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Microsoft Disability Scholarship

Created by employees at Microsoft who are passionate about inclusion, the Microsoft Disability Scholarship supports students with disabilities in pursuing higher education and building careers in technology. Through this community-led effort, we aim to open doors to academic opportunity and empower future innovators to achieve more and become more.
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Scholarship award

Each year, Microsoft employees come together to support students pursuing higher education through a community-hosted scholarship program. This effort reflects our shared belief in creating opportunities and the impact of collective generosity.

Details for the 2026 scholarship cycle—including the number of awards and scholarship amounts—will be announced in January.

Check back for updates or explore other employee-led initiatives that help empower the next generation of changemakers.

Eligibility requirements

To be considered for the Microsoft Disability Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a current high school senior.
  • Plan to enroll in an undergraduate program at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational/technical school in the United States beginning in the fall of the upcoming academic year.
  • Pursue a degree in one of the following eligible fields:
    • Engineering​
    • Computer Science​
    • Computer Information Systems​
    • Law
    • Business (including related fields such as paralegal studies, pre-law, finance, business administration, or marketing)
  • Demonstrate a passion for technology.
  • Demonstrate leadership in school and/or the community.
  • Have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent).
  • Require financial assistance to attend college.
  • Plan to enroll as a full-time or half-time student.

Note: Microsoft employees and their children are not eligible to apply.

Selection criteria

As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit the following: 

Your future plans:

  • Information about the post-secondary school you plan to attend 
  • Your educational and career goals  

Information about you:

  • Activities, Awards, and Honors (if possible, include awards that are technology related) 
  • Work experience 
  • Financial information 
  • Any unusual family or personal circumstances (include circumstances caused by ongoing disability related expenses) 

Transcript: 

  • A current academic transcript. 

Essay:

  • Please share your idea for a new technology innovation that would enhance the lives of people with disabilities. Explain how it differs from existing solutions and how it relates to your plans to be engaged in the technology industry. (3,000 characters max). 

A letter of recommendation:

  • An online recommendation form from a faculty or staff member at your school or a member of the community that has worked with you in a supervisory role.  
  • The letter of recommendation should be original and should not be duplicates of college recommendation letters.    
  • Applicants are not permitted to include relatives as references.

Please note, emailed or mailed scholarship applications will not be accepted.           

How to apply

The 2026 scholarship cycle will open in January 2026. Application details, eligibility criteria, and deadlines will be shared at that time.

Applications will be submitted through the Scholarship America Hub.

For questions, email the organizing team at  disscholarshipinfo@microsoft.com.

Frequently asked questions

  • No. The Microsoft Disability Scholarship is open to high school seniors only.

     

  • Yes, if your undergraduate program meets the eligibility requirements.

     

  • International applicants planning to study in the US can apply. However, if selected and you do not attend college in the US, you will become ineligible for the scholarship.

     

  • Yes, only applicants who plan to attend a school based in the USA will be considered for this scholarship

     

  • Yes, all applications must contain a current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display the student name, school name, grades, and credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.

  • Yes, awards are renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of satisfactory academic performance maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, full-time or half-time enrollment, and continued enrollment in the eligible major

     

  • To learn more about Microsoft Internships, please visit Early in profession | Microsoft Careers.

  • Yes, you can take advantage of Microsoft’s student certification offer. 

  • These scholarships are championed and funded by Microsoft employees who are passionate about supporting future talent. While a dedicated internal team helps coordinate efforts, the scholarships themselves are administered by external partners—including the Seattle Foundation and Scholarship America—who manage application processing and fund disbursement.

  •  

    No. The Microsoft Disability Scholarship is open to all applicants—regardless of disability status, race, gender, or other protected characteristics—who meet the eligibility requirements.

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