Resources

The following scholarships are available specifically to students with disabilities. 

AHEAD in Virginia 2023 Scholarship Information

Application information: Application Opens: February 13, 2023. March 20, 2023, 5:00 p.m.  - deadline for submission of Application, Transcript, and Personal Statement

AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) in Virginia The AHEAD in Virginia Scholarship is provided to acknowledge and support students with disabilities who are striving to earn a degree, overcoming challenges and serving their community.

Eligibility:

• Enrolled in an accredited Virginia Institution of Higher Education at the time of application

• Must have a High School Diploma or GED

• Enrolled in a Certificate/Associate, Undergraduate or Graduate degree-seeking program of study

• Enrolled in at least three (3) credit hours for both Fall and Spring of the competition year

• Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale)

• The student must be formally registered with their college or university disability office. The student is not required to be actively using services during the semester of application for scholarship.

• The institution where the student is enrolled must have at least one current member of AHEAD in Virginia for the competition year. 

National Federation of the Blind of Virginia Scholarship Program

Application information: Application Opens: December 1, 2022. Deadline: Midnight, eastern, March 31, 2023

National Scholarships:

The National Federation of the Blind offers scholarships to persons who are legally blind and living in the United States or Puerto Rico. Thirty (30) merit scholarships of $8,000 will be awarded based on academic achievement, community engagement, and leadership potential. All documents required from the applicants must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on March 31st of every year. 

Eligibility:

• Must be legally blind (PDF) in both eyes.
• Must be residing in the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.
• Must be 18 years of age by July 1, 2023.
• Must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of study in a degree program at a U.S. institution in the fall of the year of application (one scholarship may be given to a person employed full-time while attending school part-time).
• Must participate in person in the entire NFB National Convention and in all of its scheduled scholarship program activities (finalists will receive assistance to attend the national convention).

For more information regarding eligibility, we strongly encourage you to review our scholarship program FAQs.

State Scholarships:

Each year at its state convention, the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia gives scholarships to recognize achievement by blind scholars. Scholarships are awarded in the fall at the state convention. Learn more about the program.

1800wheelchair.com Scholarship

Application Due: TBD

Description: A $500 award will be given twice annually to full-time students with physical disabilities.

Eligibility: Undergraduate students. 

Cystic Fibrosis Scholarship Foundation

Application Due: List of scholarships/grants on this page have different 2023 due dates. (Usually spring dates)                                               

Description: The program is available to those who will be enrolled in an undergraduate program or vocational school in the fall. Scholarships will be awarded based on a combination of financial need, academic achievement, and leadership. Both single-year and multi-year awards are made, generally for $1000 per year.                                     

Eligibility: Students enrolled in an undergraduate program or vocational school in fall with a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester.

If you would like help finding scholarships, call Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Compass at 844-COMPASS (844-266-7277) Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. ET, or email compass@cff.org.

SERTOMA: Communicative Disorders Scholarship                         

Application Due: Saturday, April 1, 2023                                                  

Sertoma’s Scholarship for the Hard of Hearing or Deaf, is the leading scholarship for hard of hearing or deaf students since the program’s inception in 1994. Students with clinically significant bilateral hearing loss, graduating from high school, or undergraduate students pursuing four-year college degrees in any discipline are eligible for the scholarship.

Qualifications

• Must have a minimum 40dB bilateral hearing loss, as evidenced on audiogram by an SRT & PTA of 40dB or greater in both ears
• Must be a citizen of the United States of America
• Must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree on a full-time basis at a college or university in the United States – graduate degrees, associates degrees, community colleges, and vocational programs do not qualify.
• Must have a minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 un-weighted scale
  • High School senior – Cumulative GPA is for grades 9-11 and first semester for grade 12
  • College freshman – Cumulative GPA is all of high school and first semester of college
  • College sophomore or higher – Cumulative GPA for all college-level semesters completed

Lighthouse Guild Scholarship                                                                   

Application Due: April 15, 2023                                                 

Description: The Guild Sholar Program awards scholarships of up to $10,000 each to students who are legally blind.   

Eligibility: Incoming college students are eligible.

American Foundation for the Blind Scholarship 

Application Due: TBD

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and American Council of the Blind (ACB) have partnered together to offer educational scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $7,500 for those attending a technical college or attending university as an entering freshman, undergraduate, or graduate student.

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants need to be legally blind, maintain a 3.0 GPA to be eligible for most scholarships, be a full-time student (as well as students who work 32 or more hours per week and attend college part-time), and be involved in their school/local community.

Applications for the upcoming school year can be submitted online from Nov 1st, 2021 through February 14th, 2022.

All interested candidates must register for a new American Council of the Blind (ACB) account prior to submitting a scholarship application online. Visit www.acb.org/scholarships to start the registration process

Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students. 

