Scholarships for Students with Disabled Parents – Students with a disabled parent have to go through a unique set of challenges that can make affording a college stressful. Attending college is a costly affair in the United States of America. Paying for college fees and requiring higher education for students with disabled parents are even more difficult.
Fortunately, there are financial aid and scholarship opportunities designed for students with disabled parents that help them access education and pursue a rewarding career. Education grants and scholarships are a viable route for low-income students having disabled parents as aid they do not require any repayment, unlike student loans.
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Highlights of this Post
Eligibility Criteria And Documents Required For Scholarship For Students With Disabled Parents
The eligibility criteria to secure a scholarship for students with disabled parents may vary depending on your location and the program you are applying for. However the common eligibility criteria requires the following from applicants.
- Be a citizen of the United States, a legal/ resident or an eligible immigrant to qualify for financial aid opportunities.
- Must meet the age limitation of the scholarship program
- Be a biological child, stepchild, adopted child or a dependent of individuals who have been killed or permanently injured or disabled.
- Provide proof of disability of parents in the form of medical documents and have household income within the program limitations.
- Must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher on a cumulative basis
- Showcase excellent academic results and demonstrate commitment to pursue higher education.
- Must obtain a high school diploma GED or be a high school senior
- Must not have any overdue federal debt service commitment or federal judgment liens
- Proof of enrollment in an accredited college or university in the United States of America
- Must meet the age limitation of the scholarship program
- Must renew their application for the scholarship program every year.
A lot of scholarship opportunities require applicants to be children of particular groups for instance veterans or belong to a minority group. Following is the list of documents that you need to submit to secure a scholarship program.
- Citizenship, residency or immigration documents
- Government-issued photo IDs, passports, original birth certificates and school registration
- Proof of household income
- Essay, written proposal and letters of recommendation
- Name, address, and phone number of applicants including their Social Security cards
- Proof of household income in the form of tax returns, W2 forms, bank statements
- GPA and academic records
- Proof of financial hardship for instance disability records of parents or proof of service-connected disabilities of children of veterans.
- Proof of any community or volunteer service performed by the applicants
- A spreadsheet showing educational expenses
- An updated resume or CV showing their skills, accomplishments and potentialities
- A completed questionnaire or application form.
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How To Apply For Scholarships For Students With Disabled Parents?
Following are the steps that will help you to apply for scholarship opportunities that are geared towards low-income students with disabled parents. It is important to read the instructions and follow them meticulously as every step is critical.
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Research Thoroughly
Students with a disabled parent must begin their research by looking for scholarship opportunities from different avenues. There are lots of charities, nonprofit organizations, and government programs with different eligibility criteria and requirements that help low-income students pursue higher education.
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Gather Relevant Documents
It is important to gather relevant documents, for instance recommendation letters, academic transcripts, proof of caregiving, etc. as a part of your application procedure. You have to provide relevant documents so keep them in handy to avoid denying or delaying your application.
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Write An Appealing Essay
Applications for scholarships require writing essays of less than 1000 words. The purpose is to highlight your skills, academic goals and accomplishments including your plans to overcome the challenges. Also, do not forget to narrate how disability-related patterns have affected your education and life.
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Submit Your Application Within Deadline
You need to make sure every application is reviewed thoroughly before submission. Double-check your application form before submitting it. Make sure you have answered all the questions and have submitted the required documents. Your dedication and commitment in these steps is important to get a scholarship.
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What Are The Different Scholarships For Students With Disabled Parents?
One of the biggest programs that provides scholarship opportunities for parents with disabled parents is the federal Pell Grant program. On an average recipients of Pell Grant scholarship receive assistance of up to $7000 every year. A lot of students with disabled parents considered applying for the federal Pell Grant as they are not required to pay back the money.
The amount of assistance that you can receive is determined by a lot of factors, for instance family income, status of the student, academic plans for the year and cost of school they are attending. The application procedure for the Pell Grant program can be done online or with the college you’re planning to attend.
Low-income undergraduate students having robust financial needs including students of disabled parents are eligible to receive assistance under the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant Program. The program offers financial support in a range between $100 to $4000 for qualified applicants.
The amount of financial assistance that you can receive will be based on your income, student status, financial means and other factors. You need to file FAFSA and be Pell eligible to receive assistance for this grant.
