Annual Microsoft Disability Scholarships

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2014/01/24 - Updated: 2023/10/08
Publication Type: Announcement / Notification
Category Topic: Disability Scholarships - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Scholarship to be awarded is $5,000 paid through the Seattle Foundation on behalf of the Microsoft disAbility Employee Resource Group. The scholarships are renewable, each winner who continues to meet the criteria is eligible to receive an annual award of $5,000 for up to four (4) consecutive years for a potential total $20,000 scholarship.

Introduction

The Microsoft Disability Scholarship will be awarded to promising high school seniors with disabilities who plan to attend a vocational or academic college and aspire to have a career in the technology industry. The scholarships are renewable - each winner who continues to meet the criteria is eligible to receive an annual award of $5,000 for up to four (4) consecutive years for a potential total $20,000 scholarship.

Main Content

The mission of DisAbility Scholarships at Microsoft is to empower and enable high schools students with disabilities to:

• Go to college
• Realize the impact technology has on the world
• Target a career in the technology industry.

The Microsoft Disability Scholarship will identify promising high school seniors who have potential to enter and successfully complete a vocational or academic college program and have a financial need. The amount of the scholarship to be awarded is $5,000, which is paid through the Seattle Foundation on behalf of the Microsoft disAbility Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Microsoft to the recipient's school's Financial Aid Office.

To apply for the Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship, the student must meet the following guidelines:

• Be a current high school senior with living with a disability (as defined by WHO), whether that be visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive or speech.
• Plan to attend an undergraduate program in a 2 or 4-year University/College or Technical College in the fall of the academic year following high-school graduation. Schools must be in the USA or have a USA-Affiliate for financial transactions (contact Seattle Foundation to verify non-USA school's eligibility).
• Declare a major in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, legal or in business that are approved (ie. paralegal, pre-law, finance, business administration, or marketing).
• Demonstrate a passion for technology.
• Demonstrate leadership at school and/or in the community.
• Have a high school cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Require financial assistance to attend college.
• Enrollment status must be full-time or half time.

All candidates must be high school students living with a disability who plan to attend a 2 to 4 year University or College program, maintain a cumulative 3.0 CPA or equivalent and have declared a major from the approved list.

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.