Microsoft disAbility Scholarship

The Microsoft Disability Scholarship seeks to empower students with disabilities to achieve more through access to education leading to a career in technology.

Scholarship Eligibility

This scholarship will be awarded to promising high school seniors with disabilities who plan to attend a vocational or academic college and aspire to have a career in the technology industry. The scholarships are renewable – each winner who continues to meet the criteria is eligible to receive an annual award of $5,000 for up to four (4) consecutive years for a potential total $20,000 scholarship. A total of eight (8) scholarships will be awarded in 2023.

Requirements

To be considered for the Microsoft Disability Scholarship, you must:

• Be a current high school senior living with a disability as defined by WHO, including visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive, and/or speech disabilities or other disability
• Plan to attend an undergraduate program in a 2 or 4-year University/College or Technical College in the fall of the academic year following high-school graduation.
• Declare an approved major in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, law, business, or a related field (e.g. paralegal, pre-law, finance, business administration, or marketing).
• Demonstrate a passion for technology.
• Demonstrate leadership at school and/or in the community.
• Have a high school cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• Require financial assistance to attend college.
• Enrollment status must be full-time or half-time.

How to Apply

Our next scholarship cycle will open on January 22, 2024, and applications will be accepted until March 13, 2024. Please check this site again mid-January 2024 to receive further details on the application process. Applications will be submitted via the Scholarship America portal.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit the following:

Your future plans:

• Information about the post-secondary school you plan to attend
• Your educational and career goals

Information about you:

• Activities, Awards, and Honors (if possible, include awards that are technology-related)
• Work experience
• Financial information
• Any unusual family or personal circumstances (include circumstances caused by ongoing disability-related expenses)

Transcript:

• An official or unofficial copy of your current academic transcript

Essay:

• Based on your experience with disability, please share your vision for new technology innovation (such as devices, software, or services) to enhance inclusion for people with disabilities and how it empowers them to achieve more in their lives or communities. Explain how your idea differs from existing solutions. (2,000 characters max).

A letter of recommendation:

• The letter must be from a faculty or staff member at your school or a member of the community that has worked with you in a supervisory role.
• The letter of recommendation should be original and should not be duplicates of college recommendation letters.
• Applicants are not permitted to include relatives as references.