Scholarship Opportunities

INFORMATION AND TIPS

We here at the Federation love to hear about Idaho youth going on to further their education, be it through higher continuing education, trade school, art school, or college. While many youth have dreams of continuing their schooling, we realize the families concern about looming tuition may dominate the student’s final decision to attend. Because of this, the Federation has created a scholarship page which highlights various scholarships, both local and national, to assist in guiding both the family and student towards available funding options.

Unlike years past, students not only have the ability to learn about area scholarships, but those interested are also able to locate a considerable amount of information regarding national scholarships. By using online search engines, students are able to find a variety of awards they may be eligible for. To find a scholarship specifically tailored to a certain mental illness, remember to search using keywords designated for the selected diagnosis you are exploring. The following are only a few search engines to help you begin your search:

FastWeb: a database of tens of thousands of scholarships totaling over $1 billion

GoCollege: an engine comprised of over 8,000 funding sources and 60,000 awards

FastAid: this site claims to be the world’s oldest private scholarship database.

“However, the majority of scholarships related to mental illness can be found at the state and local levels. Be sure to research local scholarship opportunities through your high school, library, and community. Also, find out what scholarships are available at your college. Conduct an exhaustive search in many areas including, the financial aid office, your specific college if you’re attending a large university, and your major. Many colleges offer scholarships for those with disabilities. Contact your college and ask if mental illness is included before applying for the scholarship.”

"Below is a non-comprehensive list of national scholarships available to those with mental illness. Again, be sure to conduct your own search online, as the results will be more tailored to your specific needs and interests, and remember to look at the state and local level as well.”

Eli Lilly & Company / Moving Lives Forward Reintegration Scholarship

Award Amount: Varies

Number of Awards: Varies

Description: Annual awards for persons diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder who are enrolled in high school equivalency studies, a trade or vocational school, or a two- or four-year college university. Applicants must be U.S citizens, currently receiving medical treatment for one of the above conditions, and be actively involved in rehabilitative or reintegrative efforts. An essay must be included with the application packet. Nonrenewable.

Contact Information: Eli Lilly & Company
c/o Lilly Secretariat
PBM 327 310 Busse Highway
Park Ridge, IL 60068-3251
(800) 809-8202

Special People In Need / Scholarship Grants for Disabled Students

Max. Value of Awards: $4000

Number of Awards: Varies

Description: Annual awards for disabled undergraduate students pursuing a postsecondary education. Applicants must be U.S. citizens/permanent residents. A letter from the student or institution describing the nature of the disability, a letter from the student's physician confirming the disability, and tax returns for the student and parents must be submitted.

Contact Information: Special People In Need
Secretary, Gary H. Kline
500 West Madison Street
Suite 3700
Chicago, IL 60661-2511
(312) 715-5235

Anne Ford Scholarship

Provided by: National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc.

Award Amount: $10,000

Number of awards: varies

http://www.ld.org/awards/afscholarinfo.cfm

Description: The Anne Ford Scholarship is available to high school seniors who have an identified learning disability and will pursue an undergraduate degree. You must be a U.S. citizen, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award.

National Scholarship Fund

Awards ranging from $1,500 to $10,000 are granted to orphans, foster youth and former foster youth under the age of 25, for academic or vocational training beyond high school.
Applicants Must:

• Have been in public or private foster care for at least one year (12 months) at the time of their 18th birthday;
• Not have been adopted following foster care;
• Be under the age of 25;
• Be accepted into an accredited post-secondary school or program.

www.orphan.org

Casey Family Scholars Scholarship

The Casey Family Scholars Program has been administered by OFA since 2001. It provides scholarships of up to $10,000 to young people, under the age of 25, who have spent at least 12 months in foster care and were not subsequently adopted. The scholarships are awarded for the pursuit of post-secondary education, including vocational/technical training, and are renewable each year based on satisfactory progress and financial need.

In addition to the money, Casey Family Scholars will receive ongoing support through OFA's vMentor program.

Casey Family Scholars aims to decrease the financial barriers to higher education faced by foster youth in need, and to support their success through the provision of mentoring.

"The end of foster care shouldn't be the end of caring," says William Bell, President of Casey Family Programs. "As young people in foster care reach the age of 18, most face the world alone with few permanent connections and little family support. Our scholarships will provide both the funds they desperately need to continue an education as well as caring adults who share their dreams of the future."

For more information about Casey Family Programs, visit  www.casey.org

Foster Care Scholarship

Our 2007-2008 application is now closed.

Applications for the 2008-2009 school year will be made available between January 1 and March 31, 2008. Applicants must...

1. Have been in foster care for one consecutive year at the time of their 18th birthday or high school graduation OR Have been adopted or taken into legal guardianship out of foster care after their 16th birthday OR Have lost both parents to death before the age of 18 and not been subsequently adopted. In this instance, copies of the death certificates must be provided.
2. Be accepted into or enrolled in an accredited post-secondary program at the undergraduate level (university, college, community college or vocational/technical institute).
3. Be under the age of 25 on March 31, 2008. NOTE: Although U.S. citizenship is not required for the OFA/Casey Scholarship, domicile is.

Applicants must have been in foster care or have grown up in the United States of America and must reside in the U.S. at the time of their application.

Many (but not all) young people who are eligible for OFA/Casey Family Scholars funding are also eligible for federal Education and Training Voucher, or Chafee, dollars. Visit www.statevoucher.org to find out more about this program.

Questions can be directed to scholarships.

Thanks to NAMI for a large portion of the above information.