10 Special Education Degree Scholarships

Special education teachers work with students with a range of special needs. To become a special education teacher, you'll need at least a bachelor's degree in special education, which unfortunately can be expensive.

To help offset these costs, many organizations offer scholarships to help special education teachers. Keep reading to discover scholarships for future teachers.

Scholarship Programs for Future Special Education Teachers

There are several scholarship and financial aid programs available specifically to special education students. Some are location-specific, while others accept applicants from across the U.S. We've listed ten excellent scholarship programs for special education teachers below.

Alhambra Scholarship

The Order of Alhambra is a fraternal organization focused on assisting people with intellectual disabilities. It offers the Alhambra scholarship to college juniors, seniors, and graduate students studying special education.

This scholarship program is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. To apply, you'll need to fill out the application, include a letter from your college or university stating that you're majoring in special education, and write a brief statement of purpose.

Federal TEACH Grant

The Federal Teach Grant is a federal grant program open to all teachers, not just those serving students with special needs. Through this grant, the Department of Education offers $4,000 yearly to students who agree to teach in a public or private school serving low-income students for at least four years.

To qualify for this grant, you must fill out the Free Application for Student Aid, maintain a GPA of 3.25, and sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve. If you do not complete the four years of service, your grant will be converted to a federal student loan.

Future SPED Teacher Scholarship

SPEDxchange is an online community for those who work with special needs students. It offers the Future SPED Teacher Scholarship, which provides $1,000 to special education majors.

Future teachers can apply on the SPEDxchange website. The site also helps connect students with other special education scholarships and job opportunities.

Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver

The Illinois Special Education Teacher tuition waiver is a state-run program that covers up to four years of tuition for Illinois residents studying special education at an Illinois public university. To qualify, you must agree to teach special education in an Illinois public school or private school.

You can apply for this tuition waiver through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website. Your university will need to certify that you are studying special education.

Jackie Harrigan Haase Memorial Scholarship

The Coastal Community Foundation serves North San Diego County. It offers several scholarship awards, including the Jackie Harrigan Haase Memorial Scholarship for students from the San Dieguito Union High School District pursuing careers in special education, nursing, or psychology.

Students must be attending a two-year or four-year college or university and have a minimum 3.0 GPA; special education students receive preference. The scholarship application can be found on the Coastal Community Foundation website.

James F. Reville Scholarship

The Arc New York is a foundation that seeks to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. It offers the James F. Reville Scholarship to full-time college students in a field related to intellectual and developmental disabilities, which includes special education teachers.

The scholarship fund provides $3,000 to two students every year. Students must be New York state residents and must submit a letter of recommendation with their application.

John A. Tooley Scholarship for Developmental Disabilities

The Wayne County Community Foundation is another nonprofit organization that offers college scholarships. One of these is the John A. Tooley Scholarship for Developmental Disabilities, which provides $1,000 to undergraduate students and graduate students studying special education or developmental disabilities.

Eligibility requirements include being a resident of Wayne County, OH, and demonstrating a commitment to community service with an emphasis on services to children and adults with disabilities. The application is available through the foundation's scholarship portal.

Joyce A. Vliek Endowed Scholarship

The Joyce A. Vliek scholarship is offered through the Portage Education Foundation. It offers $5,000 to seniors at Portage Central High School and Portage Northern High School in Portage, MI.

The scholarship is for those intending to pursue a degree in elementary education, with a preference toward special education. The application is available through the Portage Education Foundation website, and applications are due February 15 for the next academic year.

Student Teaching Scholarship for High-Need Fields

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education offers the Student Teaching Scholarship for High-Need Fields for students planning to teach in a high-needs field. The Commission defines ''high-need'' as special education, middle school, or high school-level math or science.

Students can receive up to $4,000 per year from the scholarship. Eligibility requirements include being an Indiana resident and U.S. citizen, being a first-time undergraduate student, and having student teaching experience at an Indiana school.

Students must also agree to apply for a teaching position at an accredited school in Indiana following their certification as a teacher; if hired, they must teach for at least three years. The Commission runs the application through the ScholarTrack platform.

Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program

The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is a scholarship for undergraduate West Virginia students in math, science, elementary education, or special education programs. This scholarship provides $10,000 per year for up to four years.

Future teachers can use this scholarship at any eligible West Virginia public or private, non-profit college or university offering West Virginia Board of Education-approved teacher preparation programs. Up to 25 students receive this scholarship each year.

This scholarship requires a multi-step application process. You'll start with the preliminary application, which assesses your eligibility. If you meet the pre-application requirements, you'll complete the second round, and finalists will then be asked to submit a short video essay.

Apply To a Special Education Degree Program

If you're excited to start your journey as a special education teacher, check out the accredited degree programs offered by colleges on Learn.org. Reach out to one of these schools today to learn more about the paths they offer and the financial aid opportunities available to you.