Scholarships for Students With Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia (2026 Guide)

Scholarships for Students With Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia (2026 Guide)

January deadlines

Marion Huber Learning Through Listening® Awards

Why It Slaps: This is one of the cleanest fits on the whole list for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities because it is built around the actual experience of learning differently, not just a generic disability category. It also stands out on award size. Learning Ally ties the award to academic achievement, leadership, and service, which makes it a strong option for students who have had to work hard to succeed in a reading-heavy environment. If your audience includes high school seniors who already use accessible reading tools, this is a serious one to flag early.
Amount: Top winners receive $6,000 each; special honors winners receive $2,000 each.
Deadline: January 31.
Apply/info: Marion Huber Learning Through Listening® Awards

March deadlines

AAHD Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability

Why It Slaps: This one is best for students with learning disabilities who want to work in disability-related or health-related fields. It is not for first-time traditional freshmen in most cases, so it is a sharper fit for current college students, advanced undergrads, and graduate students who already know their direction. The scholarship is especially useful because it rewards students whose academic path connects directly to disability, health, rehabilitation, public health, or special education. That makes it more mission-aligned than a lot of generic essay awards.
Amount: Generally $1,000, though final amounts depend on available funding.
Deadline: March 6, 2026 for the 2025-2026 application listed on the page.
Apply/info: AAHD Scholarship Program

David Staenberg Dyslexia Scholarship

Why It Slaps: This is a very real dyslexia-specific scholarship, which is exactly what many students and parents are hunting for. The catch is that it is local, limited to graduating seniors in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Still, for the students who fit, it is a direct-match award with clear eligibility, a confirmed dyslexia condition requirement, and a straightforward application. That kind of clean targeting often means less wasted time than broader national scholarships with fuzzier fit.
Amount: $1,200.
Deadline: March 15, 2026.
Apply/info: David Staenberg Dyslexia Scholarship

P. Buckley Moss Endowed Scholarship

Why It Slaps: This scholarship is a standout because it is specifically designed for a graduating high school senior with a language-related learning difference who plans to pursue visual arts. That is rare. Most disability scholarships are broad, but this one directly connects dyslexia-style learning differences with a creative career path. It is especially valuable for students whose school story may have been uneven in traditional academic settings but who have strong artistic talent, verified need, and a clear postsecondary plan.
Amount: Up to $1,000 annually, with possible renewal for up to three consecutive years based on eligibility.
Deadline: March 31 annually.
Apply/info: P. Buckley Moss Endowed Scholarship

April deadlines

Lois Rothschild Scholarship (IDA New Jersey)

Why It Slaps: This is one of the better state-based dyslexia scholarships because it is not vague about who it is for. The program explicitly names students with dyslexia, covers multiple types of post-high-school study, and offers a meaningful funding range instead of a token micro-award. For New Jersey families, this is exactly the kind of targeted regional scholarship that can outperform crowded national contests.
Amount: $1,000 to $10,000.
Deadline: April 3, 2026.
Apply/info: IDA New Jersey Scholarship Info

Lime Connect Pathways Scholarship for High School Seniors

Why It Slaps: This is not learning-disability-specific, but it is a strong fit for students with documented learning disabilities because Lime Connect is explicitly open to students with disabilities, including invisible ones. It works especially well for high school seniors aiming at a four-year college who want a national disability-focused program with a recognizable name. It also helps that the application is built for students early in the college pipeline, which makes it more accessible than awards aimed only at current undergrads.
Amount: Up to $1,000.
Deadline: April 14, 2026.
Apply/info: Lime Connect Pathways Scholarship for High School Seniors

INCIGHT Scholarship

Why It Slaps: This is a strong regional disability scholarship for students in California, Oregon, and Washington. It is not dyslexia-specific, but students with learning disabilities fit the broader disability eligibility. What makes it useful is that INCIGHT does not make financial need the deciding factor and places real weight on motivation and community involvement. That can be a better fit for students whose transcript alone does not tell the whole story.
Amount: Typically $500, with higher amounts possible for scholars who reapply.
Deadline: April 15, 2026.
Apply/info: INCIGHT Scholarship

