Financial Aid

Outside Scholarship Resources for students WITH DISABILITIES

SCHOLARSHIP NAME: Jim and Mary Pearce Scholarships
ORGANIZATION: Easter Seals South Carolina
MAJOR: Open
AWARD AMOUNT: up to $1,000
APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 14
FOR APPLICATION, WRITE: Jim and Mary Pearce Scholarship Program
Easter Seals South Carolina
ATTN: Kristin Moore
3020 Farrow Road
Columbia, SC  29203
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
  • Disabled student (defined as having some type of significant and medically certified mobility impairment)
  • Must be enrolled in an accredited two- or four-year college or university in a degree program (including graduate or professional study)
  • Must be a SC resident or attending an accredited institution in SC. Preference given to residents of SC
  • Financial need must be demonstrated by completion of the FAFSA
  • Preference to students carrying at least 9 credit hours and making satisfactory academic progress toward graduation
  • Scholarships may be renewed if eligibility requirements are met. Must reapply each year.
For additional information or assistance, contact Kristin Moore:

E-mail: kmoore@eastersc.org
Phone: (800) 951-4090, ext. 27 or (803) 256-0735, ext. 27
FAX: (803) 765-9765

SCHOLARSHIP NAME: Lilly Reintegration Scholarship
ORGANIZATION:  Eli Lilly and Company
MAJOR: Open
AWARD AMOUNT: Varies
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 19
FOR APPLICATION: www.reintegration.com/userimages/web_applicationf.pdf
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  E-mail: lillyscholarships@reintegration.com

Phone: (800) 809-8202
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:  
  • Be diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizophreniform, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder
  • Be currently receiving medical treatment for the disease, including medications and psychiatric follow-up
  • Be actively involved in rehabilitative or reintegration efforts, such as clubhouse membership, part-time work, volunteer efforts or school enrollment
  • Be a US citizen and plan to attend a school in the US
  • Complete an application package that includes an application form, essay, transcripts (if applicable), recommendation forms from three references and school financial requirements
  • File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
SCHOLARSHIP NAME: National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program
ORGANIZATION: National Federation of the Blind
MAJOR: Varies for individual scholarships  (30 scholarships will be awarded)
AWARD AMOUNT: $3,000 to $12,000
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 31
FOR APPLICATION: www.nfb.org/nfb/scholarship_program.asp
FOR INFORMATION: (404) 371-1000
E-mail: scholarships@nfb.org 
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
  • Must be legally blind

  • Must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time postsecondary course of study in the fall semester in the US (except that one scholarship may be given to a full-time employee also attending school part-time)

  • Some of the 30 scholarships carry other restrictions/requirements. Specific restrictions are stated on the application.
SCHOLARSHIP NAME: USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships
ORGANIZATION: USA Funds
MAJOR: Open
AWARD AMOUNT: $1,500
APPLICATION: December 15 through February 15
ONLINE APPLICATION: www.usafunds.org/scholarship
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
  • High school senior, incoming college student or currently enrolled college student
  • Enrolled or planning to enroll in full-time undergraduate or graduate coursework or half-time undergraduate coursework at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, vocational/technical school or graduate school. GED recipients also eligible. Must be enrolled for the entire academic year, beginning fall term and continuing through February 1 of the upcoming academic year. 
  • Have an annual adjusted gross family income of $35,000 or less
  • U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • Not currently in default on any student loans
  • Renewable with minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale
Up to 50 percent of the scholarship awards will be targeted to applicants who are members of an ethnic minority group or have a documented physical disability.

 

Additional Resources

  • USC Aiken Office of Disability Services
    The USC Aiken Office of Disability Services website provides resources for private scholarship opportunities. Award and application information for a variety of scholarships can be found under the "For Students" menu link.

  • SC Commission on Higher Education


    • Find Multicultural Resources for financial aid for students with disabilities.

  • FinAid - Scholarships for Students with Learning Disabilities
     This page presents a list of resources for students with learning disabilities.

 

Back to Scholarship Categories

 

 

 

Inquiries to StuAid@usca.edu
 Last updated/reviewed 04.02.08