As college gets more expensive, it's important to explore all your options to lower the cost of school. As a student with a disability, you can qualify for dozens of private scholarships that you don't have to pay back.
To maximize the amount of financial aid you can get for college, BestColleges compiled scholarships for those with disabilities like deafness, visual impairment, or developmental disabilities.
Scholarships for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Below, you'll find some scholarships specifically for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Sertoma Hard of Hearing or Deaf Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: High school seniors or undergraduate students attending a four-year college full-time with 40dB bilateral hearing loss
Application Deadline: March 31
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Cochlear Academic or Vocational Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: U.S. citizens who are Cochlear Nucleus, Baha, or Osia recipients and are graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, or graduate students
Application Deadline: September 30
Scholarship Amount: $2,000 annually for up to four years
Help America Hear Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: High school seniors with hearing loss that requires the use of hearing aids or cochlear implants in their daily life
Application Deadline: March 29
Scholarship Amount: $2,000 and two Resound prescription hearing aids
George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law
Who Is Eligible: Law school students with moderate to severe pre-lingual bilateral hearing loss who use listening and speaking skills as their primary mode of communication
Application Deadline: March 9
Scholarship Amount: Up to $5,000
Gallaudet's Merit-Based Scholarship Awards
Who Is Eligible: Gallaudet University, a private university catering to deaf and hard of hearing students, offers merit-based scholarships to students with outstanding academic and personal achievements. Students are automatically considered for scholarships once admitted.
Application Deadline: Considered in your application
Scholarship Amount: Varies
Scholarships for Students With Visual Impairments
Find some scholarships that help students with visual impairments pay for college.
Team See Possibilities Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: High school seniors, undergraduates, graduate students, or trade school students who are legally blind
Application Deadline: April 30
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Lighthouse Guild Scholarships
Who Is Eligible: Incoming college first-year students, current college students, or students planning to attend graduate school who are legally blind
Application Deadline: February 28
Scholarship Amount: Varies
Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards
Who Is Eligible: Students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree who are blind or visually impaired, have an active Learning Ally subscription, and have added at least one book in the past 12 months
Application Deadline: December 31
Scholarship Amount: $2,000 or $6,000
American Council of the Blind's Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: Technical school, undergraduate, or graduate students who are legally blind
Application Deadline: February 14
Scholarship Amount: $2,000 to $7,500
National Federation of the Blind's Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: Students who are legally blind in both eyes, residing in the U.S., and pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of study in a degree program at a United States institution in the fall
Application Deadline: March 31
Scholarship Amount: $10,000
Scholarships for Students With Developmental Disabilities
If you have a developmental disability, here are some scholarships you might be eligible for.
Ruby's Rainbow College Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Students with Down syndrome who are at least 18 years old or will turn 18 by August 1 of the application year
Application Deadline: April 21
Scholarship Amount: $1,000-$10,000
Adults With Autism Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Autism Delaware offers this scholarship to adults in the state seeking a college degree or postsecondary certification; applicants must provide a cover letter discussing career plans, a resume, letters of recommendation, and evidence of an Autism Spectrum Disorder
Application Deadline: TBD
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Kerry Magro Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: Autistic students enrolled in college in the 2026-27 year
Application Deadline: April 28
Scholarship Amount: $500
ABC Law Centers Cerebral Palsy Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: College students with cerebral palsy and a minimum 3.0 GPA
Application Deadline: July 31
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Synchrony Scholarship for Autistic Students of Color
Who Is Eligible: Autistic students from an underrepresented racial/ethnic group attending postsecondary undergraduate institutions, including trade schools
Application Deadline: April 20
Scholarship Amount: $3,000
Scholarships for Students With Psychiatric Disabilities
Here are some scholarships for students with psychiatric disabilities, such as anxiety and bipolar disorder.
Jared Monroe Foundation Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Undergraduate or graduate students with a bipolar diagnosis who are currently receiving treatment
Application Deadline: May 1
Scholarship Amount: $250-$2,300
The Center for Reintegration Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: High school-equivalent, trade school, associate, bachelor's, graduate, or postbaccalaureate students diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder receiving treatment and actively involved in rehabilitative or reintegration efforts
Application Deadline: January 31
Scholarship Amount: Varies
Bryent Smothermon PTSD Awareness Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Military veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from service — as well as their children and spouses — who are currently enrolled in school
Application Deadline: May 14
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Other Scholarships for Students With Disabilities
The following are more scholarships for students with disabilities. You may also be able to find additional scholarship resources through your employer, private foundations, or civic organizations.
180 Medical Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: Full-time students in a two-year, four-year, or graduate program with spinal cord injury, spina bifida, transverse myelitis, bladder exstrophy, neurogenic bladder, or an ostomy
Application Deadline: June 1
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Lime Connect Pathways Scholarship for High School Seniors
Who Is Eligible: Current high school students with a visible or invisible disability who plan to attend a four-year university in the U.S. or Canada
Application Deadline: TBD
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
BMO Capital Markets Equity Through Education Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Current undergraduate and graduate students with a visible or invisible disability in the U.S. or Canada pursuing a degree in business/commerce, computer science, engineering, math, physics, statistics, or a related discipline
Application Deadline: April 7
Scholarship Amount: $10,000 for U.S. students and $5,000 for Canadian students
