Welcome to the National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Application!

This is the online application for the National Federation of the Blind scholarship program. This annual program is the largest of its kind in the country and awards more than $300,000 in cash and prizes to blind scholars across the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in recognition of their achievements and professional aspirations. We are excited to get to know you.

Getting Started for 2026

To be considered for a scholarship, please review the eligibility requirements and complete the application. This application process includes the application form, required documents listed in checklist, and one interview. You may start your application and return to the application to complete it at a later date. The checklist and FAQs are available at any time to assist you. Please note: an application must be submitted with all required materials prior to the submission deadline.

Important dates to remember:

• Applications Open: December 1
• Deadline to Submit Complete Application: March 31

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Eligibility

Please review the eligibility requirements below prior to beginning your application. Eligible applicants must complete and submit their entire application in order to be considered for a scholarship. This includes the application form, required documents listed in the checklist, and one interview. You may start your application and return to the application to complete it at a later date, however, applicants must ensure that the submit button has been pressed in order for their applications to be considered complete.  Once an application has been submitted, the applicant will receive an email confirmation.  If an applicant does not receive this confirmation, their application has not been submitted, and they should log back in and ensure that they have hit the submit button.

The checklist and FAQs are available at any time to assist you. Please note: an application must be submitted with all required materials prior to the submission deadline. This includes outreach by the applicant to their NFB state affiliate president to request an interview.  State affiliate presidents may choose to conduct these interviews during the first few weeks in April, which will not impact an applicant’s eligibility, but the applicant should reach out via phone or email to their affiliate president by March 31. Contact information for all 52 NFB affiliates can be found at: nfb.org/about-us/state-affiliates.

Eligible applicants: 

• Must be legally blind in both eyes. Confirmation of Legal Blindness (PDF).
• 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 financial assistance to attend the national convention).

For more information regarding eligibility, we strongly encourage you to review the additional resources for completing the application.

Resources for Completing the Application

Prior to starting the application, review the checklist and FAQs for important details. As you move through the application, the checklist and FAQs will be available for you at any time.

Thank You

Thank you for your interest in this transformative opportunity. The National Federation of the Blind is so grateful for our many partners who fund our scholarships or provide additional gifts and prizes making this one-of-a-kind scholarship program possible.