Though the government offers no individual student grants specific to disabled students, a variety of federal grant opportunities are available to students in general who demonstrate financial need. The largest of such grant programs is the federal Pell Grant program. This program awards students demonstrating financial need up to $4,000 in grant money for each academic year. The average annual cost of a year's education for the 2008-09 academic year was $6,500, which means that many students who apply for and receive a Pell Grant can have their expenses more than cut in half. Three other major federal grants are available to students who qualify for Pell Grants: the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, the Academic Competitiveness Grant and the National SMART Grant. Depending on the student's intended course of study and eligibility, these grants, combined with a Pell Grant, can pay the entire cost of a college education.
Federal money goes directly to institutions through the government's Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The act compels colleges and universities to make campuses more accessible and to provide an appropriate and equal academic environment and housing for students with disabilities, thus offsetting the additional costs of living and education otherwise incurred by a disabled student. Disabled students should inform the school that they will attend of their disability so that necessary and available accommodations can be made.
A vast number of grants and scholarships for disabled students are awarded by foundations and institutions that benefit the disabled. The National Federation of the Blind awards scholarships of up to $12,000 each year. The Schwallie Family Scholarship Program annually awards scholarships of $3,000 to students with autism. The AmeriGlide Achiever Scholarship is awarded each year to students in wheelchairs to help pay for books and supplies. Many other organizations offer financial aid opportunities for students with disabilities.
Students seeking financial aid should check with each school they are applying to and inquire about any aid packages or opportunities specific to students with disabilities. George Mason University has a Disability Resource Center for students to research opportunities, and Gallaudet University is the foremost institution of higher learning in the United States that is specifically for the deaf.
For students who do not qualify for grants or scholarships, a variety of student loan programs are available, including several low-interest options offered by the federal government and subsidized private companies. Many loans, such as the Stafford Loan, do not require a student to begin repayment until after graduation.