Anne Sullivan, one of the more renowned educators of the twentieth century, once said of teaching: “[students] require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction.” Ms. Sullivan’s words were more than an observation; for her, they were a way of life. She took these instructions to heart when working with her most famous pupil, the philanthropist and humanitarian Helen Keller. Ms. Sullivan was able to determine that Ms. Keller’s inherent wisdom would allow her to learn in the same way as other students, as long as she was there to lend a helping hand.
Today, continuing in the traditions laid out by Ms. Sullivan and Ms. Keller, institutions of higher learning offer a myriad of scholarships to help visually impaired students reach their goals. While these students face challenges that their peers could never imagine, they are able to overcome these obstacles with the help of guides who follow in Ms. Sullivan’s large footsteps. Here are just a few of the many scholarships for visually impaired students:
American Foundation for the Blind Scholarships
Deadline: TBD for 2021-2022
Amount: Varying
The philanthropic work of the American Foundation for the Blind dates back to 1921 and has served as perhaps the most important organization for the blind community in our country. Originally, the foundation helped blind veterans from World War I discuss their new lifestyles, gain information about sightlessness, and find jobs, but it soon transformed into a larger, big tent organization for all visually impaired people in America. The aforementioned Helen Keller devoted much of her adult life to working with the AFB and left many of her personal effects with the foundation’s collection following her passing.
The foundation continues their traditions of helping the blind to this day through their charitable work, including funding several college scholarships for visually impaired students. The specific requirements for each scholarship vary, but the umbrella requirements are basic: official academic transcripts, two letters of recommendation from teachers or academic advisors, and proof of legal blindness in the form of a letter from an optometrist-slash-other eye doctor. When completed, students may either submit the application online or through the mail, and AFB scholars will be notified through the mail after a period of submission.
Learning Ally National Achievement Awards
Deadline: November 30, 2020
Amount: Varying
It is obvious that students with learning disabilities, including the visually impaired, usually have to work twice as hard as the rest of us to perform academic tasks that we take for granted. In order to try to remedy these issues and even the playing field for these hard-working students, the Learning Ally foundation sponsors their National Achievement Awards, rewarding academically outstanding students who deal with visual impairment, dyslexia, or blindness. The NAA mission statement crowns their winners as role models for those across the country who work through similar issues every day on their road to success.
There are two different award categories for two divisions of students; the Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Award, open to college and graduate students, and the Marian Huber Learning Through Listening Award, for high school seniors. Both awards honor the outstanding advocates of the community who devoted their lives to helping students achieve their dreams. Now, their efforts live on through a trio of $6,000 scholarships in each of their names. The top three finalists for each award receive the financial prize, as well as a celebration in their honor in Denver, Colorado. NAA honorees have gone on to fantastic successes in life, as well as additional honors; the website features a gallery of winners at the White House through the years, meeting Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.
Kennedy Center VSA Young Soloist Awards
Deadline: TBD for 2021 (Opens in Fall)
Amount: $2,500
We would be remiss to leave this out when discussing Washington DC and President Kennedy. The awards are presented in the city in his honor for young musicians who work through disabilities to overcome the odds. Presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a legendary concert hall located on the National Mall, the VSA International Young Soloist Awards are one of many contests run by the Kennedy Center for young musicians.
The Young Soloist Awards are open to students between the ages of 14 and 25, including groups; the only caveat being that at least one member of the group must have a disability. Traditionally, music has been one of the most successful career paths for the visually impaired, with acclaimed icons such as Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder providing fantastic role models for the youth. A myriad of genres, including hip-hop, jazz, blues, rock, and folk are open to entrants, and the four winners receive a $2,500 financial prize. In addition to the money, the winners perform at an annual concert on the legendary Kennedy Center stage, broadcast nationally online.
Lighthouse Guild Scholarship
Deadline: March 31
Amount: $10,000
One of the largest financial rewards of any scholarship in the country, the winner of the Lighthouse Guild Scholarship receives a whopping $10,000. The Lighthouse Guild describes themselves on their website as a “leading not-for-profit vision + healthcare organization…with a long-standing heritage of addressing the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired.”
The organization prides themselves on their history of helping blind students achieve their dream of pursuing a secondary education, open to legally blind high schoolers who are US citizens, submit three letters of recommendation, and write two five hundred word statements on how their visual impairment has affected their lives. If they are accepted to the program, they receive the large financial stipend, are honored in a ceremony, deemed role models for the youth, and also participate in future programs involving the Lighthouse Guild.
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| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
6.97%-15.03%* Variable
5.99%-14.00%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
6.37% - 16.70% Variable
4.50% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
4.98% - 16.70% Variable
4.07% - 15.66% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.07% - 11.31% Variable
4.39% - 10.39% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
6.22% - 16.08% Variable
4.09% - 15.66% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
6.54% - 11.08% Variable
3.95% - 8.01% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 18.26% Variable
4.11% - 15.90% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
4.98% - 12.79% Variable
8.42% - 13.01% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
