In recent history, we have seen a significant rise in the number of women attending colleges but even so, women are still underrepresented in many fields of work like business, science or research and this is mostly because they lack higher education. The good news is that nowadays women can benefit from a wide range of grants to help them pursue a bachelor’s degree and kick-start their career.
Unfortunately, a certain minority of women had to struggle with more than just the old tradition of men being the dominant gender in higher education and particular fields of work. The number of women who suffer from physical or attention disabilities but attend college or work in more demanding environments is almost insignificant so during recent years steps have been taken to ensure that the disabled individuals have their own fighting chance in pursuing a better career.
Women with disabilities can benefit from a number of unique education incentives created especially for them. Of course, this doesn’t mean that women suffering from disabilities shouldn’t also consider the other types of grants available to all students seeking college education, or scholarships that address all women but the best idea would be to first apply for the financial aid offered specifically to disabled students because the chances of getting the free financial aid are greater since the number of individuals applying is lower.
Organizations and Foundations
Since the separation of disabled students was made illegal by the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,” measures have been taken to help the disabled minority pursue better education and careers. Such being the case, we are seeing a rise in the number of college grants for women with disabilities.
The National Federation for the Blind offers thirty scholarships annually ranging from three thousand to twelve thousand dollars to eligible college students from the US, Columbia or Puerto Rico.
To receive this financial incentive, undergraduates who apply for it must pass the following eligibility requirements:
- must be a resident of the District of Columbia, United States or Puerto Rico
- must suffer from blindness in both eyes and fill out the Confirmation of Legal Blindness document.
- must take part in all the grant program activities and also in the National Federation for the Blind convention.
- must be planning to obtain a degree from a complete postsecondary education course in a US college during that year study with the exception of one student that may be offered the scholarship even if working full- time while studying part- time.
For the upcoming year, The National Federation for the Blind grant program will start at the beginning of November and end on the last day of March 2012. Besides the financial aid, every winner in the NFB program will get the chance to partake in the Annual Convention set up by the NFB, this being a great opportunity to meet and establish professional and friendship bonds with other blind individuals already working in different environments. To apply for the NFB grant, every entrant should start by visiting their website at www.nfb.org.
Another great resource for college grants for women with disabilities is the Jewish Guild for the blind. The JGB grant program offers a maximum of 15,000 dollars each to 16 students currently in their junior year.
To apply for this scholarship, students must go through the following steps:
- complete the JGB application form which can be found online
- provide legal proof of blindness and of United States citizenship like a birth certificate or passport
- provide documentations that prove education achievements like a copy with SAT Reasoning Test results
- provide 3 letters that recommend the student, 2 of which must confirm the individual’s academic competence. Each of these must also provide the information necessary to contact the person that wrote it. (address, tel. nr. and name)
- write 2 cover letters, one detailing the future intents of the student regarding career and education (maximum 500 words) and the second portraying an important teacher that left his mark on the education of the applicant
The complete process of applying for a JGB grant is done online on their website at www.jgb.org so all the documents needed must be scanned and sent via e-mail with the application.
For students suffering from a moderate to severe loss of hearing a good place to start looking for financial aid to pay for college is the A.G. Bell Association. Here, they can benefit from the G. H. Nofer grant is they are planning to pursue a career law or public administration. High school graduates that have learning disabilities (LD) and plan on receiving higher education can apply for the Anne and Allegra Ford grant which award 10,000 dollars each to 2 students who prove to be very serious in pursuing a college degree and a successful career.
Other college grants for women with disabilities can be obtained from the Ethel Louise Foundation which offers two scholarships of 2,000 dollars each to female graduates with disabilities based on merit. The Californian Association for Postsecondary Edu. also offers 8 grants consisting of 1,500 dollars each to undergraduates with disabilities that attend a college in California.
Individuals who suffer from disabilities but are also part of a certain minority group and want to obtain a doctoral degree in biomedical science can apply for financial support from the Nat. Institute of Health Fellowship.
Universities
Campuses can provide a much better environment for students to develop their academic and intellectual skills as well as hone their social skills within the community. To encourage the involvement of students with disabilities in higher education, many Universities provide financial and technical support.
The Michigan University, for example, has fraternities for the impaired students who want to obtain a degree in rehabilitation science. Other colleges like the G. Washington one have a special support service that caters for the financial needs of students suffering from disabilities. Still, the best thing you can do if you want to know whether the college you have in mind aid undergraduates with disabilities or not, is to contact them directly.
