Supporting higher education for all students.
Scholarships for higher education
We believe that nothing should stop people who are blind or visually impaired from pursuing higher education—especially the cost. To help, we offer merit-based scholarships for students with vision loss who are newly transitioning to college or graduate education.
Each year, we offer up to 20 scholarships for outstanding high school students who are legally blind from across the United States. We also provide an annual scholarship to at least one qualifying graduate student. The award is unrestricted, so it can be used as needed: for tuition, room and board, books, supplies, or travel.
If you have a record of strong academic accomplishment and merit, apply for a Lighthouse Guild scholarship and take another step toward the advanced education you deserve. The deadline to apply is April 15th.
We offer scholarships for:
- College education: for current high school students who will be incoming college freshmen
- Graduate education (Master’s degree, PhD, MD, JD, or other post-baccalaureate degree): for college students already attending, or planning to attend, graduate school.
- As of 2023, among each year’s undergraduate and graduate student scholarship recipients, one student will be awarded the Dr. Neil S. Patel Memorial Scholarship for embodying Dr. Patel’s legacy of hard work, honor, and dedication to supporting under-served populations.
Due to my vision loss, some of the challenges I face are in everyday activities and tasks. This scholarship allows me to be able to afford college a lot easier, without having to work part-time or worry about other means of payment."
Kinshuk Tella, Scholarship Recipient
Application requirements
Your chosen college must be accredited by a body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. All college admissions policies must be non-denominational and open to applicants of all religions, faiths, and beliefs. For the application, you must:
- Provide proof of legal blindness. Verification should be in the form of a statement from a state rehabilitation agency, an ophthalmologist, or an optometrist.
- Provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency. Verification should be in the form of a passport, birth certificate, naturalization papers, or proof of legal residency.
- Provide documentation of academic achievement via copies of school transcripts.
- Include three letters of recommendation. Two letters should attest to your academic skills. Each letter must include the name, address, and telephone number of the person writing the reference.
- Write a personal statement of 500 words or fewer. For both the college and graduate school scholarships, include an essay that describes your educational and personal goals.
Apply by April 15th.
I feel like it’s amazing that ‘anyone’ goes to Harvard Law School. I don’t know what it’s like to see. I don’t know what I am missing. For me, the fact I’m blind isn’t a big deal."
Jameyanne, Scholarship Recipient
Scholarship recipients
In 2023—following a rigorous application process that considered both academic excellence and community engagement—we awarded 10 U.S. high school seniors who are legally blind with unrestricted scholarships to aid their transition from high school to college or university. Additionally, six graduate students received merit scholarships to support their continuing education.
“For my grandmother back in Africa, my success in law school seemed like magic.”
Haben Girma, Scholarship Recipient
Resources
Still have questions? Call 212-769-7833 or email us.
