Scholarships for autistic students can ease the financial burden of college costs. Knowing where to find these specialized scholarships is an important step in finding that crucial support.
“While any family with financial need can benefit from scholarships and grants, they can be particularly important for families of autistic students,” says Eric Endlich, a psychologist and founder of Top College Consultants.
About 1 in 36 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and the rate is four times higher among boys than girls, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Endlich, a primary researcher on a federally funded project to develop college-readiness software for autistic high school students, says college-bound students on the autism spectrum “often face substantial added expenses for specialist evaluations, summer college readiness programs and other treatments and services” that can be offset by scholarships and grants.
Scholarships not only offer financial support for autistic students but can also promote accessibility and inclusion, encourage educational achievement and long-term success, raise awareness, reduce stigma and support diversity in education, experts say.
Finding college scholarships for autistic students can take some time. Here’s how to get started:
Begin With Your College
“When it comes to grants and scholarships, it’s important for families to understand that in most cases the biggest source of money by far is the colleges themselves,” Endlich says. “Outside scholarships are typically a few hundred dollars, while scholarships from colleges may be in the tens of thousands of dollars.”
He says that is one reason he works with students to build their college lists “from an affordability standpoint in addition to considering students’ academic interests and whatever disability services they may need.”
[Read: How to Find and Secure Scholarships for College.]
Students can contact the disability and financial aid offices of their target college to identify scholarships and grants, and many schools help students apply for internal and external funding.
“They may have a few scholarships that were set up by a donor for autistic students,” says Scot Marken, founder and CEO of EdRedefined, which supports students with learning disabilities, mental health issues or who are neurodivergent.
He says students who have been admitted to a college should make sure, before committing, to ask a school to consider increasing a grant or merit scholarship that is being offered.
Try “to show the additional costs for the student to be successful in college that are not included in a school’s overall cost of attendance,” Marken says. “Examples might be an executive functioning coach or a social coach.”
Use Scholarship Search Engines
Students can search the free U.S. News Scholarship Finder — and websites like Scholarships.com, College Board’s Big Future and Fastweb — to search for scholarships based on disability, including autism.
“From my experience, there are, unfortunately, very limited private scholarships that are available for autistic college students,” Marken says, adding that “they are small, $500 to a few thousand dollars, and typically a one-time scholarship.”
“With the increase in the number of autistic students, these are sorely needed, particularly for non-direct expenses,” he says.
[College Scholarships for Students With Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities]
Check Local and State Organizations
Many local or regional organizations offer scholarships specifically for students within their communities. Organizations like Autism Speaks and the National Autism Association provide advocacy and financial aid advice for autistic students and their families, and can be valuable resources.
“Students should consult with local organizations, like their state’s Developmental Disabilities Council, to find out if there are local or state-level scholarships or programs that they’re aware of,” says Zoe Gross, director of advocacy for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
For example, Incight, a nonprofit that supports people with disabilities, has offered yearly scholarships since 2004 for college students who are residents of California, Oregon or Washington. Scholarship amounts are typically $500.
Marken advises students to check their state’s vocational rehabilitation agency, which may be a source for college funding “if the student can demonstrate why a college degree is needed to achieve their future employment plans.” The agency typically pays for direct college costs such as tuition and fees, but he has also seen payment “for specialized autism support programs for matriculated students both in state and going out of state for college.”
Other places to reach out to within the local community can include special funds set up by a specific donor, Jewish federations and other groups such as the Rotary Club, Marken says.
Scholarships Search Tips
Before parents and students begin looking for scholarships, there are some things to consider, Marken says. First, think about what aspects of college you are looking for a scholarship to pay for.
“A scholarship may only pay for tuition, but you may need money towards off-campus rent and therapy,” Marken says.
He says families should also weigh how much work is involved in completing a scholarship application against the potential likelihood a scholarship will be granted and the amount.
“There are $1,000 scholarships that get more than 500 applicants, so the chances of getting the scholarship is lower than being accepted to the most academically selective schools in this country,” Marken says.
[10 Sites to Kick Off Your Scholarship Search]
Families should also consider whether the scholarship is only for one year or multi-year, and whether they need to show financial need in order to be considered, he says.
Finally, they should find out if receiving a scholarship will reduce any financial aid from the college, Marken says, noting that colleges can reduce a grant by the amount of a scholarship rather than stacking the scholarship on top of financial aid.
“It is vital that you ask before spending significant time on a scholarship application,” he says.
Examples of Autism Scholarships
Scholarship applications for autistic students often require verification of diagnosis, recommendation letters and an essay or personal statement. Experts say students should note scholarship application deadlines, but be aware that closed scholarships may open again soon.
“There are several that are offered every year,” says Endlich, who keeps an updated list of available scholarships on his website.
Here are five examples of scholarship sources for autistic students:
— KFM Making A Difference Scholarship: The deadline to apply for this $500 award is April 29, 2025.
— Autism Research Texas: Applications for this $500 scholarship for Texas residents opens again in January 2025 and can be applied toward a two-year or four-year school or vocational training.
— Autism Can Do Scholarship: The deadline for this $5,000 award for students who show passion for design is March 15, 2025.
— Organization for Autism Research: Application for three $3,000 scholarships usually opens in December.
— Joseph James Morelli Legacy Foundation Scholarship: This is awarded each year in amounts from $500 to $2,500. Applicants must pursue a degree in a STEM field — science, technology, engineering or math — and show proof of a learning challenge.
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College Scholarships for Autistic Students originally appeared on usnews.com
