Disability Student Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Central Valley Scholars
About the Scholarship
The Central Valley Scholars Student with Disabilities Scholarship supports students with physical and/or mental disabilities in the Central Valley who continue pursuing higher education despite systemic barriers. The program emphasizes disability inclusion, justice, and validation of lived experience. It seeks to invest in students often overlooked by other funding organizations and to create space for empowerment and vulnerability.
Description: A scholarship recognizing exemplary Central Valley students with disabilities who demonstrate need, resilience, and potential for growth.
- Focused on students from the Central Valley with physical and/or mental disabilities.
- Emphasizes inclusion, accessibility, and disability justice.
- Supports students facing structural and ableist barriers to education.
Scholarship Details
The scholarship selects recipients based on identity, financial need, and demonstrated potential for growth rather than traditional metrics alone. Applicants are asked to share their experiences and how disability has affected their educational journey. Selection intentionally rewards students who may be dismissed by other institutions.
Eligibility: Applicants must identify as students with a mental and/or physical disability and be enrolled or planning to enroll at a community college, vocational school, or undergraduate institution; applicants must also meet the program's local graduation or enrollment criteria as specified on the application.
Selection: Recipients are chosen for their resilience, need, and potential rather than GPA or citizenship status.
- Eligibility centers on disability status and Central Valley educational ties.
- Selection criteria prioritize identity, need, and future potential.
- Applicants should consult the application for any location- or date-specific requirements.
Accessibility
The scholarship removes common application barriers to increase access for students with disabilities and those facing difficult circumstances. Standard obstacles such as GPA thresholds, citizenship documentation, and letters of recommendation are intentionally minimized or eliminated. Additional accommodations, including a one-week extension, are available through a formal request process.
Accessibility Features: No GPA requirement; proof of citizenship or Social Security is not requested; no letters of recommendation required; applicants may request a one-week extension via the accommodations form.
- Lowered documentation and credential barriers to apply.
- Formal accommodations process for deadline flexibility.
- Designed to be inclusive of invisible and visible disabilities.
Application Requirements & Timeline
The application requires written responses and verifies current or intended enrollment. Applicants will provide multiple short essays describing their experiences and educational goals. Applications are accepted now and must be submitted by the stated deadline; extensions are available for eligible students through the accommodations request form.
Application Components: The application includes three 250-word responses and one 150-word response, plus any additional information requested on the form.
Application Timeline: Applications are due by 11:59 pm on the posted due date; eligible students may request a one-week extension via the accommodations form.
- Essay-based application: three 250-word answers and one 150-word answer.
- Deadlines posted on the application; late extensions possible with accommodation approval.
- Submit all required responses and follow the accommodations process if needed.