Microsoft Disability Scholarship Program (US)

Funding Information

• Eight $20,000 scholarships distributed over 4 years ($5,000 per year, renewable). Awards are renewable for up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of satisfactory academic performance maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, full-time or half-time enrollment, and continued enrollment in the eligible major.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be considered for the Microsoft Disability Scholarship, you must:
  • Be a current high school senior living with a disability as defined by WHO, including visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive, and/or speech disabilities or other disability.
  • Plan to enroll in an undergraduate program at an accredited 2 or 4-year University/College or Vocational/Technical School, in the United States, in the fall of the upcoming academic year.
  • Pursue a degree in the following eligible majors: engineering, computer science, computer information systems, law, business, or a related field (e.g. paralegal, pre-law, finance, business administration, or marketing).
  • Demonstrate a passion for technology.
  • Demonstrate leadership at school and/or in the community.
  • Have a high school cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale or equivalent.
  • Require financial assistance to attend college.
  • Enrollment status must be full-time or half-time.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Employees and children of Microsoft are ineligible.

Application Requirements

• As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit the following:
  • Your future plans:
    • Information about the post-secondary school you plan to attend
    • Your educational and career goals
  • Information about you:
    • Activities, Awards, and Honors (if possible, include awards that are technology related)
    • Work experience
    • Financial information
    • Any unusual family or personal circumstances (include circumstances caused by ongoing disability related expenses)
  • Transcript:
    • A current academic transcript.
  • Essay:
    • Please share your idea for a new technology innovation that would enhance the lives of people with disabilities. Explain how it differs from existing solutions and how it relates to your plans to be engaged in the technology industry. (3,000 characters max).
  • A letter of recommendation:
    • An online recommendation form from a faculty or staff member at your school or a member of the community that has worked with you in a supervisory role.
    • The letter of recommendation should be original and should not be duplicates of college recommendation letters.
    • Applicants are not permitted to include relatives as references.

For more information, visit Microsoft.