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The Scholarship For Children Of Disabled Parents offers three awards to 2 high school seniors in New York State who are dependents of disabled parents.
The scholarship award may differ in amount however it ranges between $1000- $45,000 and renewable for up to 3 additional years. Applicants should have a disabled family member and must be enrolled or plan to enroll in college.
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Cappex Scholarship
One of the best things that you will know about this scholarship is that it aids the students in problems of various nature. So, the students who have disabled parents can also apply to this scholarship.
The amount of scholarship that is provided to the awardee/students is $1,000. It also has an eligibility criteria and that is that the child should be enrolled in college or high school.
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Paralyzed Veterans of America Scholarship
This scholarship is mainly for the students with disabled parents. It offers grants to the immediate family of the veterans of the USA. It is also has introduced a educational program, under which the students who have financial crisis and want to continue their education are granted the aid financially to continue their education can get more information
There are 3 eligibility criteria for the veteran’s children or the veterans to get this scholarship and they are –
- You should be a citizen of the USA
- You should have served in the US Armed Forces
- You should have/ had a spinal cord injury or any disease
Now, it depends on the types of education that the veteran’s children choose so that the amount of scholarship will vary from $1,000 to $2,500.
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Blind Veterans Association Scholarship
This scholarship organization has started seven scholarships for the children who have their parents or any member of the family who are visually impaired. The children who are financially dependent on such parents or family members it becomes difficult for them to educate their children.
This non-profit helps the families of those people who are visually impaired. They have been serving the blind veterans for more than 74 years. There are a total of 7 scholarships in which for 6 scholarships the amount awarded is $2,000.
This scholarship is mainly for the students who have suffered from cancer or have any family members going through the same situation.
Also, it offers a scholarship to the students who have disabled parents or any parent who is a cancer survivor. If the applicant gets selected and becomes eligible then, he/she will be awarded a scholarship of $4,000.
The eligibility criteria to be eligible for this scholarship program are as follows.
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Must have an official academic transcript
- Showcase that an immediate family member, parents or close friend is battling cancer or has already battled cancer.
- Must have reference letters from 2 individuals
- Must provide information about their academics, awards, accomplishments and past volunteer experience
- Copy of enrollment proof in their school or college
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Millie Brother Scholarship
This scholarship is mainly for the students whose parents are disabled and are suffering from deafness. The scholarship amount that is given to them is $3,000. Now, this scholarship is a frequently repeated scholarship and students can apply for it until they are in school. There are few eligibility criteria for that –
- Write an essay
- Provide a transcript from HS or College
- Two letters of recommendation
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Google Lime Scholarship
Students with disabled parents get help financially. Selected candidates will be allowed to attend Googleplex in Mountain View, California. Apart from that, one of the important things that students need to know is that this scholarship is mainly for the students who want to study higher computer science and prosper in that field.
The selected candidates can also pursue software engineering internships that will be given to the students. For the students to get selected in the scholarship, it is important that they have a good academic background, and passion in their field of study. Eligible students can get a $10,000 scholarship.
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Jack Scura Fund
This is a similar organization like that of the above. Students who are into a high school or undergraduate program get a $5,000 scholarship. Students can apply in this organization along with proof of disability and should have a 3.2 GPA and above. Higher preference is given to the person who has a strong CV.
Fill the application form with documents like – proof of disability, proof of income, and strong need for finances. For more details, you can connect with the official website email ID or visit the college officials to know more.
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Wings Over America Scholarships
This is also a similar organization working for the students who have disabled parents. Students who want to go for post-secondary education provide help to such students.
It is important that the applicant should be connected to the member of the US defense services, U.S. Army, & Navy Officer. Based on the eligibility criteria and others, the grant amount varies yearly. You can check online to get more details about these scholarships
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The National MS Society Scholarship Program
This scholarship is for the students with disabled parents, or if they’re suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. There are eligibility criteria for the students like the following –
- Applicant must be in high school
- Applicant should be planning to opt for a college or similar undergraduate degree
- This is an annual scholarship program.
The scholarship amount that is provided to the students is $3,000. If the circumstances are not good or there is an utmost need of money, then the amount can also be increased.
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National Center for Parents with Disabilities
This agency provides scholarships for the students and the federal government supports it. It is important for the applicants to be high school students or college students. They should have at least 1 disabled parent and should be less than 21 years old.
