Top 16 Scholarships for Students with Disabilities – Check Here

Our society has a great mix of people from all backgrounds because India is essentially a progressive and developing country. There are some classes of people who are called Persons with Disabilities (PWD) who have been unfortunately handicapped or attained physical damage owing to some injury. The government has set up an exclusive department NHFDC [National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation] to look into welfare measures of persons with disabilities. It’s not just the government but a few private players who are providing such relief measures too. In this article, we shall learn about the various scholarships offered to students with a disability, including its eligibility criteria, application process, rewards and benefits.

List of Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

1. Scholarship for Top Class Education for Students with Disability
2. Pre-matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
3. Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities
4. NHFDC Trust Fund Scholarship for Differently-Abled Students
5. AICTE-Saksham Scholarship Scheme
6. Cavinkare Ability Awards
7. Loan for Professional/Educational/Training Courses to Disabled Persons
8. Micro Financing Scheme
9. NGO Financing Scheme
10. Financial assistance for Skill & Entrepreneurial Development
11. Scheme of Financing Construction of Commercial/Business Premises for Starting Self Employment Activity
12. Scheme for Providing Handholding Support to Disabled Entrepreneurs through ‘Vishesh Udyami Mitras’
13. Scheme for Providing handholding support to Disabled for availing training/skill through ‘Vishesh Prashikshan Mitras’
14. Scheme of Financing Assistive Devices to Enhance the Employability or Increased Opportunity of Self Employment for Persons with Disability
15. Scheme for Parent’s Association of mentally retarded persons
16. Scheme for Young Professionals

1. Scholarship for Top Class Education for Students with Disability

Provider – Government of India
Eligibility – For students pursuing post-graduation or diploma courses. Annual family income to be less than INR 6 lakh.
Application Mode – Online Application
Timeline – Between June – August
Rewards – Tuition fees, maintenance allowance and special grants.

2. Pre-matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Provider – Government of India
Eligibility – Candidate should have more than 40% disability. Class 9th and 10th students can apply. Annual family income to be less than INR 2 lakhs
Application Mode – Online Application
Timeline – Between June – August
Rewards – Stipend, book allowance, other allowances.

3. Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Provider – Government of India
Eligibility – Only class 10 or class 12 students can apply. Annual family income of candidate to be less than INR 2.5 lakhs.
Application Mode – Online Application
Timeline – Between June – August
Rewards – Maintenance allowance, book allowance, miscellaneous allowances, reimbursement of compulsory fees.

4. NHFDC Trust Fund Scholarship for Differently-Abled Students

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – For physically disabled students who are currently doing technical courses. Annual family income to be less than INR 3 lakhs.
Application Mode – Online Application
Timeline – Between December – June
Rewards – Maintenance allowance – INR 2500 to INR 3000. Book allowance. Miscellaneous allowances.

5. AICTE-Saksham Scholarship Scheme

Provider – All India Council for Technical Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development
Eligibility – Students who are going to begin their diploma or degree in any technical stream at an AICTE affiliated institution. Candidates should possess a disability rate of more than 40%. Annual family income of candidate to be less than INR 8 lakhs.
Application Mode – Online Application
Timeline – Between August – October
Rewards – Tuition fee reimbursement charges- INR 30,000 and annual grant – INR 20,000.

6. Cavinkare Ability Awards

Provider – Cavinkare Pvt Ltd in association with Ability foundation
Eligibility – Candidate should possess the innate talent and should be an achiever in any field.
Application Mode – Download soft copy of application form from the website. Take a hard copy print out, fill in details correctly and send the form to concerned authority via post.
Timeline – Between October – November
Rewards – Cash reward up to INR 2 lakhs. Candidate will also receive suitable citation and trophy in his name.

7. Loan for Professional/Educational/Training Courses to Disabled Persons

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Disability rate of the candidate should be more than 40%. Candidate should be currently pursuing graduation/ post-graduation/ professional or other technical courses. Courses should be recognized by UGC/AICTE etc.
Application Mode – Online Application
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – INR 10 lakhs as term loan for studying in India. INR 20 lakhs as term loan for studying abroad. 0.5% rebate on loan for women. Rate of interest on the loan – 4% per annum.

