Cerebral palsy scholarships are scholarships awarded to students who either are living with cerebral palsy or intend to study cerebral palsy while in school. These scholarships are meant to help with the tuition costs for both of these groups of people. Those interested in cerebral palsy scholarships will have to look closely for these scholarships, because they can be limited.
Outside of dedicated cerebral palsy scholarships, there are many other scholarships available to students
Students with disabilities might be able to apply cerebral palsy scholarships to camps, schools or colleges that they want to attend. Diagnoses have to be confirmed for these scholarships to be awarded. Many of these scholarships are available through organizations dedicated to aiding the progress of individuals with cerebral palsy, but others can be offered through groups devoted to the needs of generally disabled individuals. Many non-profit organizations can provide more information about how to obtain such scholarships.
United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), a non-profit organization in the United States, does not have a national fund for scholarships. If students or parents are interested in pursuing a scholarship through this organization, they should contact their local UCP chapters to get more information. Many of these local chapters offer scholarships or know of other resources for cerebral palsy scholarships.
Similarly, students who want to study cerebral palsy can also qualify for cerebral palsy scholarships. Many non-profit organizations and medical schools can have scholarships available for students who want to pursue a course of study related to cerebral palsy. For example, a physical therapy organization might award a cerebral palsy scholarship to a physical therapy student who desires to work specifically with patients who have cerebral palsy.
Churches, vocational rehabilitation centers and the office for students with disabilities at any college also are places where prospective students can find help. Some of these places can provide scholarships to students with disabilities, and the applicant needs only to provide a proof of diagnosis in order to qualify. Students should be aware that they likely will be competing against others for the same scholarship.
Of course, checking into the normal resources for scholarships can't hurt in a search for cerebral palsy scholarships. Looking in with a camp, school or college's financial aid center can make the pursuit for scholarships easier. These places might provide insight into the availability of grants and loans offered by government agencies, provide guidance about private loans and have more information about lesser-known resources for college funding.
