College is even more difficult for students who have a mental disability. Luckily, mental health scholarships help offset some of the stress. We are going to share some mental health scholarships that you can apply for today. We’ll also give you tips on coping with a mental illness in college.
Mental Health Scholarships
AAHD Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability
The Frederick J. Krause Scholarship awards college students who suffer from a mental illness. Applicants must study in an accredited college or university. They must be in their sophomore, junior, or senior year. They must have a disability. Preference goes to applicants studying public health, disability studies, or a related field. The award amount is up to $1,000.
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Check for scholarshipsGoogle grants this scholarship to students with disabilities. Applicants must study computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. They must show academic excellence. They must submit essays on their passion for computer science and their career goals. The award amount is $10,000.
The Anne Ford Scholarship awards graduating high school seniors. Applicants must have a documented learning disability or ADHD. They must plan to attend a full-time bachelor’s degree in the fall. The award amount is $10,000.
Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship
The Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship awards high school seniors who struggle with their mental health. Applicants must have a learning disability or ADHD. They must be planning to study in a community college or vocational program. The award amount is $5,000.
Baer Reintegration Scholarship Program
This scholarship program awards students with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder. Applicants must receive medical treatment and be in rehab or reintegration efforts. The award amount is $1,000.
Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship
The Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship grants scholarships to high school or college students. Applicants must have experienced challenges with mental health. They must write an essay about their experience with mental health. The award amount is $750.
‘Business Plan’ Scholarship for Students With Disabilities
The Business Plan Scholarship awards undergraduate or graduate students who have a disability. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. They must send a 500-1,000 word essay on what they learned from writing a business plan. Submit essays to scholarship@fitsmallbusiness.com. The award amount is $2,500.
Rehabmart Disability Scholarships
Rehabmart Disability Scholarships grant money to students with disabilities. Applicants must be majoring in the health sciences or special education. They must submit a personal statement. The award amount is $250-$25,000.
NBCUniversal Tony Coelho Media Scholarship
The Tony Coelho Media Scholarship awards eight undergraduates and graduates. Applicants must have disabilities. They just want to pursue a career in communications, media, or entertainment. The award amount is $5,625.
Beat the Odds Scholarship Program
The Beat the Odds Scholarship program awards Oregon public school students. Applicants must have overcome hardships, including a disability. They must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. The award amount is $4,000.
This scholarship program is for college students who suffer from a medical or mental illness, learning or physical disability, or behavior disorder. They must have finished at least one semester of college. To apply, they must submit an essay on how they overcame adversity. The award amount is $1,000.
Andrew Q. Peschard Memorial Scholarship
The Andrew Q. Peschard Memorial Scholarship awards graduating high school seniors. Applicants must attend school in San Mateo, CA. They must have overcome challenges because of a mental illness. They must show determination to pursue a college degree. The award amount is $1,000.
John Weir Academic Scholarship
The John Weir Academic Scholarship awards high school seniors who have a significant disability. This includes cognitive, developmental, learning, emotional, visual, or physical disabilities. They must be planning to attend a trade school, two-year college, or four-year college. They must write an essay on their volunteer work or involvement in their community.
The Lillian Cooper Droke Memorial Scholarship
The Lillian Cooper Droke Memorial Scholarship grants money to students with a mental illness. Applicants must be enrolled in a technical training program, a college or university. The award amount is $5,000.
The Peyton Tuthill Foundation Scholarship
The Peyton Tuthill Foundation awards students who lost a sibling or parent to homicide. Applicants must be suffering from issues like depression, anxiety, or PTSD. They must be between the ages of 17 and 25. They also must have completed at least one year of grief counseling. They must write an essay on how counseling has benefited them. The award amount is up to $1,000 for each year of their studies.
The Quell Foundation Fighter Scholarship
The Quell Foundation awards several scholarships. The Fighter Scholarship awards students who have a diagnosed mental health condition. Applicants must have a minimum 3.2 GPA and be enrolled at least part-time in college. The award amount is up to $1,250.
The Quell Foundation Student-Athlete Fighter Scholarship
The Quell Foundation Student-Athlete Fighter Scholarship awards students who suffer from a mental illness. Applicants must have a minimum 3.2 GPA. The award amount is up to $1,250.
The JED Student Voice of Mental Health Award
The JED Foundation supports students who struggle with mental illness. Applicants must work on their campus to start a dialogue about mental illness. The award amount is up to $3,000.
The Microsoft Disability Scholarship
Microsoft grants scholarships to high school seniors who have a disability. Students must be studying engineering, computer science, computer information systems, law, or business. They must maintain a minimum of 3.0 and show financial need. The award amount is $5,000 per year.
The INCIGHT Scholarship gives scholarship money to students who have difficulty with mental health. Applicants must be living in California, Oregon, or Washington State. They must attend vocational schools, community colleges, universities, or graduate programs.
The Susanna DeLaurentis Charitable Foundation Memorial Scholarship
The Susanna DeLaurentis Scholarship helps high school seniors who have a mental or physical illness. Applicants must show involvement in extracurricular activities and academic success. To apply, they need to write an essay on how they have overcome challenges. The award amount is $1,000.
