Anne Ford Scholarship
Offered by National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) · Free to apply
The Anne Ford Scholarship supports a graduating high school senior with a documented learning disability who is heading into a four-year bachelor's program. NCLD selects on the strength of the student's self-understanding: how they describe their disability, the strategies they have built around it, and what they have contributed to their school or community. The award pays $10,000 spread across four years at $2,500 per year, so it follows the student through the degree rather than landing once. Financial need is weighed in selection. Applicants must supply formal documentation of a learning disability, and note that ADHD on its own does not meet the criterion.
Other deadlines near this one
How hard is the Anne Ford Scholarship 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. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.
- Odds
- not published by the provider
- Paperwork
- ~8 hrs to file
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
- Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
- More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field
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 Anne Ford Scholarship?
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
- For students with a documented disability
- Requires formal documentation of a learning disability. ADHD alone does not qualify.
- Must be enrolling full time in a four-year bachelor's degree program.
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
What the application takes
- Essay required.
- 2 letters 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 May 10, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 10 each year. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the May cutoff, so applying early is genuinely better here.
- Applications close
- May 10, 2027
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the Anne Ford Scholarship
What is the difference between the Anne Ford Scholarship and the Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship?
Where you are heading after high school decides which one you apply for, and you do not choose freely. The Anne Ford Scholarship is $10,000 paid as $2,500 a year over four years, for a graduating senior enrolling full time in a bachelor’s degree programme. The Allegra Ford Thomas Scholarship is $5,000 paid as $2,500 a year over two years, for a graduating senior enrolling in a two-year community college, a vocational or technical training programme, or a specialised programme for students with disabilities. Both come from NCLD, both require the same documented learning disability, and both closed on the same date in the 2026 cycle.
Does ADHD qualify for the Anne Ford Scholarship?
Not on its own. The scholarship requires a documented learning disability, and NCLD words it precisely: students who have ADHD *and* a learning disability are encouraged to apply. A student whose only diagnosis is ADHD does not meet the criterion, while a student with, say, dyslexia alongside ADHD plainly does. If your paperwork names ADHD but no learning disability, that is worth resolving with your school before you spend time on the application.
What documentation of a learning disability does the Anne Ford Scholarship require?
School documentation is enough — you do not need a fresh private evaluation. NCLD accepts an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a formal document from your school psychologist, school counsellor, or a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, and it must be uploaded as a PDF. Students on a 504 plan or those whose last formal evaluation is some years old should ask their counsellor for a current letter early, because assembling this is the step most likely to run past the deadline.
Does the Anne Ford Scholarship require an essay?
Not necessarily in writing, which is the most useful and least known thing about this application. It asks for responses to three personal questions, and NCLD accepts them in text, video or audio. For a scholarship aimed at students with learning disabilities that is a deliberate accommodation, and a student whose spoken voice is stronger than their written one should take it rather than defaulting to an essay.
What else does the Anne Ford Scholarship application require?
Beyond the disability documentation and the three personal responses: an eligibility form, information about you and your family, your academic history and other accomplishments, at least one recommendation, and your FAFSA information including a detailed Estimated Family Contribution. Financial need is weighed in selection rather than used as a pass/fail gate, so the financial section is part of how you are judged, not a formality.
What GPA do you need for the Anne Ford Scholarship?
NCLD does not publish a minimum GPA on the scholarship’s own page, though third-party listings widely repeat a 3.0 figure. Treat 3.0 as a practical floor rather than a stated rule: the application asks for your academic history alongside your accomplishments, your recommendation and your three personal responses, and selection weighs the whole profile plus financial need. A student slightly under 3.0 with strong responses is not automatically excluded by anything NCLD has published, and a student well above it is not thereby competitive.
How is the Anne Ford Scholarship paid out?
As $2,500 a year across four years, not $10,000 up front. It is designed to sit alongside a four-year bachelor’s programme, so the later instalments depend on staying enrolled full time. For budgeting, the useful figure is $2,500 against one year’s costs rather than $10,000 against freshman year.
How much is the Anne Ford Scholarship worth?
The Anne Ford Scholarship awards $10,000 ($2,500/yr over 4 years) and is renewable in later years.
When is the Anne Ford Scholarship deadline?
The current deadline is May 10, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 10 each year. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the May cutoff, so applying early is genuinely better here.
Who is eligible for the Anne Ford Scholarship?
Key requirements: Open to high school seniors; For students with a documented disability.
How hard is it to win the Anne Ford Scholarship?
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. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and recommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip. Plan on about 8 hrs of work.
Is the Anne Ford Scholarship free to apply?
Yes. The Anne Ford Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More identity & background
- Asian Pacific Community Fund ScholarshipsUp to $20,000 (17 scholarships under one application) · due April 20, 2027
- CBC Spouses Education Scholarship$2,500 - $20,000 (one-time) · due March 27, 2027
- California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship$5,000 · due June 1, 2027
- Cobell ScholarshipVaries; recent awards up to $12,000 · due March 31, 2027
- Connecticut Minority Teacher Incentive ProgramUp to $5,000/yr for two years, plus $2,500/yr loan reimbursement for up to four years teaching · due October 15, 2026
- Esperanza Education Fund ScholarshipUp to $10,000 · due July 1, 2027
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.