Nicholas J. Deleonardis Scholarship American Sign Language Project

Application Due: April 15, 2023

Amound of award: $6,000

The goal of the Nicholas J. Deleonardis Scholarship is to encourage full-time college students to engage in research leading to noninvasive technologies that will improve communication between Deaf and hearing people.To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a full-time undergraduate or full-time graduate student at an accredited four-year university or college in the United States.
• Have permanent U.S. residency
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent)
• Complete the entire application packet
• Propose a research project involving non-invasive technology that will improve communication between Deaf and hearing people. The project will be completed by the applicant as a part of the program requirements.

Hemophilia Federation of American Educational Scholarship

Application Due: May 31, 2023

Description: Two educational scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $2,000 each to students with a bleeding disorder.

Two (2) educational scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $2,000 each to students with a bleeding disorder.

Eligibility Requirements:

• A person with a bleeding disorder
• Must be pursuing a degree at a college, university or trade school

Joseph Morelli Scholarship

Application Due:  February 26, 2023

Description: Scholarships are awarded annually in the amount of $500 to $2500

Eligibility: 

• Applicants must be either a high school student or a post-high school student, who will be attending an accredited undergraduate school, technical school, or community college in the United States. 

  Applicants must be pursuing a degree in STEM field (science, technology, engineering, math)

  Applicants must have a demonstrated learning challenge (disability) of dyslexia or similar reading and/or language-based disability .

The Teresa Haven Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Application Due: April 21, 2023

Description: Teresa Haven repeatedly demonstrated her strong knowledge of accessibility in the technology environment as she continually worked towards creating a more accessible digital world. Her involvement in ATHEN (Assistive Technology in Higher Education Network) is only one example of Teresa’s commitment for equity and inclusivity.  

The scholarship award amount is for $1,000.00 and will be payable via check to the award recipient.

Eligibility:

• Enrollment in a post-secondary institution in the United States during the award period or evidence of acceptance to a postsecondary institution in the United States immediately following the award period (i.e. award granted in May, student must be accepted to a postsecondary institution for Fall semester of that same year.)
• Must be a student with a disability
• Registration for a minimum of six (6) credit hours per quarter/semester
• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
• Nomination by an ATHEN or AHEAD member. CAS is a member of ATHEN and AHEAD. A CAS staff member will be happy to meet with you to discuss this scholarship opportunity. 

The Selection Committee will make award decisions based on the following selection criteria:

• Disability-related leadership and service
• Academic achievement
• Well-articulated goals
• Two letters of support (one from the nominating ATHEN member and one from another person)

The Google Lime Scholarship

Application Due: Late April, 2023

Description: Google partnered with Lime Connect, a nonprofit organization that supports students with disabilities while they pursue education and promising careers, to help university students with disabilities work toward their academic goals in the field of computer science.

The scholarship award amount is for $10,000.00.

Eligibility:

• Have, or consider themselves to have, a visible or invisible disability (see Lime Connect’s approach to disability here)
• Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at a university for the 2022-2023 academic year
• Plan to enroll as a full-time student at a university in the United States or Canada for the 2023-2024 academic year
• Maintain a strong academic performance
• Be pursuing a degree in computer science, computer engineering or a degree in a closely related technical field
• Exemplify leadership and demonstrate passion for computer science and technology

The Selection Committee will make award decisions based on the following selection criteria:

• Recipients will be selected based on the overall strength of their essays and application materials compared to the entire applicant pool.
• For questions, email recruiting@limeconnect.com.

Wells Fargo Scholarship Program

Application Due: Opening January 2023. Only the first 700 applications will be accepted.

Description: Wells Fargo offers scholarships to undergraduates with an identified disability. Their program will award $2,500 in renewable scholarships for full-time students and $1,250 in renewable scholarships for part-time students. Wells Fargo plans on accepting 700 applications for 2023. 

The scholarship award amount is for $1,250.00.

Eligibility:

• Student must have an identified disability (defined as someone who has, or considers themselves to have, a long-term or recurring condition that impacts one or more major life activity). 
• Applicants must be high school seniors or graduates or current undergraduates planning to enroll, or who are already enrolled, in full- or half-time undergraduate study at an accredited United States two- or four-year college or university for the upcoming academic year. 
• The program will award up to $2,500 renewable scholarships for full-time students and up to $1,250 renewable scholarships for half-time students.

Cochlear Scholarships

Application Due: Scholarship applications will open approximately March 31st of each year. Completed applications must be submitted online by September 30th of each year.

Description: Cochlear offers scholarships to students who are recipients of Cochlear implants including the Cochlear Nucleus, Baha, or Osia. The Graeme Clark Scholarship is offered to Cochlear Nucleus implant recipients. The Anders Tjellstrom Scholarship is offered to Baha and Osia implant recipients. The Cochlear Vocational Scholarship is offered to recipients of any Cochlear device that enrolled in a technical, vocational, or trade school. 

All scholarships are worth $2,000 per year. 

