Every year, we award more than $300,000 in cash and prizes to blind scholars in recognition of their achievements and professional aspirations.
"The NFB didn’t just change my life—it gave me the confidence to shape my own future. Before, I saw blindness as something to manage. Now, I see it as an identity I can fully embrace. The NFB has shown me that blindness is not a barrier but a different way of experiencing the world. Today, I am committed to paying it forward by helping other blind students realize their potential, just as the NFB helped me realize mine." — Amina Orzueva, 2025 Scholarship Winner
Thanks to our generous partners, there are thirty $10,000 merit-based scholarships currently available. All scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, community service, and leadership. The finalists are announced every spring. They then attend our national convention in July when the winners of each individual scholarship are selected. Scholarship winners have gone on to succeed in careers ranging from computer science and engineering to civil rights law and international diplomacy.
How to Apply
The 2025-2026 scholarship application is closed.
Eligibility
The following requirements apply to all applicants:
- Must be legally blind (PDF) in both eyes.
- Must be residing in the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.
- Must be 18 years of age by July 3, 2026.
- Must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of study in a degree program at a United States institution in the fall of the year of application. The National Federation of the Blind may award up to five scholarships annually to applicants enrolled part-time who meet all other eligibility requirements.
- We recognize that employment, family caregiving, and ongoing medical care, concurrent with post-secondary enrollment, can contribute to a need for students to carry a part-time course load. Our application has been revised in order to provide an opportunity for students who will be enrolled part-time in the fall to share additional information with the committee.
- Must participate in person in the entire NFB National Convention and in all of its scheduled scholarship program activities (finalists will receive assistance to attend the national convention).
For more information regarding eligibility, we strongly encourage you to review our scholarship program FAQs.
Helpful Resources
- Scholarship Program FAQs
- Scholarship Program Application Checklist
- "Self-Advocacy in Higher Education" (Word) by NFB President Mark A. Riccobono
- College Scholarships and Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities (via Affordable Colleges Online)
- National Federation of the Blind Enhances Largest Scholarship Program for Blind Scholars.
Past NFB Scholarship Winners
Read about more winners in past issues the Braille Monitor. Scholarship classes are typically highlighted in the August-September issue every year.
More Information
For more information about the scholarship program, please contact our scholarship committee chairperson (email is preferred).
Cayte Mendez, Chairperson
NFB Scholarship Committee
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2415
NFB Scholarship Program
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230