CNIB Scholarships

Scholarship Value: $5,000
Awards Available: 30

CNIB post-secondary scholarships  help support people who are blind or partially sighted in their educational journeys. If you are pursuing a post-secondary diploma, degree, skilled trades certificate or apprenticeship program, we encourage you to apply!

Available scholarships and bursaries

Barney Danson Scholarship – 1 at $5,000

Created in honour of Barney Danson, partially sighted veteran, MP, cabinet minister, consul general, businessperson and philanthropist, this scholarship honours students who have proven their dedication to success through academic, personal and charitable endeavours in spite of sight loss.

Ben McConnell Scholarship – 1 at $1,000

Started in memory of Ben McConnell, the scholarship will be given to a legally blind student from Alberta registered or accepted into any year of post secondary program.

CNIB Scholarships – Multiple at $3,000

Awarded to students who are blind or partially sighted and who demonstrate amazing courage, determination and passion in fighting for their independence and future.

Dr. John and Olive Pyper Scholarship – 1 at $4,000

Established by the family of Dr. John Pyper, a Stratford, ON ophthalmologist who extracted the first two human eyes donated to the Eye Bank of Canada in 1955. The scholarship is given to a student who is blind or partially sighted living in Southwestern Ontario (Perth, Wellington, Oxford, Middlesex and Huron counties).

eSight Award

As part of the CNIB scholarship program, eSight will provide one student, who would benefit from eSight eyewear, with a device. eSight is a life-changing device that enhances functional vision. eSight users typically live with serious eye conditions such as macular degeneration, Stargardt’s disease, diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve hypoplasia and more. A typical eSight user has a visual acuity range from 20/60 to 20/800 but some users live with up to 20/1800. To find out if eSight is the right device for you, please visit esighteyewear.com.

FJL Woodcock SAPA Scholarships – Multiple at $1,000

Established in 1989 in honour of Capt. Fred Woodcock, a WWII war-blinded veteran. Families of veterans blinded in WWI, WWII and the Korean War donated to encourage students with sight loss to pursue post-secondary education and training.

The Joyce Family Foundation Bursary – 6 at $4,000

Candidate must be a young Canadian student (i.e. not going abroad) pursuing undergraduate studies. Candidate must demonstrate financial need. Candidate should demonstrate resilience to overcome barriers.

KPMG Scholarship – 8 at $2,500

Established in 2022, the KPMG scholarship was created to help alleviate financial barriers, promote access and inclusivity, and ensure an equitable playing field to post secondary education for people who are blind or partially sighted. KPMG is committed to education and continuous learning, and recognizes that workforce inclusion and diversity strengthens business, enriches our culture and enables us to deepen relationships with our colleagues and communities.

Dr. Phiroz N. Dastoor Memorial Scholarship – 1 at $1,000

Established in 2022 by the family of Dr Phiroz N. Dastoor. Dr. Dastoor had a passion for education and believed that everyone should have equitable access to post-secondary opportunities. To commemorate and honour his love of education and spirit of volunteerism, his family is awarding one scholarship to a student with sight loss who is studying at a Canadian university and has demonstrated financial need.

Queen Elizabeth II CNIB Insight Scholarship – 5 at $1,000

Awarded to students who are blind or partially sighted and/or individuals interested in post-secondary education in the field of blindness with the intent of working with the blind community upon graduation. Applications will be accepted year-round for students attending post-secondary in the upcoming school year and are issued for fall or winter term. All applicants must be a Manitoba resident and a Canadian citizen or a Landed immigrant.

The Sappani Foundation Ela Award – 1 at $5,000

The Sappani Foundation strives to inspire, educate, and empower, believing that education has the single largest impact in our ability to transform lives of people from impoverished and marginalized communities. This is the essence of their $5000 annual scholarship, the ‘Ela Award’, to support post secondary education for children (primarily girls) who have sight loss, and are from the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) population.

Terry Collins Memorial Scholarship Award – 1 at $3,000

Established in 2023 by the family of Terry Collins. After losing his sight at 17, Terry Collins completed his post-secondary education and became the first non-sighted hospital darkroom technician in Canada, where he worked for 46 years. Beloved by all who knew him for his endless optimism, laughter and goodwill toward others, Terry was also a talented drummer and singer, spending much of his free time performing in bands. To commemorate and honour Terry Collins, his family is awarding one scholarship to a student with sight loss who is pursuing post-secondary studies in any area of music or the healthcare field.

