Apply Today for the 2021 #RAREis Scholarship

2020 #RAREis Scholarship winner, Veronica, and EveryLife Foundation associate director of patient engagement, Lindsey Cundiff were featured on a recent episode of rare disease podcast “Wait, How Do You Spell That?” to talk about the #RAREis scholarship and how it has helped Veronica pursue her dreams of becoming a nurse.

As a person living with two rare diseases, Veronica is passionate about becoming an advocate for people searching for a diagnosis and living with a rare disease. She has been working toward her dream of becoming a nurse so she can be there for people along their journeys with rare disease.

But, as a person living with two rare diseases, reaching that dream hasn’t always been easy. Last year, while Veronica was scanning scholarship options to help her pay for nursing school, she ran across the #RAREis scholarship application. As she read the requirements, she thought “Oh my god, this is so me!” The $5,000 scholarship is helping her pay for nursing school, helping inspire her children and future patients, helping her to reach her dream.

Hear more of Veronica’s story by listening to the 2021 RAREis Scholarship episode here.

The scholarship is now accepting applications for the Fall 2021, and this year, you could be one of up to 35 recipients selected. Living with a rare disease can create many challenges – accessing education shouldn’t be one of them.

If you’re living in the U.S. with a rare disease and age 17 or older, this scholarship could help you pursue your learning goals. The program will provide a one-time scholarship grant of $5,000 to pursue educational enrichment opportunities, including accredited courses, trade programs and two-and four-year degrees. You do not need to be pursuing a degree to apply.

So why wait? Pursue your dream, whatever that dream is!

The 2021 #RAREis Scholarship application deadline is May 7, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. Central Time.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit a completed Diagnosis Verification Form. You must also submit an essay. The essay topic for 2021 is, “How will this scholarship help you become a rare disease leader?” (Essay should be 2,000 characters maximum, which is approx. 350-400 words.)

Scholarships will be awarded based on the completion of the short essay as well as consideration of the applicant’s leadership, participation in school and rare disease community activities, work experience, academic performance and financial needs. Awardees will be notified in June. The EveryLife Foundation will manage the scholarship application process, selection process and distribution of funds independent of Horizon input. All scholarship recipients will be selected by an EveryLife Foundation-appointed, independent board of reviewers.

More details and the link to the application are available at RareScholarship.org.