Who Can Apply:
• Must be legally blind in both eyes.
• Must be a resident of Texas. Texas residency means that you must be living in Texas during the school year.
• Must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, post-secondary course of study at a U. S. institution of higher education in the fall of the application year. Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas value both work and education. Therefore, the committee may, at its discretion, grant one scholarship to a student who attends school part-time while working full-time. It may also consider students who are attending a trade or technical school on a full-time basis.
• Must attend the entire convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas.
Submission:
(1). a completed copy of this application. Answers to all questions are required. If the question does not apply to you, write N/A in the field.
(2). proof of legal blindness. This can be supplied by a doctor or your vocational rehabilitation counselor. Legal blindness is defined as an acuity of 20/200 in the better eye with best correction or a field loss such that you have 20 degrees field of view or less in the better eye. Blindness or vision loss in one eye does not meet the legal definition of blindness. Applicants must be at least legally blind in both eyes.
(3). a current transcript. Electronic copies are preferred.
(4). an essay. If you are completing the online application form, please note that the form includes a space for you to write your essay. The essay should be no longer than 700 words and should provide the committee with more information about you, skills you use in school and in everyday life, and any other details that you believe will help the committee make an informed decision about your application. What makes you, you?
(5). one letter of recommendation. The letter should be from someone who has knowledge of your academic skills, how you manage as a blind person in an academic or work setting, and your plans for the future. Letters from family members are not acceptable. Letters from mentors, teachers or professors, community service coordinators with whom you have worked, employers, and rehabilitation professionals are all acceptable. However, these are just examples of who you might ask to recommend you.
(6). proof of acceptance. This requirement applies to incoming freshmen or those entering a graduate program. Please submit a letter from at least one college or university showing that you have been accepted to their program.
Deadline: August 1, 2026
Amount: $3,000
Learn More: https://nfbtx.org/scholarships
