To be eligible for awards and scholarships through Student Accessibility Resources (SAR), students must have a documented disability and a minimum GPA of 2.0.  Additional eligibility requirements and application processes are listed below. Students should contact the SAR office at (850) 474-2387 for clarification of scholarship requirements or questions regarding the application process.

Application Process

To Access the UWF Scholarship Portal:

1. Log onto MyUWF with UWF username and password.
2. Search "UWF Scholarship Portal"
3. Alternatively, students may go directly to the UWF Scholarship Portal and log in with UWF username and password. 
4. Complete and submit the General Application.
5. Review the Recommended opportunities (at the top of the UWF Scholarship Application, hover over 'Opportunities' and then click, 'Recommended'). Please note that students will not see the Johnson or McLeod options until they have completed the general application. 
6. Search "Johnson" or "McLeod" under the "Our Scholarships" tab
7. Click the 'Apply' button to answer any remaining questions.

 Dan & Denise McLeod Scholarship

The Dan and Denise Thompson McLeod Scholarship is a competitively awarded scholarship which is available to undergraduate and graduate students with orthopedic disabilities who attend the University of West Florida (UWF). An orthopedic disability is defined as severe skeletal, muscular, or neuromuscular impairment.   Students must adhere to the following application guidelines in order to qualify for consideration:

• Have a 2.5 GPA or above.
• Have a documented orthopedic disability on record with the UWF SAR or the student’s current high school.  This will be verified by the SAR. 
• Be citizens of the United States.
• Grade point average and disability will be verified by the University’s Student Accessibility Resources.

Applicants must submit the following in order to be considered:

• A completed (current) Dan & Denise McLeod Memorial Scholarship application located at McLeod Scholarship
• A personal statement pertaining to individual achievements, activities, career goals how the disability affects major life functions.
• Two letters of reference addressing academic success and potential

Scholarship Award Process:

• Notification to all current students registered with SAR regarding the Dan & Denise Thompson McLeod Scholarship for the upcoming Fall term is emailed in mid-March.
• An introductory letter and applications are emailed to local high schools and community colleges.
• A folder is created for all applicants who return required documents.
• A checklist is created for each folder.
• Selected recipient is emailed a letter of award and acceptance form.
• The Dan & Denise Thompson McLeod Scholarship Selection Committee will meet 1-2 times a year. The first meeting will consist of a review of all candidate applications meeting the minimum criteria. The second meeting may consist of an interview with the top candidates.
• The Selection Committee will consist of two voting representatives from the UWF ITS Department and one voting representative from the Financial Aid Office. Also on the committee, as non-voting members, may be one or more representatives from the family of Dan McLeod, and a representative from Student Accessibility Resources.
• All applicants will be notified of their status as a Dan & Denise Thompson McLeod Scholarship recipient. Notification letters will be e-mailed by the second week of August to the e-mail address specified on the Dan & Denise McLeod Scholarship Application Form.

Conditions of Award:

• Complete and return an acceptance form by the date specified in the notification letter. Failure to return the acceptance form by the specified date will result in forfeiture of the award.
• Receive an invitation to meet the family of Dan McLeod at the University’s annual scholarship luncheon.
• Undergraduate students will be required to complete a minimum of nine (9) credit hours each semester and graduate students will be required to complete a minimum of six (6) credit hours each semester. The scholarship will be discontinued if the scholarship recipient fails to meet the minimum credit hour requirement.
• Maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average if an undergraduate student.
• Maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average if a graduate student.
• Recipient should contact SAR in the event health problems or other extenuating circumstances affect the individual's ability to maintain the minimum scholarship criteria.

Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship

The Johnson Scholarship, funded by the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, is a competitively awarded scholarship which is available to undergraduate students with disabilities with financial need who enroll in a State University System of Florida (SUS) institution. Applicants must adhere to the following application guidelines in order to qualify for full consideration.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST:

• Demonstrate financial need by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal FAFSA form, and mail it to the appropriate address as indicated on the FAFSA form.
• To receive full consideration, the FAFSA should be mailed or completed online no later than (date set each year by BOG and Johnson Foundation).

INITIAL APPLICANTS MUST:

• Provide an official current transcript (not a photocopy) which documents a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on all credits.
  • High school students who are applying for the first year of college should submit a current high school transcript.
• Provide documentation of the nature and/or extent of a disability. The disability must be in one or more of the following classifications: hearing impairment, physical impairment; specific learning disability; speech/language impairment; visual impairment; or other impairment.
• Appropriate documentation includes, but is not limited to, either a recent psychological evaluation used to determine eligibility for exceptional student services, school/medical records, certification by the Division of Blind Services, or a Vocational Rehabilitation eligibility determination.
• Documentation provided must meet the guidelines require by the institution in which the student is enrolled. Students must contact the University Office of Student Accessibility Resources for clarification as to what is required.
• Be admitted as a degree-seeking undergraduate student into a State University System of Florida (SUS) institution.
• Be determined to be Florida Residents for Tuition Purposes, based upon 1009.21, Florida Statutes.
• Submit the following:
  • A completed (current) Johnson Scholarship Application Form;
  • A current official transcript
  • Documentation of a disability
  • A personal statement (no more than one double-spaced page) pertaining to your achievements, activities, career goals, and the effects of your disability(ies)
  • Two letters of reference addressing the student’s academic success and potential.
  • Mail or complete the on-line FAFSA form as indicated above.

IF SELECTED, THE APPLICANT MUST:

• Complete and return an acceptance form by the date specified on your notification letter. Failure to return the acceptance form by the specified date will result in forfeiture of the award;
• First-time recipients must participate in a Johnson Scholarship orientation (first-time applicants);
• Complete a minimum of nine (9) credit hours each semester;
• Adhere to the minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average requirement of this program; and
• Continue to have unmet financial need.
• Apply for renewal consideration for each academic year in which you desire the award. Johnson Scholarship recipients may qualify for the award for up to twelve (12) semesters of undergraduate study.

RENEWAL APPLICANTS MUST:

• Continue to have financial need and adhere to minimum enrollment, progress, and grade point average requirements of the program, plus:
  • Submit a completed (current Johnson Scholarship Application Form to the desired SUS institution
• Mail or complete the on-line FAFSA form as indicated above.