College Grants for the Learning Disabled
Students with learning disabilities and financial needs have a range of options to help pay for college. Federal grant programs and scholarship money offered by private and charitable organizations can help ease the financial burden that comes with attending college.
Grants
Though there are no federal grants awarded to students on the basis of a learning disability, there are several federal grants available for any student with financial need. The largest government grant program is the Pell Grant Program. Pell grants award needy students up to $4,000 dollars for each academic year. For the 2009-10 academic year, the average cost of attendance at a four-year public college or university was $6,500 per year. That cost can be less than half with the help of a Pell grant. Other federal grants are available for needy students who qualify for Pell grants, including the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, the Academic Competitiveness Grant, and the National SMART Grant. Depending on a student's intended major and level of need, a combination of the Pell grant and one of these three additional federal grants can cover the full cost of tuition and other expenses.
Scholarships
There are numerous financial aid opportunities for education for disabled students awarded by foundations and corporate entities, as well as charitable causes. The Schwallie Family Scholarship Program awards scholarships of $3,000 each year to students with autism. The Anne Ford and Allegra Scholarship awards $10,000 to two learning disabled students each year. The Ann and Matt Harbison Scholarship of $1,000 is granted each year to a student with a language-related learning disability. The list of organizations offering scholarships to high-achieving students with learning disabilities is long.
Considerations
With few exceptions, grants, and especially government grants, are awarded to students based on financial need rather than on academic achievement or other types of need. As such, learning disabled students are encouraged to explore scholarship options and financial or other varieties of aid available through their specific schools of interest or outside organizations.
Provisions at Institutions of Higher Learning
Whereas the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act provides for special education classes and instructors for students during their secondary education, IDEA does not extend provisions for college students with learning disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act does however require colleges and universities to provide accommodations to students with learning disabilities, which may help offset costs incurred as a result of the disability. Many colleges also continue to offer specialized instruction and facilities to help learning disabled students pursue a regular degree program.
Other Supplemental Options
There are more options still for learning disabled students who do not qualify for either grants or scholarships. Low-interest loan programs offered by both the government and private companies are widely used by students with financial need. Many loans, such as the Stafford Loan, do not require a student to begin paying them back until after they have graduated college.
Tags: students with, disabled students, federal grants, learning disabilities, learning disabled students, with learning, with learning disabilities
