USA Scholarships
Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship 2027
The Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship remembers a blind General Electric engineer who served as VABVI president before his death in 1981. Vermont residents may apply through MyVSAC if they are blind or visually impaired after best corrected vision, a child of someone who is blind or visually impaired, or planning a career in education or rehabilitation for blind and visually impaired people. VSAC expects financial need, academic achievement, and a strong essay #1. File FAFSA, upload your transcript, and attach certification-Leonard optometry reports when required. Enter scholarship ID LEONARD on the Unified Scholarship Application before February 11, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern for 2027-2028 study.
What is the Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship?
Charles Leonard lost his sight yet built a career as a General Electric engineer and volunteered as VABVI president until his death in 1981. His mother established this memorial fund so Vermont students tied to blindness and visual impairment could afford college without navigating a maze of unrelated awards. VSAC administers the scholarship today with the same three pathways the booklet has carried for years: live with blindness yourself, grow up with a blind parent, or train for work that serves blind and visually impaired communities.
The dollars stay modest. Recent booklets estimated about twenty-four applicants competing for roughly four $500 scholarships, and endowment language warns that investment yield can shrink the pool. Treat the award as meaningful book or technology money and stack it with Vermont grants, Pell, or other VSAC funds you qualify for. Because the fund accepts any enrollment level and any Title IV program, returning undergraduates and graduate students in rehabilitation fields often fit even when high school seniors grab most of the spotlight in local news stories.
Paperwork is standard VSAC with one extra twist. Everyone files FAFSA, essay #1, and a transcript through MyVSAC with ID LEONARD. If blindness applies to you or a parent, add certification-Leonard optometry reports so committees can verify acuity and diagnosis. Career-path applicants should use essay #1 to spell out how their major connects to education or rehabilitation work rather than assuming reviewers will infer it from a major line alone.
Mark October 1, 2026 for when the Unified Scholarship Application opens and February 11, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern for the hard stop. Download the official booklet at VSAC Scholarships, and compare other Vermont community funds such as the Charlotte-Shelburne-Hinesburg Rotary Scholarship Vermont 2027 if town residency rules fit you better.
Eligibility
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✓Vermont residencyVSAC-assisted scholarships require Vermont residency unless the booklet states otherwise. Confirm residency rules on the Unified Scholarship Application.
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✓Blindness-related pathwayMeet one path: you are blind or visually impaired after best corrected vision, you are the child of a blind or visually impaired parent, or you pursue a career in education or rehabilitation of blind or visually impaired people.
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✓U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizenMeet federal student aid citizenship rules so FAFSA and VSAC can verify your status for need-based selection.
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✓Title IV college or programAttend or plan to attend an accredited school approved for federal Title IV funding, including Pell grants and federal Direct loans, in the United States or Canada.
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✓Any enrollment levelThe booklet lists any enrollment and any program, so high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate students, and returning learners may apply if other rules fit.
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✓Financial need and achievementDemonstrate financial need through FAFSA data linked in MyVSAC and show academic achievement on your official transcript.
Benefits
- Typical award size About $500 per scholarship
- Number of awards Approximately four when endowment yield allows
- Selection factors Financial need, academic achievement, essay
- Program flexibility Any Title IV program and enrollment level
- Renewal Not described as renewable
- Full tuition coverage Not offered
Document checklist
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✓Unified Scholarship Application (USA)Complete the USA in MyVSAC and enter scholarship ID LEONARD so your file routes to the Leonard committee.
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✓FAFSA for the aid yearFile FAFSA after October 1, 2026 and authorize VSAC to import need data for the 2027-2028 award cycle.
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✓Essay #1 (general essay)Answer VSAC essay #1 with your college or career plans, financial context, and how your blindness-related pathway shapes your goals.
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✓Official transcriptUpload a transcript that supports the academic achievement VSAC weighs in selection.
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✓Certification-Leonard (when applicable)If you or a parent is blind or visually impaired, submit the most recent optometrist report for each affected person, including cause of impairment and acuity data.
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✓MyVSAC accountRegister or update secureacctaccess.vsac.org with accurate Vermont residency and enrollment details.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship?
It is a VSAC-administered Vermont fund sponsored by VABVI that honors Charles Leonard, a blind engineer and former VABVI president. The scholarship supports Vermont residents connected to blindness or visual impairment through personal experience, family, or career plans.
Who qualifies for the Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship?
You must be a Vermont resident and meet one of three paths: blind or visually impaired after best corrected vision, child of a blind or visually impaired person, or student preparing for a career serving blind or visually impaired people. You also need financial need, academic achievement, and Title IV-eligible enrollment.
What is certification-Leonard on the VSAC application?
When you or a parent is blind or visually impaired, VSAC requires the most recent optometrist report for each affected person. Include cause of the visual impairment and acuity data. Career-path applicants who are not personally blind may not need this document.
What VSAC ID do I use for the Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship?
Enter LEONARD on the Unified Scholarship Application. The ID appears in the VSAC Scholarships and Forgivable Loans booklet above the Leonard description.
When is the Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship deadline?
For 2027-2028 aid, submit the Unified Scholarship Application and all required documents by February 11, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. The USA typically opens October 1, 2026.
How much is the Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship worth?
The VSAC booklet estimates approximately four scholarships of $500 each. Endowment yield can change the number or size of awards in a given year.
Can graduate students apply for the Charles E. Leonard Memorial Scholarship?
Yes. The booklet lists any student, any program, and any enrollment level. Graduate and professional students who meet the blindness-related pathway and Vermont residency rules may apply.
Does the Charles E. Leonard scholarship require FAFSA?
Yes. Financial need is a selection factor, and FAFSA is listed as a required document alongside the USA, essay #1, transcript, and certification-Leonard when applicable.
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