The National Federation of the Blind is assisting the blind students with its scholarship program. The awards are open for the resident of Texas pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of study at a U.S. institution of higher education in the fall of the application year.
The grant is designed with a wonderful initiative of motivating and supporting hard-working scholars in the high cost of education. The beneficiaries will be getting help to complete their studies without facing any financial barriers across their educational journey.
The National Federation of the Blind is an organization of over 50,000 blind people. It was founded in 1940 and had affiliates in every state, Puerto Rico, and Washington DC. It is dedicated to the complete integration of the blind into society and provides encouragement and promotes an understanding of the real problems of blindness.
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Who May Be Eligible?
To eligible, the candidates must be following all the eligibility criteria:
- Must be legally blind in both eyes.
- Must be a resident of Texas. Texas residency means that you must live in Texas while attending school in the year of application.
- Must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of study at a U. S. institution of higher education in the fall of the application year. Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas value both work and education. Therefore, the committee may, at its discretion, grant one scholarship to a student who attends school part-time while working full-time.
- Must attend the entire convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas.
How to Apply
Eligible students are required to fill out an online application form provided on the official page. Applicants have to gather all the other required documents and send it to via email to scholarships@nfbtx.org. Students must include their name and the name of the material they are submitting in the subject line. For example, “John Doe Recommendation Letter” or “Jane Smith Proof of Blindness.”
Supporting Documents
- Proof of legal blindness. This can be supplied by a doctor or your vocational rehabilitation counselor.
- A current transcript. Electronic copies are preferred.
- An essay no longer than 700 words and should provide more information about you, how you cope with your blindness in school and everyday life, and any other details that you believe will help the committee make an informed decision about your application.
- One letter of recommendation. The letter should be from someone who knows your academic skills, how you deal with your blindness in an educational or work setting, and your plans for the future. Letters from family members are not acceptable.
- Proof of acceptance. This requirement applies to incoming first-year students only.
Benefits
The Federation will be distributing the below-mentioned awards to the deserving winners of the competition:
- NFBTX Merit Scholarship- one scholarship of $1,500.00. This scholarship is funded through public donations.
- NFBTX Chapter Scholarship- one scholarship of $2,000.00. This scholarship is funded through generous donations from the Houston and Lone Star chapters of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas.
- NFBTX Members Scholarship- one scholarship of $2,500. This scholarship is granted by the members of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas.
- Harley Fetterman Memorial Scholarship – one scholarship of $3,000. This scholarship is sponsored by our Austin Chapter, our members, public donations, and generous support from the Fetterman family and Harley’s Wallet.
Application Deadline
The application deadline for submitting all supplemental documentation is August 15, 2020.
