HIV Scholarships for AIDS

HIV Scholarships

HIV scholarships for AIDS have increased over the past 10 years to where they were once non-existent to quit a few sponsors helping those afflicted with this disability pay for college tuition. Living with HIV can be very stressful with the specter of AIDS constantly hanging over an individual’s life. Any potentially life threatening illness brings an additional burden on the shoulders of the victims, and in this case HIV is no exception. While in the 1980s when this disease brought with it an incredible social stigma, 30 years later a lot of progress has been made. With an level overwhelming support community to many who have HIV, life has in many ways been made less stressful.

With regards to financing a student’s education, this is certainly the case as well. HIV scholarships exist on multiple fronts at the national, state, and local levels. Those with the disease and looking for HIV AIDS scholarships should be readily able to find financial assistance. Of course applying only at the national level would not be the best of ideas, as those HIV scholarships tend to be highly competitive. While this should not deter applicants from applying at that level, they would be wise to also consider funding from more regional or local levels. It is not uncommon for colleges to offer their own scholarships for HIV positive students, so one should take a moment and visit their school’s office of financial aid. While it can be difficult to discuss an individual’s HIV status with a relative stranger, these professionals in offices of financial aid will be the best source of knowledge with regards to such avenues of funding and students would be remiss to ignore these options. You may want to inquire into their disability scholarships and aid which may open up many more student financial assistant opportunities as well.

The Joshua Gomes Memorial Scholarship was established in 2003 to help provide financial assistance to those living with HIV in their lives. This HIV scholarship provides multiple $1,000 awards every year to people based on merit and financial need. In order to be eligible for the Joshua Gomes Memorial Scholarship applicants must currently be HIV positive, be accepted or enrolled at a college in the United States and studying or intending to attend at full time status. Several required documents and material must be submitted at the time the application is turned in. A letter from a doctor verifying that an applicant is currently HIV positive must be provided along with three letters of recommendation from doctors, colleagues, friends or employers. Official transcripts from previous academic years must be turned in along with a picture of the applicant. Finally an essay which must be at minimum 500 words must be submitted on the topic of hopes, plans or goals and how they will be achieved with higher education. The deadline for this scholarship for HIV is July 15 of every year.

Many colleges offer their own HIV AIDS scholarship programs for students in financial need. For instance, San Francisco State University offers several $1,000 scholarships every year for students who win an award from the program. This HIV scholarship requires a copy of college transcripts, verification of HIV infection from a doctor, an essay no longer than two pages discussing an applicant’s long term goals and two letters of recommendation from professionals in the student’s life. As this scholarship for AIDS is only available for students at San Francisco State University those students from other colleges will be unable to apply. The deadline for the Robert Westwood San Francisco State University Scholarship is May 7.

Many other universities, including the University of Colorado at Boulder and Ohio State University, provide their own HIV scholarships that students should look into should they be attending those schools. Above all it is important to remember that there is a very active community around both HIV and AIDS, so students should be able to seek out assistance with relative ease. Apart from checking in with an individual university, students should also consider talking to any support groups they may be a member of. Always consider looking at national and international groups which operate around HIV such as the American Academy of HIV Medicine or the International Aids Society, both of which offer their own HIV scholarship programs.