Lighthouse Guild Scholarship 2025
Introduction
We believe that nothing should stop people who are visually impaired from pursuing higher education—especially the cost. To help, we offer merit-based scholarships for legally blind students who are newly transitioning to college or are pursuing their graduate education. The award is unrestricted, so it can be used as needed: for tuition, room and board, books, supplies, or travel.
To be considered legally blind, you must meet one of two criteria for visual acuity (sharpness of vision) and visual field (the entire scope of what you can see without moving your eyes):
Visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the eye you can see out of best (while wearing corrective glasses or contacts).
A visual field of no more than 20 degrees.
If you have a record of strong academic accomplishment and merit, apply for a Lighthouse Guild scholarship and take another step toward the advanced education you deserve. The deadline to apply is March 31st.
Description
We offer scholarships for:
College education: for current high school students who will be incoming college freshmen.
Graduate education (Master’s degree, PhD, MD, JD, or other post-baccalaureate degree): for college students already attending, or planning to attend, graduate school.
Each year, one undergraduate or graduate student scholarship recipient is awarded the Dr. Neil S. Patel Memorial Scholarship for embodying Dr. Patel’s legacy of hard work, honor, and dedication to supporting under-served populations.
NEW this year, the Daniel M. Callahan Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to one student who exemplifies visionary leader Dan Callahan’s dedication to supporting and advocating for the community of individuals with vision loss.
Qualifications
Application requirements
Your chosen college must be accredited by a body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. All college admissions policies must be non-denominational and open to applicants of all religions, faiths, and beliefs. For the application, you must:
Provide proof of legal blindness. Verification should be in the form of a statement from a state rehabilitation agency, an ophthalmologist, or an optometrist.
Provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency. Verification should be in the form of a passport, birth certificate, naturalization papers, or proof of legal residency.
Provide documentation of academic achievement via copies of school transcripts.
Include three letters of recommendation. Two letters should attest to your academic skills. Each letter must include the name, address, and telephone number of the person writing the reference.
We want to learn about you as a person beyond your academic achievements. Please write a personal statement of 500 words or less detailing your aspirations – including your passions, goals, and dreams – in education, your career, and beyond!
To be considered for the Dr. Neil S. Patel Memorial Scholarship, you must submit an additional one-page (250 words, double-spaced) essay highlighting your ongoing commitment to serving under-resourced communities.
To be considered for the Daniel M. Callahan Memorial Scholarship, you must submit an additional one-page (250 words, double-spaced) essay highlighting your history of advocacy, demonstrating your advocacy skills and abilities.
Apply by March 31st.