Civitan Scholarship at Beacon College

Why It Slaps: Beacon College is one of the most recognizable colleges built around students with learning differences, so its internal scholarship pages matter. The Civitan Scholarship is attractive because it targets Beacon students with learning and attention issues and offers a meaningful award for a college-specific program. For students already committed to Beacon, this is much more relevant than chasing a random national essay contest.
Amount: One non-renewable $5,000 award.
Deadline: April 17, 2026.
Apply/info: Beacon College Scholarships

Erica Scholarship at Beacon College

Why It Slaps: This one is smaller than some of Beacon’s other internal awards, but it has a practical fit for students already in the Beacon ecosystem. It rewards financial need plus campus or community engagement, which is helpful for students whose strength shows up in persistence and contribution, not just perfect grades. For a student with learning challenges who has started building momentum in college, this is a very realistic campus-based target.
Amount: One non-renewable $2,000 award.
Deadline: April 17, 2026.
Apply/info: Beacon College Scholarships

Harbor Hills Scholarship at Beacon College

Why It Slaps: This scholarship is another Beacon-specific option for students with learning and attention issues, and it is especially relevant for applicants with pressing financial need. It is not huge, but it is specific, direct, and tied to a college that actually specializes in this student population. For students already attending Beacon or firmly headed there, that specificity can make it a better use of time than more generic outside awards.
Amount: One non-renewable $3,000 scholarship.
Deadline: April 17, 2026.
Apply/info: Beacon College Scholarships

Jack Brett Scholarship at Beacon College

Why It Slaps: This one is particularly good for Beacon students entering the sophomore or junior year, which fills a gap many scholarship roundups miss. A lot of public scholarship content is overloaded with awards only for high school seniors. This scholarship recognizes that students with learning disabilities often need funding after the first enrollment year too, especially once they have proved they can persist and grow in college.
Amount: One $3,750 award.
Deadline: April 17, 2026.
Apply/info: Beacon College Scholarships

S & E Scholarship at Beacon College

Why It Slaps: The best thing about this one is simple: there are four awards instead of one. That matters. It is still college-specific, but a multi-award scholarship gives students better odds than many single-winner programs. Like several Beacon awards, it is built around students with learning and attention issues and combines financial need with perseverance.
Amount: Four non-renewable scholarships of $5,000 each.
Deadline: April 17, 2026.
Apply/info: Beacon College Scholarships

Important Beacon note: I kept these Beacon scholarships in the guide because the page clearly posts 2026 award amounts and the April 17, 2026 deadline. But some eligibility lines on the same page still reference older entry-year wording, so applicants should use the live Beacon page and confirm any enrollment-year details with the college’s financial aid office before submitting.

Anne Ford Scholarship

Why It Slaps: This is one of the best-known national scholarships specifically for students with documented learning disabilities, and it deserves that reputation. It is built for graduating high school seniors heading into a full-time bachelor’s program, and it explicitly includes students whose documentation may say dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, or another specific learning disability. For a student with a strong personal story and real persistence, this is a flagship application.
Amount: $10,000 total, paid as $2,500 per year over four years.
Deadline: Rolling review until April 26, 2026.
Apply/info: Anne Ford Scholarship

Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship

Why It Slaps: This is the sister award to the Anne Ford Scholarship, but it serves a different path, which makes it really valuable. It is tailored to graduating seniors with documented learning disabilities who are going to community college, vocational or technical training, or specialized disability-support programs. That makes it a much better fit for students whose next step is practical, skills-based, or nontraditional instead of a straight four-year bachelor’s route.
Amount: $5,000 total, paid as $2,500 each year over two years.
Deadline: Rolling review until April 26, 2026.
Apply/info: Allegra Ford-Thomas Scholarship

May deadlines

NBCUniversal Tony Coelho Media Scholarship

Why It Slaps: This one is a great fit for students with learning disabilities who want careers in media, communications, journalism, film, digital storytelling, or entertainment. It is broader than dyslexia-focused awards, but it is a real disability scholarship with a clear field-specific angle. That mix of disability identity plus industry direction makes it stronger than generic essay contests for students who already know they want to create, report, produce, edit, or communicate professionally.
Amount: $5,625.
Deadline: May 29, 2026 at 5 PM ET.
Apply/info: Tony Coelho Media Scholarship

October deadlines

Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. Disability Scholarship Program

