Are you disabled or physically challenged, or do you know someone who is? Don’t worry. With our list of several scholarships for disabled students, you can also have access to quality education like every other person.
The best part is; there are several scholarship opportunities for you. This means you are at a higher advantage of getting enough sponsorship for your education without breaking the bank or breaking a neck. Applying for scholarship will help you focus well on your studies, ultimately assisting you in earning excellent grades.
In this article, we shall provide you with various scholarship opportunities that helps you thrive well whether as an undergraduate or postgraduate disabled student.
What are Disability Scholarships?
Disability scholarships are educational financial or support awards that are initiated to encourage and enhance students with one one form of disability or other (sensory, physical, mental, or learning).
These opportunities promote learning inclusivity among other students, reduce financial burden, and encourage academic excellence regardless of disability especially in young people.
Types of Disability
Disability is part of human, and should not be a reason for denied opportunities. In fact, it come in different forms, which will be highlighted for our dear readers below.
- Physical Disability: may include limb (hand or leg) paralysis or differences, spinal cord injury or arthritis
- Sensory Disability: affects the sensory organs of sight, taste, smell. e.g. deafness, blindness, sensory processing disorder.
- Learning Disability: affects the way a person reads, speaks, or calculate basic math. e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia, central auditory processing disorder (CAPD).
- Chronic Illnesses: may be sickle cell anemia, bipolar disorder, etc.
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarships for People with Disabilities
Irrespective of age, race, background, or disability, education is a fundamental human of every of human on earth. So many countries and organizations offer educational opportunities for home and foreign students. This is not the case however with scholarships for people with disabilities.
The World Health Organization in March 2023, reported that an estimated 1.6 billion people, amounting to 16% of the world’s total population, living with one form of disability or the other. Sadly, only a few get adequate educational support to pursue their career goals.
To be fair, many organizations and governments offer postgraduate or undergraduate scholarships for disabled students. Even though more is still needed, we will provide with a list of them in the subsequent paragraphs.
Scholarships for Disabled Persons (PWDs) in Nigeria
Scholarships for disabled students in Nigeria include;
- National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD) Scholarship
The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) is an establishment of the Federal Government of Nigeria that offers several opportunities to the Nigerian disabled. Annual scholarship programs for undergraduates in Nigeria is one of those opportunities.
The NCWPD Scholarship will cover the full tuition fee and provide living allowance for candidates whose applications are considered successful.
To apply for the NCWPD Scholarship, you must have a minimum of 2.5 CGPA and must attend a Nigerian University as at the time of application. CLICK HERE for more details.
- MTN Scholarships for Blind Students (MTN SBS)
MTN Foundation annually offers scholarships for Nigerian undergraduate students who demonstrate academic excellence. The scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students, UTME candidates, and blind students – in these three categories.
MTN Scholarship for the Blind Students (MTN SBS) is an initiative that has been on for 25 years. It is an annual program that offers financial assistance to blind students. An annual cash award of ₦300,000 is given to selected candidates until the year of their graduation.
For more information, visit their website: CLICK HERE
- Pan Atlantic University Mastercard Scholarship
Pan Atlantic University has partnered with Mastercard Foundation to offer prospective Nigerian undergraduate students fully funded scholarships.
This scholarship is also open to students with disabilities as the Mastercard Foundation prioritizes PWDs, refugees, as well as women, encouraging them to embrace education.
The Pan Atlantic University scholarship covers the full fees of tuition, accommodation, living stipends, laptop, and also provides mentorship, internship, and career development opportunities for successful candidates.
To apply for this opportunity, visit the institution’s website. CLICK HERE
- Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Scholarship
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Scholarship is annually offered to first-year Nigerian undergraduates in line with the company’s dedication to education and human capital development.
NLNG is committed to fostering an inclusive scholarship programme and encourages applications from all eligible students, including Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs).
Applicants for the scholarship need only to have secured provisional admission to a recognized tertiary institution to be eligible. CLICK HERE to apply.
- Sholape Animashawun Foundation Scholarship for students living with sickle cell and other disabilities, or even financial hardship. CLICK HERE
- Anthony Udokwu Scholarship offers financial support (tuition and monthly allowance) to orphans, people with disabled students, and financially-challenged persons.
Scholarships for Disabled Students in Canada
- Harvard Broadcasting Inc. Entrance Awards: It is an undergraduate scholarship open to disabled students studying at MacEwan University. It awards $1,078 annually. To apply, CLICK HERE.
- Dallas James Gendall Memorial Award: This scholarship is also for undergraduate students with disabilities studying at MacEwan University. They are eligible for a $719 award given in support of the students’ education. To apply, visit HERE.