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Through the Looking Glass Scholarship
The scholarship program provides an award of $1,000 to the eligible students. Certain eligibility criteria should also be fulfilled like –
- You should be a citizen of the United States of America,
- You should provide proof of disability and proof of income at the time of submission of the application.
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SFM Foundation provides scholarship opportunities for qualified students having disabled parents and helps them with scholarship awards of $10,000 every year for a two-year degree program or up to five years for a bachelor’s degree.
The application window for the SFM scholarship closes every year on 31st March.
The funds are paid directly to the school of eligible applicants. This scholarship is open for children whose guardians have been displaced because of workplace-disabling injuries.
Children of workers who have been disabled or killed due to work-related accidents can get assistance through this scholarship. It is important to ensure the parents of the applicants have residing in Minnesota or Iowa at the time of the accident.
Pinnacol Foundation provides college scholarships for qualified children of parents who have been disabled or killed during a workplace accident.
This scholarship program is open for students in age between 16 to 25 years with a minimum GPA of 2.0 or above. Students with disabled parents can reapply for this scholarship every year if they need assistance and wish to pursue higher education.
This is one of the best scholarship programs for students having disabled parents that provides them funds throughout the year and the scholarship is capped at 4700 dollars every year for approved students foods you can start the application procedure online by visiting its official website.
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Victoria Ovis Memorial Scholarship
The Victoria Ovis Memorial Scholarship Program by the First Responder’s Children’s Foundation is awarded to meritorious students in New York whose parents have been permanently disabled or killed while serving in the law enforcement field.
The scholarship award offers students assistance up to $2000 if they can demonstrate academic excellence, strong financial need and extracurricular activities.
The eligibility criteria required applicants to be children of law enforcement officers who have been permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty and must be a citizen of the United States and residents of New York.
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The Public Service Officer Or Employees Child Survivor Grant Program
Tuition assistance is provided to spouses and dependent children of public safety officers or the Missouri Department of Transportation employees who have been engaged in the maintenance or transportation of the state’s roads, highways, and bridges and were permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty.
Dependent children of these officers are eligible to get tuition assistance and scholarship awards throughout their semester. Missouri’s Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development provides this program and requires students to be below 24 years old and they must have not received their first bachelor’s degree.
The Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship aims to reduce the number of work zone deaths by providing scholarship opportunities to students whose parents have been permanently disabled or killed.
The scholarship awards spouses and children of highway workers who are permanently disabled or killed in work zones as a part of the Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship program.
The scholarship opportunities are designed to provide the right financial support for the disabled road highway workers. The scholarship offers assistance up to $10,000.
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The eligibility criteria to qualify for the Vincent Bennett Jr Memorial Scholarship is to be an incoming college freshman and be children of law enforcement officers or firefighters who have been permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty.
Applicants must maintain the academic criteria of the program over the four years of the scholarship award. The program offers assistance up to $20,000 for over a four-year time. In other words, $5000 per year is provided to qualified candidates.
The eligibility criteria to qualify for an Emergency Educational Grant are to be children of disabled or deceased members of the Elks National Foundation, demonstrate financial need, attend a college or university in the USA as a full-time student and be below 24 years of age.
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Conclusion
Good education is pivotal to a bright and secure future in today’s rapidly changing world. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for students having disabled parents to continue their higher education and pay for their college fees. This is because of the unique obstacles and financial hurdles that make the process of acquiring higher education difficult for them. To bridge this gap and empower aspiring students to continue their education a lot of governmental and non-governmental organizations provide scholarship opportunities to deserving students. Besides scholarships there are also Free Transportation services for elders and disabled people.
Are you interested in learning more about Scholarships for Children of Veterans that can help you to fund college and reduce your burden? Check out the rest of the Get Government Grants blog section today.
Frequently Asked Question
Can I get financial aid if my parents are disabled?
Yes, if both the parents are disabled the student can get a scholarship for disabled parents to continue their study from the government as non-profit organizations.
Does my parents’ income affect scholarships?
No, as the scholarship is known as disabled parent’s kids scholarship, the major eligibility criteria is disability, the income of the parents doesn’t have an impact on it.
Can You Get FAFSA On Disability?
Students having intellectual disabilities are eligible to get financial support through the federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity grant or federal work-study program. Students must enroll themselves in a traditional post-secondary program and fulfill the eligibility criteria.