Why It Slaps: This is a broader disability scholarship rather than a learning-disability-only award, but students with documented learning disabilities can still be good candidates. It is best for applicants who can write a thoughtful, personal essay about disability, access, or perseverance. The amount is modest, but it is live, current, and still worth applying to as part of a stack, especially if a student already has an essay draft they can adapt.
Amount: $1,000.
Deadline: October 1, 2026.
Apply/info: Buckfire Disability Scholarship

Gemm Learning Dyslexia/Auditory Processing Disorder Scholarship

Why It Slaps: This is one of the rare scholarships that directly names dyslexia and auditory processing disorder in the title, which immediately makes it more relevant for the audience of this article. It is also open to undergraduates in the U.S. and Canada, so it works for current college students, not just seniors in high school. The award amount is not massive, but the fit is excellent, and fit matters.
Amount: $1,000 toward college tuition.
Deadline: Opens September 1, 2026 and closes October 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Gemm Learning Scholarship Opportunities

Varies or institution-specific

Jane E. Duffy Stach Scholarship Fund at Rutgers

Why It Slaps: This is a real scholarship fund specifically for undergraduate or graduate students with a learning disability, with preference to students with dyslexia. That alone makes it worth mentioning. The amount depends on the number of qualified applicants, so it is not as predictable as a fixed-dollar award, but for Rutgers students or applicants who fit the profile, the specificity is excellent.
Amount: Varies.
Deadline: Varies by campus process.
Apply/info: Rutgers Office of Disability Services Scholarships

Hilleman / Morelli Scholarship at Montana State University

Why It Slaps: The old Joseph James Morelli Foundation was one of the best-known names in dyslexia-STEM scholarship space, and the program has now moved into Montana State. The current version is especially interesting because it combines scholarship support with mentoring, leadership, and broader academic support for students with learning differences. It is narrower now because it is tied to Montana State, but for students with dyslexia who want STEM and like the MSU fit, this is still a serious option.
Amount: Not publicly listed on the page I verified.
Deadline: Not publicly listed on the page I verified.
Apply/info: Hilleman / Morelli Scholarship

How to use this list smartly

If a student has dyslexia or another documented learning disability, the best move is not to apply to everything. It is to separate this list into three buckets: direct-match LD/dyslexia scholarships, broader disability scholarships, and college-specific scholarships tied to schools the student would genuinely attend. That saves time and usually improves hit rate. The most targeted national fits here are Anne Ford, Allegra Ford Thomas, P. Buckley Moss, Gemm Learning, Learning Ally, and the state/branch dyslexia scholarships like NJIDA and David Staenberg.

FAQs

Are all of these scholarships only for dyslexia?

No. This list is a mix. Some are specifically for students with dyslexia or learning disabilities, while others are broader disability scholarships that can still fit students with documented learning disabilities. I included both because many students with dyslexia qualify for disability-focused awards, and some of the broader programs are still very competitive and worth the time.

What documents do students usually need?

The common pattern across these scholarships is pretty clear: transcript, essay or personal statement, recommendation, proof of disability or dyslexia when required, and sometimes FAFSA information for need-based campus awards. Students should build one clean scholarship folder with updated transcript PDF, documentation letter if available, resume, and two strong recommendation contacts before applying.

Are there good options for current college students, not just high school seniors?

Yes. That is one reason this list is stronger than many generic scholarship posts. Gemm Learning, AAHD, some Beacon and Rutgers scholarships, and the Hilleman / Morelli program are all more relevant to students who are already enrolled or further along than a typical high school senior scholarship list.

Are college-specific scholarships worth including in a public guide?

Yes, if the college is a real fit. For students considering Beacon, Rutgers, or Montana State, a college-specific scholarship may be more realistic than a crowded national contest. These are especially useful because they are tied to the school’s own support structure for students with learning differences, not just a one-time outside award.

What if a 2026 deadline already passed?

Keep it in your spreadsheet and prep for the next cycle. The recurring programs on this list are still worth tracking because strong scholarship applications take time: documentation, essays, recommendation letters, and school plans rarely come together overnight. The students who win these awards usually start earlier than they think they need to.

What is the biggest mistake students with learning disabilities make with scholarships?

Going too broad. Students often waste time on huge generic scholarship databases when they would have a much better shot with direct-match awards tied to learning disabilities, dyslexia, disability advocacy, or a college that actually specializes in supporting neurodivergent learners. Targeted fit usually beats volume.