Whelan Foundation Scholarship Program
Direct application
Eligibility
About this scholarship
Long Island graduating high school seniors or current undergraduates who are U.S. citizens or legal residents and plan to pursue special education, occupational therapy, speech pathology, or other behavioral-focused majors at an accredited U.S. college or university may apply. Applicants need a 3.5 GPA, top-20% class rank, demonstrated financial need, and at least 80 hours of volunteer work in special education. Students related to the Whelan family or current board members are not eligible.
The Whelan Foundation awards up to $20,000 per year ($10,000 per semester) for up to four years. Two scholarships are available.
Applications are due by March 31 each year. Recipients must maintain full-time enrollment and good academic standing for renewal.
Essay question
What else to submit
- Completed scholarship application
- Official current high school transcript with cumulative GPA and grading scale
- Two faculty reference letters
- Confidential Recommendation Form
- Financial documentation: Student Aid Report, or applicant and parents' federal tax returns and W-2 forms
- Essay of no more than two handwritten pages
- Finalist interview
- Two letters of reference from current faculty members (additional faculty letters optional)
- One certified/official copy of current high school transcript including cumulative GPA and grading scale (faxed transcripts not accepted)
- Completed Whelan Foundation Application for Scholarship Award form
- Financial Information Documentation: Student Aid Report (SAR) if FAFSA filed, otherwise applicant's and parents' federal tax returns (1040/1040EZ/1040A) and W-2 forms (must demonstrate financial need)
- Eligibility: graduating high school senior from Long Island; min 3.5 GPA (4.0 scale); top 20% of senior class; U.S. citizen or legal resident; min 80 documented volunteer hours in special education du
- Must major in special education, occupational therapy, speech pathology, or other behavioral-focused/education majors at an accredited 4-year U.S. college
- Application must be postmarked by March 30
- Confidential Recommendation Form (separate from the two faculty reference letters)
- Finalists required to attend an interview with the scholarship committee
- Renewal requires full-time enrollment and good academic standing.
- Award is up to $20,000 per year for up to four years.