ACB Scholarship Program
Offered by American Council of the Blind · Free to apply
The American Council of the Blind runs an annual scholarship program for legally blind students, open to entering freshmen as well as continuing undergraduates and technical college students. Awards range from $2,500 to $7,500. In 2026 ACB distributed $112,300 across 21 students, which is a published recipient count and makes the realistic odds here far clearer than for most awards. The application window runs from November 1 to February 14 for the following academic year, so a high school senior applies during the fall and winter of senior year.
How hard is the ACB Scholarship Program to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 138 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~3,000 students
- Awards each cycle
- 21
- Payoff per hour of work
- $7 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
- Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
- Fewer rivalsRecommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip
- Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
- Fewer rivalsRequires a specific life circumstance
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the ACB Scholarship Program?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Open to high school seniors and current college students
- For students with a documented disability
- Applicant must be legally blind.
What the application takes
- Essay required.
- 1 letter of recommendation. Ask teachers or counselors early; good letters take time.
- Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is February 14, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CST. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 14 each year. Applications open November 1.
- Applications open
- November 1, 2026
- Applications close
- February 14, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CST
Does your student actually qualify?
See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
Common questions about the ACB Scholarship Program
How much is the ACB Scholarship Program worth?
The ACB Scholarship Program awards $2,500 to $7,500. 21 awards are made each cycle.
When is the ACB Scholarship Program deadline?
The current deadline is February 14, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CST. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 14 each year. Applications open November 1.
When do ACB Scholarship Program applications open?
Applications open November 1, and close February 14, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
Who is eligible for the ACB Scholarship Program?
Key requirements: Open to high school seniors and current college students; For students with a documented disability.
Does the ACB Scholarship Program require an essay?
Yes. The application requires an essay, 1 recommendation, and a transcript. Expect to spend about 5 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the ACB Scholarship Program?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 138 applicants, against a modelled field of ~3,000 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and recommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip. At 5 hrs of work, that is about $7 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the ACB Scholarship Program free to apply?
Yes. The ACB Scholarship Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More identity & background
- AAIA Native Scholarship$3,000 (varies by year)
- AG Bell College Scholarship Program$1,000 to $10,000
- AISES Scholarships$1,500 - $20,000 (varies by scholarship)
- APIA Scholarship$2,500 - $20,000
- Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship$5,000 ($2,500/yr over 2 years)
- Anne Ford Scholarship$10,000 ($2,500/yr over 4 years)
Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.