Scholarships

The Disability Resource Center aims to support students with disabilities who experience barriers to learning. We understand that financial barriers may impact the academic success of students. We offer scholarships to assist with access to disability documentation, assistive technology, and monetary support. Most of our scholarships require a completed Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) which is used to determine your eligibility for financial aid. Contact the Office of Student Financial Affairs if you have any questions about UF student financial aid or would like information on how to complete a FAFSA please visit sfa.ufl.edu. 

The scholarship opportunities below are available to current students registered with the Disability Resource Center. Each scholarship has distinct qualifications and application criteria, please read below and contact the DRC Director, Gerry Altamirano, at GAltamirano@ufsa.ufl.edu if you have any questions regarding our scholarships.

The Johnson Scholarship, established by the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Foundation, Inc., is a competitively awarded program which is available to undergraduate students with disabilities with financial need who are residents for tuition purposes and who enroll or are currently enrolled in a State University System of Florida (SUS) institution. The amount of each scholarship award will vary according to established criteria with an annual award limit of $6,000. The scholarship award may be used to cover the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books and auxiliary aids. Scholarships are renewable for a maximum of 12 semesters, provided the recipient makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and meets minimum performance requirements (a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale). Scholarship recipients must enroll for a minimum of nine credit hours each semester.

Applications are due by May 1, 2020.

Scholarship recipients for the Fall 2020-Spring 2021 academic year will be notified in July 2020 if they are selected.

Scholarship recipients are recognized at the DRC’s annual Pioneering Access Banquet which takes place in April of the Spring term. Johnson Scholarship recipients are expected to attend.

Initial applicants must:

Provide a current transcript which documents a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on all credits
Provide documentation of disability(ies) and/or registered with the DRC.
Gain admission as a degree-seeking undergraduate student into UF or be a currently enrolled degree-seeking undergraduate student at UF
Have demonstrated financial need as determined by the FAFSA
Be determined to be a Florida resident for tuition purposes
Submit the following:

  • A completed application form
  • A current transcript
  • Documentation of disability(ies), not necessary if registered with the DRC
  • A personal statement (no more than one double-spaced page) addressing your achievements, activities, career goals and the effects of your disability(ies)
  • Three letters of recommendation addressing your academic success and potential

Renewal applicants must:

Continue to have financial need and adhere to minimum enrollment, progress and GPA requirements, plus: submit a completed application form, all recipients must:

Complete and return an acceptance form by the date specified on the notification letter. Failure to return the acceptance form by the specified date will result in forfeiture of the award.
First-time recipients must participate in a Johnson Scholarship orientation.

Note: This program is contingent upon annual funding by the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Foundation, Inc. and matching funding by the Florida Legislature.

Apply Today! Renew your Application!
The Christopher M. Squiteri scholarship is for students who have a financial need and are seeking an evaluation to determine if they have a learning disability and/or ADHD. If the application is approved, the student will receive a psycho-educational, free of charge, from a community provider. The student can then bring the completed evaluation to the Disability Resource Center to determine if they are eligible for academic accommodations. Students can apply for the Disability Evaluation Squitieri Scholarship on our website.

Apply Today!
The fund is available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students with disabilities in degree-granting programs who are seeking to purchase Assistive Technology devices. The fund was established to support disability-related equipment needs of students with disabilities. The fund is not an academic scholarship. The award amount will vary depending upon the need of those qualified applicant.

Please note that this scholarship is not intended to reimburse for already purchased items. If awarded, the DRC will purchase the item for the applicant.

Apply Today!
The Deb Richard Foundation Scholarship is a competitively awarded program which is available to students with physical disabilities since birth who enroll or are currently enrolled at the University of Florida. The amount of the scholarship award will vary according to established criteria. The scholarship award may be used to cover the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, books and auxiliary aids. Scholarships are renewable for a maximum of 10 semesters, provided the recipient makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and meets minimum performance requirements (a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale). Scholarship recipients must enroll for a minimum of nine credit hours each semester.

Applications must include the following:

  • A completed application form for the scholarship
  • A current transcript
  • A personal statement (two pages double-spaced) addressing your achievements, activities, career goals and the nature of your disability(ies)
  • Three letters of recommendation addressing your academic success and potential

Renewal applicants must:

Continue to adhere to minimum enrollment, progress and GPA requirements, plus:
Submit a completed application form.
If selected, recipients must:

Additional information about the Deb Richard Foundation Scholarship, including a history of the program, can be located at the University of Florida Foundation website.

Information about other scholarship opportunities offered by federal, state, university, and private agencies is provided below. Click on the category that you are interested in for a list of available scholarships.

DEB RICHARD FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
The Christopher M. Squitieri Scholarship for Graduate Students is a yearly scholarship available to students who are registered with the Disability Resource Center and are considered a graduate student (enrolled in a Masters, Doctoral, Specialist, or Professional Program). This annual scholarship awards up to 5, $2,000 scholarships to applicants who meet the requirements at the beginning of each Fall semester. Students are eligible to reapply for this scholarship each year if they maintain the requirements for eligibility.

For Fall 2020, applications are open from July 31, 2020 through August 17, 2020. Scholarship recipients for the Fall 2020-Spring 2021 academic year will be notified by August 21, 2020.

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must:

  • Be registered with the Disability Resource Center
  • Be a UF graduate student (Masters, Doctoral, Specialist, Professional Program)

Applicants must submit the following items:

  • A completed application form
  • An unofficial transcript from UF or your transcript from your previous institution
  • A 1,000-word essay answering: How would this scholarship assist you in overcoming any barriers to learning or help you reach your UF educational and experiential goals?

If you have any questions about the scholarship, please email Amanda Metzler at drc@ufsa.ufl.edu.

APPLY TODAY!