Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

Filling out this application indicates that the applicant meets these requirements:

• The applicant is an individual from Alabama with Down syndrome who is at least 18 years old, or who will turn 18 by July 1 of the application year.
• The applicant has the intent to enroll or continue enrollment in a post-secondary program at a university or community college within the United States, with an IPSE (Inclusive Post-Secondary Education) program; it must be a program of or directly affiliated with an accredited institute of higher education (IHE) and they must support students with intellectual disability.
• Applicants will provide copies of a high school diploma or equivalent, a high school transcript if graduating in the spring of the application year or an acceptance to or current enrollment in an IPSE program.
• The scholarship funds must be applied toward tuition – funds can be used for housing, food, or transportation ONLY if these costs are already included as part of the IPSE programming fees. Separate payments will not be made for these accommodations.
• Funds must be paid directly to the IHE. No reimbursements will be made to the individual or family.
• Winner(s) will be determined by an outside committee using a rubric, and amounts may vary.
• All scholarship funds must be used within one year.
• You must write a personal essay, no longer than one page.
• You must provide 2 letters of recommendation.
• You must include a minimum of one supporting documentation that will help the scholarship committee see your authentic self and therefore, help in their deliberations.  This may include artwork, videos, awards, pictures, employment history, advocacy, extracurricular activities, etc.  In the past, this component has truly impacted the committee, so please use this to show us YOU!  Anything you send with your application cannot be returned and becomes the property of Down Syndrome Alabama.

You can apply online (preferred) or download the PDF version of the application and submit it to Down Syndrome Alabama via email or USPS. Please be sure to read through all instructions carefully to ensure that you submit all required materials and that we receive everything on time and in the correct format. Once we receive your application, you will receive an email confirmation of receipt. If you do not receive a confirmation, please email downsyndromealabama@gmail.com to make sure your application was received.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at downsyndromealabama@gmail.com with any questions you have after reviewing the application process. We are extremely excited to get to know you and learn about your journey to higher education!