College Scholarships That Support Students With Autism

Scholarships for college are often very competitive and reliant on metrics like SAT scores and GPAs to select winners. This can be a barrier to students with autism seeking scholarships to support their higher education aspirations, but awards designed specifically to support members of the autism community can help.

To improve options for students and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, Kerry Magro created the Making a Difference for Autism Scholarship, which has awarded nearly 70 scholarships in the eight years since its inception.

“When I was trying to get into college, there were really no scholarships for students with autism,” Magro says. Since creating the scholarship, he says, “We’ve received hundreds of applications over the years, and to hear about the stories of individuals who remind me so much of myself growing up with autism, it makes me realize I’m not alone and that there are many, many bright and talented individuals out there who are not letting their autism define who they are.”

Improvements in the monitoring and diagnosis of autism in children led to an increase in the number of students diagnosed with the disorder in the U.S. As these students who were diagnosed as children are reaching adulthood, the trend has created a new need for scholarships for students with autism to support the growing number of those pursuing higher education.

There are many college scholarships available for students with disabilities more generally, but only a few created specifically for students with autism.

Scholarships for students with autism include:

Some of these awards are available to both prospective and current college students.

Margaret Gorman, programs and outreach associate at the Organization for Autism Research, says as students search for awards that most closely fit their needs, they should keep in mind that some autism scholarships limit applications to individuals planning to attend either a four-year or two-year college. Others allow applications from students who are interested in a wider range of postsecondary education, like technical or vocational programs.

“We receive typically more applications for the Schwallie Scholarship, which is for two-year or four-year universities, than we do for the Hussman Scholarship, which is for two-year or life skills, vocational and job readiness programs, so there are a lot of students who are looking to attend four-year universities and pursue higher education,” Gorman says. “I even know we get a few emails per year that ask about scholarships for law school or doctorate degrees for students with autism, though we don’t offer that at this time.”

After finding the best autism scholarship that matches their educational plans, students should begin the process of applying for the award. Most scholarships require at least one essay, and some require a letter of recommendation.

The essay portion of a student’s application can be critical in painting an authentic picture for the organization, according to Magro.

“For students with autism who are pursuing scholarship aid, give yourself to those scholarships. Be as genuine as humanly possible,” Magro says. “Most scholarships have an essay portion, and I know that it’s a challenge for young adults to be open and share their heart. But I think the best thing that anyone can do, regardless of if they have autism or not, is just show the scholarship committee who they truly are.”

Experts encourage students to also seek out scholarships created for students with autism in their local communities in addition to those open to students nationally, even if they are sometimes rare. Delaware residents, for example, may qualify for one of the Autism Delaware Scholarships, which include college scholarships for adults with autism as well as awards for students at the University of Delaware pursuing a career in autism-related work.

To apply for the Autism Delaware Scholarship for adults with autism, students must submit a cover letter, resume, transcript, information on the student’s support system, evidence of the diagnosis and a letter of recommendation.

“There are not many specific local scholarships available, and that’s one of the reasons we started our scholarship,” says Brian Hall, executive director of Autism Delaware, a nonprofit. “For the Adults with Autism Scholarships, we look for whether the individual is committed to giving back to the community. We look for a history of being engaged in the community, and we support this scholarship because we know the community of people with autism has grown.”

While these local and national scholarships for students with autism report receiving a large number of applications for a small number of awards, experts say reaching out to the organization to learn more and ensuring application materials fit the mission of the organization can help students successfully win autism scholarships.

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