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This page presents a short list of scholarships for students with learning disabilities. Due to the very large and growing number of students who claim to be learning disabled, such awards are often highly competitive.

Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

1. Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarships. The Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarships offer financial assistance to two graduating high school seniors with documented learning disabilities and/or ADHD who are pursuing post-secondary education. Find out more about these scholarships and deadlines at http://www.ncld.org/scholarships-and-awards/.

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2. Ralph G. Norman Scholarship. The Ralph G. Norman Scholarship is offered by the Learning Disabilities Association of Arkansas. The deadline is in early July. For more information, write to Ralph G. Norman Scholarship, LDAA, 7509 Cantrell Road #103 C, Little Rock, AR 72207.

3. Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa. The Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa awards three $1,000 scholarships to Iowa high school seniors with learning disabilities. The deadline is in mid-March.

4. National Society of the DAR/Margaret Howard Hamilton Scholarship. This award is for $1,000 (renewable for 4 years) for a high school senior who has been accepted to the Ben Caudle Learning Center, University of the Ozarks. For more information, write to NSDAR Administration Building, 1776 D. Street N.W., Washington, DC 20006-5392.

5. Recording for the Blind/Learning through Listening. This program provides three scholarships of $3,000 each for high school seniors who are learning disabled. The award is based on academic achievement, leadership, enterprise, and service to others. Financial need is not a factor. For more information, call 1-609-452-0606 or write to Recording for the Blind/Learning through Listening, Attn: Lorraine Grestry, 20 Rozelle Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.

6. Shire ADHD Scholarship Program. Shire, a global specialty biopharmaceutical company, provides 50 scholarships for legal residents of the United States or the District of Columbia who have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Applicants must be accepted to or enrolled at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, accredited trade, technical or vocational school. The application deadline is March 30.

7. Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities Youth Achievement Award
   The Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities Youth Achievement Award provides a $1,000 scholarship to recognize students with a learning disability or ADHD age 19 or younger who have demonstrated initiative, talent and determination resulting in a notable accomplishment in any field, including art, music, academics, athletics and community service. Honorable mentions will also be awarded. The deadline is January 31.

Canadian Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

1. Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC). LDAC offers three scholarships for students with disabilities: The Donald Cummings Scholarship, the Carol Thomson Memorial Fund Scholarship, and the Doreen Kronick Scholarship. The application deadline is May 15. For more information, write to Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, 323 Chapel Street, Suite 200, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7Z2, fax 1-613-235-5391, call 1-613-238-5721, or send email to information@ldac-taac.ca.

2. Learning Disabilities Association of Ottawa-Carleton (LDAO-C). LDAO-C offers information about several scholarships for Canadian students with disabilities, including the Roy Cooper Scholarship, the Mattinson Endowment Fund Scholarship, and the Imperial Tobacco Canada Scholarship Fund.

3. Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

4. Gloria Landis Memorial Bursary. The Gloria Landis Memorial Bursary is a $1,000 scholarship awarded by the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario to a mature individual with learning disabilities to pursue a postsecondary of vocational program. Candidates must be at least 25 years old and have been absent from full-time education for at least three years. The application deadline is June 15. For more information, write to Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario, 360 Bloor St. E., Suite 1004, PO Box 39, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3L4, fax 1-416-929-3905, or call 1-416-929-4311.

5. Justin Eves Foundation Scholarship. The Justin Eves Foundation Scholarship provides a $3,000 scholarship for students with a learning disability. For more information contact: The Justin Eves Foundation, 595 Bay St., Suite 1202, Toronto, ON M5G 2C2, fax 1-416-586-1480, or call 1-416-586-0085.

6. Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan.

Scholarships for Careers in Disabilities

1. Pilot International Foundation Scholarships. The Pilot International Foundation offers three scholarships for students who are pursuing careers in disabilities and brain related disorders. A minimum GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale (4.01 on a 5.0 scale) is required. All applicants must be sponsored by their local Pilot Club. For more information, write to pifinfo@pilothq.org.

2. P. Buckley Moss Society Cary Scholarship. The Judith Cary Memorial Scholarship is awarded by the P. Buckley Moss Society for study leading to a bachelor's or master's degree in special education. For more information, write to P. Buckley Moss Society, 108 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro, VA 22980, 540-932-1728

See also the National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education (NCPSE).