The Prochnow Foundation Annual Scholarship
Students with a mental illness can apply for the Prochnow Foundation Annual Scholarship. Applicants must write an essay on how they can achieve success with their mental illness. They must have a minimum 3.5 GPA. The award amount is $10,000.
The Disability Care Center’s Scholarships
The Disability Care Center supports students who have a disability. Students pursuing a degree in special education may also apply. Applicants must write an essay on how they have overcome the hardship of their disability. The award amount is $500.
The FSD Science Graduate Student Grant Fund Scholarship
Graduate students who have a disability can get money from the FSD Science Graduate Scholarship. Applicants must be pursuing a graduate degree in a STEM field. The award amount is $1,000.
The Ability Center Scholarship awards students from Ohio or Michigan. Applicants must have a mental disability. They must write an essay about their disability and the effect it has on their lives. They must have a minimum 3.0 GPA.
The Jared Monroe Foundation Scholarship
The Jared Monroe Foundation gives scholarship money to students with bipolar disorder. High school seniors and full-time college students may apply. The award amount is up to $2,300.
The Ankin Law Office Disabled Veterans Scholarship
Disabled veterans can apply for a scholarship from the Aknin Law Office. Veterans who have a 30% disability rating may apply. The disability can be related to PTSD, mental illnesses, or a physical disability. The award amount is up to $1,000.
The Liberty University Heroes Fund Scholarship
The Liberty University Heroes Fund Scholarship grants money to veterans who are pursuing a degree. Applicants must receive a Purple Heart or a rating between 50%-100% for combat-related PTSD.
The Jack Scura Fund awards scholarships to high school seniors who have a disability. They must pursue an undergraduate degree in New Jersey. They must have a minimum 3.2 GPA. The award amount is $5,000.
John Lepping Memorial Scholarship
The John Lepping Memorial Scholarship awards students who have a physical or psychological disability. Applicants must live in New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania. The award amount is up to $5,000.
The Tommy Tranchin Award supports students in North Texas. Applicants must have a physical, emotional, or intellectual disability. They must be in grades 8 – 12. The award amount is $1,500.
Wells Fargo Scholarship Program for People with Disabilities
The Wells Fargo Scholarship Program helps students with various disabilities. Applicants must be a high school senior or graduate. They must be planning to enroll in an accredited undergraduate program. They must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. The award amount is $2,500.
Jerry Greenspan Student Voice of Mental Health Award
The Jerry Greenspan Award supports students who are reducing prejudice around mental illness. The award amount is $3,000.
JC Runyon Foundation General Scholarship
The JC Runyon Foundation awards undergraduate students who have behavioral health disorders. Applicants must have completed an in-patient program in a facility or hospital. They must be admitted to a college or university.
Paradigm Malibu $1000 Annual Depression Treatment Education Scholarship
Paradigm Malibu awards a scholarship to students enrolled in an accredited college. The award amount is $1,000.
Other Ways to Find Mental Health Scholarships
Here are some other ways you can win scholarships for mental health:
- Apply for a range of scholarships, not only mental health scholarships. There are scholarships that award student leaders, volunteers, and students who have overcome hardships.
- Check with local mental health organizations in your area. Many of these organizations award college scholarships.
- Apply for general disability scholarships, even if it doesn’t specify the mental illness. Contact the organization and ask them about their eligibility requirements.
- Get involved with your college’s disability center. They can help you with everything from finding scholarships, finding a support group on campus, and getting special accommodations for test-taking.
Tips for Coping With a Mental Illness in College
Here are some tips for coping with a mental illness in college:
- Stick to a schedule (as much as possible). It’s good for your physical and mental health to go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day.
- Seek out help. You are never ever alone! Many colleges and universities offer free counseling to students. You can also look for a therapist in the community. Other services that schools may offer include mental health workshops, groups, and online resources.
- Build a support network. Your support network can include anyone from family to friends, professors, advisors, and your sorority or fraternity house.
- Keep in touch with your family and friends from home. It can be hard being so far away. Luckily, facetime makes it easy to maintain a relationship with those who are far.
- Take up new hobbies. College is a great time to explore new things. Find what you love by trying out different clubs and activities.
- Exercise. You’ve probably heard that exercise releases endorphin. Get to the campus gym, get involved with an intramural sport, or find a walking buddy.
- Keep track of your mental health. Do weekly check-ins with yourself. Ask yourself how you are feeling. This way, if you are starting to feel down, you will realize before it gets worse and can seek proper help.
Final Thoughts
Managing a mental illness in addition to staying on top of your coursework is tough! It’s important that you develop healthy habits, including enough time in your schedule to sleep, exercise, and eat nutritious foods. It may be scary to be off on your own for the first time, but many colleges provide a lot of support for students with mental health issues. Keep track of your mental health and seek help if you start to feel overwhelmed.
Mental health scholarships can help relieve you of some of the high costs of college. They aren’t as easy to find as other scholarships, but they do exist.
Remember, you are not alone! There are plenty of awesome resources out there that can help you. Some good ones to check out include ULifeline, The Trevor Project Program and Resources, and the Jed Foundation.
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