Financial Aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid
Most blind and visually-limited students, and some others, are eligible for financial sponsorship by a rehabilitation agency in their home state. Others who are unable to pay their own tuition may obtain financing through the PASS (Plan to Achieve Self-Support) Program of the Social Security Administration, or other government or private sources. Students can also apply for loans and grants from the US Department of Education. Please check with our office to determine status of eligibility for federal loans and grants.
Scholarships
The School of Piano Technology for the Blind will cooperate with any private or public scholarship grantors. In addition, a limited amount of supplemental tuition help is available from the Emil Fries Scholarship Fund (est. 1978), the Heather Harmon Scholarship Fund (est. 1992) or the Kenneth D. Serviss Scholarship Fund (est. 2001). These Scholarship Funds are small and must be administered with great care to permit helping the largest number of truly needy students. All other avenues of funding need to be explored by a prospective student and sponsoring agency before a full or partial scholarship can be considered. Often a package can be put together, consisting of rehabilitation funds, personal and family funds of the student, other grants and loans, and some help from the School's Scholarship Funds.