadline: September 30, 2023

New York State Grange Scholarships

  • Eligibility: New York residents interested in pursuing a career working with the deaf, or individuals who are deaf themselves, furthering their education beyond high school
  • Amount: Varies year to year
  • Deadline: Varies (most are April 15th of each year)

AG Bell College Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Students with a Pure Tone Average of at least 55 dB, with unweighted GPAs of at least 3.25
  • Amount: $1,000 to $10,000 
  • Deadline: Varies

American Sign Language Teachers Association Scholarships

  • Eligibility: High school seniors or undergraduates who currently or plan to major/minor in American Sign Language, Deaf Studies, Deaf Education, or Interpreter Preparation at college 
  • Amount: Up to $2,500
  • Deadline: Rolling

Upcoming scholarships for hearing impaired students

Cheryl D. Conkling Memorial Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Applicants must live or attend school in either Windsor, Colorado; Conroe, Texas; Wilkinson County, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; or West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
  • Amount: $12,000

Google Lime Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Graduate students with disabilities including deafness pursuing computer science 
  • Amount: $10,000

Help America Hear Scholarship

  • Eligibility: High school seniors who are hard of hearing
  • Amount: $2,000

Jack Scura Fund

  • Eligibility: Students with disabilities including deafness, who submit a 1,000 word essay, who have at least 3.2 GPAs
  • Amount: $7,500

LTZ Foundation Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Undergraduate students with minimum 50 dB bilateral hearing loss pursuing a bachelor’s degree
  • Amount: Varies year to year
  • Opens: Early January

Sertoma Scholarship for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing

  • Eligibility: Students with a minimum 40 dB bilateral hearing loss pursuing a bachelor’s degree
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Deadline: March 31, every year

Wells Fargo Scholarship for People With Disabilities

  • Eligibility: High school seniors with disabilities including deafness with at least 3.0 GPAs
  • Amount: $2,500

How to win scholarships for hearing impaired students

Focus on your essay

For scholarships that require a written component, your chances of winning will go way up if you take the time to write a thoughtful and compelling essay. If writing isn’t your thing, don’t worry! We have many resources to help you, including the following guides: 

Go local 

Searching for scholarships at the local level is a great way to boost your chances of winning an award. Local scholarships are typically less competitive because they’re only open to students from a specific area. Check with your high school guidance office to see if they are any businesses or organizations in your local community that offer scholarships for hearing-impaired students. To learn more, check out our guide on how to win local scholarships.

Colleges and universities for the deaf and hearing impaired

These schools use American Sign Language (ASL) as their primary language. They are dedicated to honoring the needs of deaf and hearing-impaired students. As mentioned earlier, these institutions offer their own financial aid, which could be combined with any of the previously listed scholarships. 

Rochester Institute of Technology

The Rochester Institute of Technology houses the National Institute for the Deaf (NTID) which provides a wide range of scholarships for attending students. Interested applicants should contact NTID’s office of financial aid for more detailed information.

Gallaudet University

Gallaudet University prides itself as “the only university in the world where students live and learn in ASL and English”. And they offer plenty of financial aid for this unique educational opportunity. They administer a full ride scholarship, as well as other scholarships ranging from $6,000 to $12,000.

Howard College

Howard College is home to SouthWest College for the Deaf (SWCD). SWCD uses Howard’s scholarship database to offer numerous financial aid opportunities for its students.

American Sign Language Programs

On top of schools specifically for the deaf, many institutions offer ASL programs. US News has compiled a list of these. All the listed schools have their own financial aid opportunities. Whether you want a school designed for deaf students, or any other kind of school, you’re sure to find scholarship money. We wish you luck on your journey!

Frequently asked questions

Are there scholarships for deaf students? 

Absolutely! As you can see from the list above, there are a variety of scholarships available for deaf and hearing impaired students. For example, the Help America Hear Scholarship is a $2,000 award open to high school seniors across the country who are hard of hearing.

What is the easiest scholarship to get?

The easiest scholarships to win are typically the ones offered on a local level. The competition is less stiff for local scholarships (as opposed to national scholarships), meaning you have a higher chance of winning. Check out our guide on how to win local scholarships to learn more. 

Other scholarship categories to explore