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Scholarships and Financial Aid

 

All students are encouraged to apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The University’s Office of Student Financial Aid operates under a priority service date of March 1, meaning that all paperwork, including the FAFSA, should be completed no later than Feb. 14th. Information on applying for aid is available at: http://financialaid.arizona.edu/applying.htm

The University offers a number of general scholarships, about half of which require financial need and the completion of the FAFSA. Information on the University’s scholarship program can be found at http://w3.arizona.edu/~scholar/scholars.htm

In addition to general University scholarships and financial aid, DRC offers several financial assistance opportunities specifically for students with disabilities:

DRC General Scholarships:

Each February, DRC scholarship applications are available through each student’s Access Consultants for the:

  • Modine Encouragement Grant
  • Marion Miller Strauss Scholarship
  • Daugherty Scholarship (for blind students)
  • Carroll B. Lemon Scholarship (for blind students)
  • McClure Scholarship
  • DRC Minority Scholarship
  • DRC Academic Scholarship

The deadline for applications is in mid-April, contact DRC for the exact date. Awards are made for the following academic year (Aug.- May) and range from approximately $1,500 to $2,000. The application process is competitive, and approximately 10-12 scholarships awards annually.

To be eligible for these scholarships, one must:

  • be a current or entering University of Arizona student with a disability
  • be registered with DRC, or have made initial contact with a Access Consultant
  • have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA (both at time of application and at time of award).

Applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • disability-related financial need
  • academic planning and performance
  • evidence of self-advocacy, tenacity and integrity.
  • extraordinary circumstances
Mini-Grants

Mini-grants are designed to fund specific, disability-related items, such as the purchase of adaptive technology or tutoring for a specific course. These funds are not intended to be used to cover on-going expenses, e.g., rent, food, insurance, etc.

The mini-grant program is limited to funding items under $300. Mini-grants will be awarded for the exact cost of the item requested, for example a $100 award would cover the purchase of Naturally Speaking software. Students can be awarded a mini-grant only once per year.

To be eligible, one must be a current University of Arizona student, registered with DRC and in good academic standing. Applications will be available throughout the year, with review dates scheduled for the 15th of each month. Recipients will be notified of their awards by the beginning of the subsequent month.

Short-Term Loans

DRC has two short-term loan funds for students who need funds immediately on an emergency basis. To apply for a short-term loan, students must complete a short University application (in which the source of funds to be used for repayment must be clearly identified) and sign a promissory note at the Bursar’s Office. Interest is charged at a low rate. The repayment date is near the middle of the semester so that students are eligible for pre-registration for the next semester. While Short-term loans are readily available (usually requiring only a 48-hour turn around), there are some timing restrictions. Interested students should contact their Access Consultant.

Athletic Scholarships & Awards

DRC offers two types of athletic awards:

  • Performance Awards and
  • Recruitment Scholarships

Performance Awards are established to assist an active adaptive athlete in good academic standing further his or her educational goals. Any student with a GPA of 2.0 who is currently involved in adaptive sports may apply. The awards are made on the basis of athletic ability and active contribution to an adaptive athletic team.

Athletic Recruitment Scholarships are available to in-coming adaptive athletes based on athletic ability.

For additional information for either athletic award, contact Dave Herr-Cardillo at (520) 626-4667.

In addition to the scholarships and financial aid resources mentioned here, we strongly suggest that students pursue other opportunities by searching the Internet, researching in the library and talking with their academic departments. For many students with disabilities, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is an excellent source of financial assistance for post-secondary education. Students should contact their Access Consultants to learn more about VR.

A listing of Internet links for national scholarships for students with disabilities can be found at:
http://www.icdri.org/Financial%20Aid/finaid.htm