Eligibility:

• Scholarship applicants must be a Cochlear Nucleus, Baha, or Osia recipient
• Applicants must be a citizen of the United States or Canada
• Available to graduated high school seniors, and undergraduate or graduate students that have applied to or will be enrolled in an accredited college or university
• Scholarship applicants must receive a 3.0 GPA (unweighted) or above, from their current academic institution, to apply for and maintain the scholarship
• Cochlear employees or their family members are not eligible to apply
• Each winner can only receive the scholarship one time

Louise Tumarkin Zazove Foundation Scholarship

Application Due: Applications are open early January - late May

Description: This foundation provides college scholarships to Americans with hearing loss to promote equal chances in a hearing society. Undergraduate students with significant bilateral hearing loss are encouraged to apply. 

All scholarships provide approximately $3,800 per recipient for yearly tuition.

Eligibility:

• Recipients must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

• Recipients must have significant bilateral hearing loss. We require at least a 50 dB unaided hearing loss in both ears (or cochlear implant(s)), and we accept applicants who have a cochlear implant on an equal basis as those without an implant.

• Recipients must be undergraduates attending an accredited non-profit college physically located in the United States. The Foundation will not consider applications for graduate or high school tuition.

Below is a list of main campus resources available to Radford students. 

Below is basic information about parking assistance for a person with a disability. If you are an RUC student with questions regarding parking, please contact Student Affairs at RUC.

• Students, faculty, and staff must have a parking pass through the university, even if they have an accessible parking placard from the DMV. 
• Visitors or passengers do not need to have a parking pass and can park anywhere with an accessible parking space.

Permanent Accessible Parking  

• Obtain an Accessible Parking Placard from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• Student must puchase a student campus parking pass. 

Temporary Accessible Parking (less than six weeks)

• Please contact Parking and Transportation to obtain a Radford University Temporary Accessibility Parking Permit at 540-831-6361 or visit 152 Heth Hall. Employees and students must have already purchased a valid Radford University parking permit and submitted valid medical documentation.
• If you are an RUC student please contact the RUC Student Affairs office at RUC campus.

Psycoeducational testing takes time (4-6 weeks), including the time necessary for the medical professional to complete the evaluation. CAS is not recommending specific testing sites. 

Center for Assessment & Psychological Services (CAPS)

5201 Hemphill Hall
540-831-5019

• LD Evaluations
• ADHD Evaluations
• Full Battery Testing
• Psycho-Educational Reports
• Comprehensive Assessment: $350-600 (range)
• Intervention/Therapy Session: $10-90
• Does not accept third party insurance.

Counseling & Psychological Services of the Cooper House
305 Washington St. Blacksburg   
540-552-3046

Counseling Associates of SWVA, Inc
200 Professional Park Dr., Suite 1, Blacksburg 
540-552-1402

Psychological Services Center (Virginia Tech)
3110 Prices Ford Rd., Blacksburg 
540-231-6914

The Cascade Group
200 Professional Park Dr. Suite 4, Blacksburg 
540-951-4800

Developmental Assessment Center
3812 Concord Place Suite C, Roanoke 
540-989-6360

Neither CAS, nor Radford University, provides personal mobility devices for temporary or permanent disabilities (wheelchairs, scooters). Individuals needing a mobility device should contact a care provider (PCP, Physical Therapist) for a referral. Additionally, we cannot give preference to a particular vendor.

Examples of mobility equipment include crutches, wheelchair, scooter/power chair, canes and walkers. Have a question about which mobility equipment is right for you? Be sure to ask a doctor's office, insurance, physical therapist or a friend.

The following contains a list of disability related resources as well as national and state agencies. 

SAMPLE SYLLABUS STATEMENT

“If you are a student with special needs or circumstances, I invite you to contact me early in the course so appropriate supports and scheduling can be addressed. 

 Students seeking academic accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act must apply for services with Radford University’s Center for Accessibility Services (CAS). The policies regarding students with disabilities may be found on the CAS website at http://www.radford.edu/content/cas/home.html.  You may also contact the CAS office."

CAS Contact Information

Website:  www.radford.edu/cas
Phone:  540-831-6350 
Email:  cas@radford.edu

Radford faculty plays a crucial part in the lives of all of their students. CAS looks forward to working with faculty to assist in accommodating students with disabilities. There are three academic accommodations that will require faculty and a CAS access specialist to work together to determine what is reasonable and not a fundamental alteration to a course. These are: amended attendance, assignment extensions, and flexible exam schedule. 

Please contact CAS with any questions or concerns when working with a student with a disability or a student you suspect may benefit from CAS services. 

For information on the CAS Access Specialist for your department or college, please visit the About CAS page.

It is preferred and recommended that students approved for services with CAS, request access plans, and share them with instructors prior to the start of the semester.  However, per ADA regulations, students can request accommodations due to a medical diagnosis at any time of their academic career.

A student does not have to disclose their disability.  If a student is approved for services with CAS, we encourage students to share as much information about their learning style as possible.  However, if you suspect a student is struggling academically due to the lack of access to material and information, please have private conversation.  Ask the student if they applied for services with CAS.  If the answer is, "no", then encourage them to do so.  In some cases, instructors have accompanied a student to the CAS office to share their thoughts and concerns.