8. Micro Financing Scheme

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – To start a small business or small scale activity to earn income from home. Candidate should be above 18 years. Female candidates shall be given more priority.
Application Mode – Apply as per formal loan procedures specified by NHFDC.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Complete cost of the business activity started. Rate of interest for the loan availed shall be charged at 5% per annum.

9. NGO Financing Scheme

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – NGOs should be working for the welfare of disabled students. Should have a past registration of at least 3 years. NHFDC provides a loan to these NGOs for starting an occupation that will help generate income for them
Application Mode – As per loan formalities.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Loan for NGOs up to 5 lakhs. Interest rate for repayment shall be charged between 5 to 8%.

10. Financial assistance for Skill & Entrepreneurial Development

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Candidates should be between 15 and 50 years.
Application Mode – Loan shall be provided as per existing norms.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – INR 500 every week. Complete recurring cost of the program will be covered.

11. Scheme of Financing Construction of Commercial/Business Premises for Starting Self Employment Activity

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Candidate should have his/her own land that belongs to a commercial or business category.
Application Mode – Loan shall be provided as per existing norms.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Up to INR 3 lakhs loan facility shall be provided.

12. Scheme for Providing Handholding Support to Disabled Entrepreneurs through ‘Vishesh Udyami Mitras’

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Candidate, should come in the category of Vishesh Udyami Mitras
Application Mode – Loan shall be provided as per existing norms.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Up to INR 5 lakhs loan facility shall be provided.

13. Scheme for Providing handholding support to Disabled for availing training/skill through ‘Vishesh Prashikshan Mitras’

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Candidate, should come in the category of Vishesh Prashikshan Mitras
Application Mode – Apply through SCAs or banks
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Every trainee shall be awarded INR 1000

14. Scheme of Financing Assistive Devices to Enhance the Employability or Increased Opportunity of Self Employment for Persons with Disability

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Candidate should be above 18 years.
Application Mode – Loan shall be provided as per existing norms.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Up to INR 5 lakhs loan facility shall be provided.

15. Scheme for Parent’s Association of mentally retarded persons

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Any registered parents association that has existence from at least 3 years and has at least 5 active members.
Application Mode – Loan shall be provided as per existing norms.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Up to INR 5 lakhs loan facility shall be provided. Interest rate shall be calculated at 5-6%

16. Scheme for Young Professionals

Provider – National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation
Eligibility – Candidate age should be between 18-45 years. Candidate should be a degree holder of a professional course.
Application Mode – Loan shall be provided as per existing norms.
Timeline – Throughout the year
Rewards – Up to INR 25 lakhs loan facility shall be provided. Interest rate shall be calculated at 4-8%

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is NHFDC? What is their contact number?
Answer: NHFDC stands for National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation. They can be contacted on 011-45803730.

2. What benefits can be availed under the loan system offered by NHFDC?
Answer: The term loan offered by NHFDC covers various expenses including college fee/ school fee/ hostel fee plus exam fee, library and laboratory charges, books, equipment and instrument charges, uniform charges, caution deposit and building fees, deposit that is refundable, travel charges and purchase of computers/laptop. The loan also includes charges incurred for project work, study tours and purchase of two-wheeler if required.

3. What are the courses covered under the scheme for young professionals?
Answer: Engineering/ MBBS/ Architecture/ Chartered accountant/ hotel management course/ publicity and social media/ security guard services/ home maintenance services/ DTP/ fashion designing/ graphics/ textile designing/ jewellery designing/ sculpture etc

4. What is the main goal of various schemes offered by NHFDC?
Answer: NHFDC strives at providing financial assistance to students so that they can utilize it towards buying office premises/ required equipment so that they become self-sustainable and make a living by earning themselves.

5. What is the timeline for schemes offered by NHFDC?
Answer: Generally, schemes that are offered by NHFDC are loan based and extend throughout the year.