Office of Student Life
Disability Services

Scholarships

Disability Services has the honor of awarding multiple scholarships to students with specific disabilities or majors. Below is a list of scholarships with descriptions. Ohio State current students and applicants with an Ohio State name.# (e.g., buckeye.444) can apply for these and other scholarships.  To learn more about how to use Scholarship Universe and to access the applications, visit Ohio State's Scholarship Universe site and the Scholarship Universe FAQ page. It is important for students to answer as many of the profile answers as you can in order to be matched with the most scholarship possibilities. Scholarship Universe is a scholarship-matching tool that connects Buckeyes to university and university vetted external scholarships.

To apply each year, file the FAFSA and complete the Scholarship Universe application by the priority date published by Financial Aid.  

Deadlines:  

  • Neilsen Scholarship: 3/20/26
  • All others: 6/1/26 

If you have questions about the scholarships listed below, please e-mail slds@osu.edu.  

Scholarship Name Criteria Amount
Anna Sborowitz Scholarship
  • Ohio State student with mobility impairment, severe limitations in movement, or use of one or more of their extremities. 
  • Recipient must demonstrate financial need and satisfactory progress in their academic studies.
  • Student must be enrolled full-time or be a part-time student with seven or more hours of course work showing substantial progress toward a degree at The Ohio State University.
  • Students may use the scholarship to support tuition, room, board, special equipment, and miscellaneous expenses such as books and supplies.  Due 6/1/26
 Varies
Charles W. Medick Scholarship Eligible students must have a visual disability. Due 6/1/26 Varies
Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Scholarship

The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation is committed to enabling students living with spinal cord injury (SCI) to receive affordable, quality educational opportunities and to eliminate barriers for academic success. Eligible Ohio State enrolled or applying students (All campuses, undergrad, master's level, and transfer) can apply for the Neilsen Scholarship Program for grants that may support students' various finances, including tuition, housing, and many other expenses. 

Eligibility: Only individuals with neurological and functional impairment due to traumatic SCI, degenerative disease primary to the spinal cord (i.e., transverse myelitis) or damage to the spinal cord due to tumors and surgery are eligible for support through this program. Individuals with spinal dysfunction, paralysis or pain syndromes caused by other traumatic or primary orthopedic, genetic or developmental disorders are not eligible (e.g., multiple sclerosis, ALS, Chiari malformation or peripheral nerve injury).  Student pursuing Bachelor's or Master's degrees may apply. 

Neilsen Application Link

Neilsen Deadline:  3/20/26

 Varies
Ohio Lions Foundation/Helen Keller Scholarship Eligible students must be residents of the state of Ohio and must have a visual disability. Preference will be given to those students who are legally blind. Due 6/1/26 $3000
Shell Oil Company Scholarship for STEM Majors with Disabilities

To qualify, students must be in one of the following majors:

    • College of Arts & Sciences
      • Earth Sciences – Geology
    • Fisher College of Business
      • Masters of Human Resource Management program
      • Undergraduate, Human Resources program
    • College of Engineering
      • Chemical Engineering
      • Computer Science Engineering
      • Civil Engineering
      • Mechanical Engineering
      • Materials Science Engineering
      • Electrical & Computer Engineering

Due 6/1/26

 $500
William and Francis Junk Scholarship Eligible students must be a resident at Creative Living and have a mobility disability. Due 6/1/26 Varies
Buckeye Braille Scholarship and Support Fund This fund’s goal is to promote the use of Braille on campus. The fund provides scholarships to students with disabilities. Expenditures may be used for tuition, housing, textbooks or other educational expenses, or to purchase assistive technology devices. Due 6/1/26 Varies

Other External Scholarships