Scholarships

Important! Scholarships will now be awarded on an annual basis. Award applications will close on the following dates:

25-26 award application deadline - October 15th

26-27 award application deadline - March 15th

Scholarship application will open September 2, 2025 and can be accessed through Scholarship Universe.

Disability Resources and Services (DRS) offers several scholarships. Please see eligibility requirements below*. Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and financial need.  Award amounts vary based on scholarship.  Scholarships may be used for tuition and related expenses, tutoring, assistive technology, internships, other disability-related expenses unless otherwise indicated. 

To apply for a scholarship, please access the application through Scholarship Universe.

Please remember that scholarships are not guaranteed and can take some time to process. The typical timeline is one month after the scholarship deadline. For example, if the scholarship application deadline is October 15, you should hear back from the DRS Scholarship Committee by the middle of November.

Eligibility Criteria*

Matriculation as a registered Temple student with a Temple GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Attended Temple at least one [1] semester and be enrolled in a program leading to a degree.
Registration with Temple University Disability Resources and Services (DRS).
Demonstrate financial need for scholarship support. This is verified through your current year FAFSA application.

* Some eligibility criteria might vary by scholarship. Please review the information provided for each scholarship.

** International Students - Consistent with conditions of Non-immigrant Student (F-1 or J-1) status, international students are required to report to International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) any change in financial circumstances. ISSS will review your financial situation and provide you with a revised Form I-20 (F-1 students) or Form DS-2019 (J-1 students) to verify changes in your financial circumstances.

Note: Successful applicants who receive scholarships must submit a thank you within four (4) weeks of receiving the award. Guidelines for thank you letters are provided with scholarship award letters. Submission of a thank you letter is required for consideration for future DRS scholarships.

Scholarships

Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Eligibility: All Temple students with a disability

Matthew Hollander/Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarship

Eligibility: Students with a mental health or physical disability.

Joshua A. Winheld/Charlotte W. Newcombe Scholarship

Eligibility: Students with a physical disability that significantly impacts mobility, students who are blind/low vision or deaf/hard of hearing.

Erling and Julia Indahl Scholarship

Eligibility: Students with a visual disability.

Cynthia Wirth Scholarship

Eligibility: Students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Bertha Pasternak Feldman Scholarship

Eligibility: Graduates of the Widener Memorial School or the Philadelphia School District, with Widener Memorial School graduates' preference.

Alice Raefsky Scholarship*

Eligibility: Temple students with a disability who have demonstrated leadership, persistence, and achievement in their academics or community service activities
Awarded annually in April. The student recipient is nominated and selected by DRS staff based on eligibility.

Vocational Rehabilitation

State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies provide a wide variety of services to assist people with disabilities to secure gainful employment. Many students who experience significant disability-related financial needs find relief from their state vocational rehabilitation agency. To locate the agency that serves your home state, please consult the vocational rehabilitation website.