- Marjorie Bencz Leadership Award: Free tuition for disabled students pursuing an undergraduate course in MacEwan University.
For more scholarship opportunities available to Canadians, visit: HERE - Canada Student Grant for People Living With Disabilities: This grant is available to students with disabilities for each year of study. You can apply at the same time as you apply for student aid with your province or territory
- Rick & Amanda Hansen Scholarship for Youth with Disabilities: Funding of up to $10,000 per year (up to a maximum of $40,000) is available for youth with disabilities looking to complete a 1- to 5-year post-secondary program at a publicly funded institution in Canada.
Scholarships for Disabled Students in USA
- Google Lime Scholarship, located in United States offers about $5,000 to $10,000. This scholarship is open to students with disabilities studying Computer Science and other related fields. It is open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. For more information, visit their website.
- AG Bell College Scholarship: This scheme is specifically for deaf students pursuing an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. CLICK HERE TO APPLY.
- American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability: Located in the United States, AAHD offers up to $1,000 to undergraduate and postgraduate disabled students pursuing health courses. To apply for the AAHD, applicants must meet any of the criteria for disability as stated by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Visit https://aahd.us to confirm your eligibility.
- Microsoft Disability Scholarship: This USA based scheme offers $5,000 annually to students with disabilities. It is open to students in all disciplines, whether pursuing an undergraduate studies or a postgraduate studies. For more details, APPLY HERE.
- American Council of the Blind: As a part of advocacy for the blind, the American Council for the Blind offers a scholarship scheme to support the education of Americans who are visually impaired or blind. More details can be found on www.acb.org.
- The Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants for Development, Canton United States: This scheme is an initiative of the Rotary Global Grants in the United States that offers $3,000 annually. Rotary Foundation Scholarship is open to students of all discipline in over 226 countries. Visit www.rotary.org to get full access to the scholarship.
- 1800 Wheelchair Scholarship: This scholarship is available to disabled students studying at any U.S university. To apply, visit https://www.1800wheelchair.com/ .
Scholarships for Student with Disabilities in UK
- Chevening Scholarship: Open to international students pursuing a master’s degree at any U.K university. It offers full tuition, living expenses, and travel costs. All you need is to be qualified for this scholarship, and provide the required documents. To apply, CLICK HERE.
- Oxford-Wadham Graduate Scholarship for Disabled Students: This scheme offers financial aids to international students with disabilities pursuing a degree at Wadham College. It offers full tuition and living expenses. It is located in the United Kingdom. Visit the program’s website HERE.
- Goldsmiths Disabled Students’ Scholarships: This scholarship is for UK nationals to study an undergraduate degree at Goldsmiths, University of London. It awards about £3,000 to eligible students. Visit www.gold.ac.uk to apply.
- Snowden Trust Grants: This United Kingdom-based scholarship is open to students with physical or sensory impairments pursuing higher education. It awards about 5,000 euro. Visit their website HERE.
Disability Scholarship in Australia
- The June Opie Scholarship: This scholarship is open to residents of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with a physical disability, pursuing postgraduate studies. The June Opie Scholarship awards AUD$3,000 annually. To apply, visit HERE.
- Alastair McEwin AM Scholarship at the University of Adelaide: Available to students with disabilities studying at the University of Adelaide, AM Scholarship offers AUD$3,000 annually. It is open to students pursuing undergraduate studies and postgraduate studies. To apply, visit HERE.
- Sir Charles Bright Scholarship: Available to students with disabilities studying in South Australia and Adelaide University. To obtain the application form, visit HERE.
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarship: This scholarship is open to disabled students studying at any Australian University. It awards about AUD$10,000, excluding accommodation and feeding fee. For more information, visit: HERE.
FAQs on Scholarships for Disabled Students
- Are there scholarships for the disabled? Yes, there are a number of scholarship opportunities solely for the disabled students. Check out some of them on https://opportunityleaks.com.
- Are there scholarships for specific disabilities? Yes, there are certain scholarships that are limited to certain disabilities, for instance, the MTN Scholarship for Blind Students (SBS) is solely for students who are visually impaired.
- Is education free for the disabled? While there are certain considerations and numerous scholarship opportunities for the disabled, academic pursuit is not entirely free for disabled students, especially in higher institutions.
- Can a blind man read and write? Yes, with the aids of braille, the blind can learn to read and write.
- How do I get scholarship opportunities abroad as a disabled? Check out scholarship opportunities and other information related to studying in higher institution on opportunity leaks through https://opportunityleaks.com.