Eligibility

To be considered eligible for a CNIB post-secondary scholarship, you must be:

  • Blind or partially sighted (i.e. your visual acuity is 20/200 or less in both eyes after correction, and/or you have a visual field of 20 degrees or narrower).
  • Pursuing a post-secondary diploma, degree, skilled trades certificate, apprenticeship program or equivalent.
  • A Canadian citizen, or have held landed immigrant status for one year prior to the date of application.
  • Highly motivated, independent and able to demonstrate a reasonable level of personal achievement.

How to apply

Submit your completed application form, along with:

  • Proof of secondary education completion (interim).
  • At least two letters of references (1 academic and 1 community source). All reference letters should be on official letterhead, professional letter format and in an accessible format.
  • Letter of acceptance from an accredited post-secondary institution, college or university.
  • Transcript (interim).
  • A short essay (two pages max) detailing how a CNIB scholarship will change what it means to be blind for you in your education.
  • List of other sources of funding.
View Scholarship

Sallie Mae "No Essay" Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 31, 2024
$2,000
The $2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship is only open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and any US Territory age 17 or older at the time of entry, and who meet one (1) of the four (4) following eligibility requirements at the time of entry:A parent who currently has a child enrolled in an accredited...

Be Bold Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 01, 2024
$25,000
The "Be Bold" Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile. It takes less than 2 minutes to apply.To us, boldest does not mean "best", or "most accomplished". Being bold means being:A) EarnestB) DeterminedC) MovingThe scholarship will be awarded to the student whose profile is most bold, according to these characteristics.Furthermore, the...

Niche Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 31, 2024
$10,000
Covering the cost of college expenses for four years without writing a single essay? Sounds too good to be true.It isn't with Niche. We are giving one student $10,000 to help pay for tuition, living expenses, books, and other educational expenses.Who Can ApplyAll high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in...

ScholarshipOwl No Essay Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 29, 2024
$1,000
ScholarshipOwl is your source of relief from the dreaded application process. We put students on the fast-track to success by providing direct access to the scholarships they need the most. Take the hassle out of financial aid and maximize your chance at a free ride in college. No matter how much funding you need for school, we have the opportunities...

SP Scholarship

Deadline: Mar 31, 2024
$2,500
The SP College Scholarship program was created to help students win scholarships without the hassle of filling out paper applications and writing dozens of essays.To be eligible for the Scholarship you must be:A) At least 13 years old and enrolled or will enroll in a college or university in the US.B) A legal resident of the U.S. or Puerto Rico.Thus...

10 Words or Less Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 15, 2024
$1,000
Scholarship Eligibility:A) Anyone who is between the ages of 14-25 who will be attending school in the Fall of 2024.B) This scholarship is provided by StudentScholarships.org. In order to apply for our scholarship follow these instructions:1. Go to www.facebook.com/myscholarships and place a comment on any post you see answering the question:In 10 words or less, tell us why you deserve...

National Dairy Shrine Scholarships

Deadline: Apr 15, 2024
$3,000
Tomorrow’s dairy leaders are here today, in classrooms, dairy youth organizations, at dairy competitions and on dairy farms across the country. The Dairy Shrine’s task is to encourage, stimulate and inspire them. Since its inception, Dairy Shrine has recognized the importance of laying a foundation for the future, and has constantly expanded its youth programs to capture and challenge the...

$15,000
The U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) was founded in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) to complement the Stockholm Water Prize. The SJWP is the world's most prestigious award presented to a high school student for a water-research project.PRIZEThe Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) was founded in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) to complement...

Shawn Carter Scholarship

Deadline: Apr 30, 2024
$2,500
The Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF) was founded on the belief that any motivated individual in need should have the opportunity to further his or her education. By removing some of the financial burdens associated with going to, surviving in, and graduating from college, the SCSF plays a vital role in increasing college access and success for many motivated yet...

Nurse Corps Scholarship Program

Deadline: May 02, 2024
$10,000
The Health Resources and Services Administration is accepting applications for the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program. The Health Resources and Services Administration improves the health of underserved and vulnerable populations by strengthening the health workforce and connecting skilled professionals to communities in need.The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program provides scholarships to nursing students in exchange for a minimum two-year, full-time service commitment...