The Scholarship Board of North Carolina - ESA

The Scholarship Board of the North Carolina Council - ESA is a non-profit/tax exempt 501(c)3 organization providing scholarships to individuals training for work with exceptional children, excluding the academically gifted. As of May 1, 2010, the Scholarship program has granted scholarships to 347 students and teachers in North Carolina in the amount of $125,753.26.

Scholarships are awarded annually in April. The amount varies from year to year and multiple recipients may be chosen. Scholarships are based on need, desire and academics — there is no requirement to join Epsilon Sigma Alpha International. For more information about the scholarship program, it’s history and past recipeients, visit A Light Unto Their Path, A History of the North Carolina State Council of Epsilon Sigma Alpha Scholarship Program.

The Scholarship Application for the Academic Year is available online. The deadline for submitting that application is April 1. Applicants will be notified, whether an award is granted or not, by May 31st.

Candidate Requirements

  1. Must be a student enrolled in an accredited college or university, either as an undergraduate or graduate student, or as a current NC teacher seeking additional training.
  2. Must be training to work specifically with special needs persons up to age 21, excluding the academically gifted, in any educational setting.
  3. Must agree to teach in a North Carolina Public School system for one year after graduation as a teacher of exceptional children.
  4. Applications must be postmarked no later than April 1st.
  5. All application information must be complete.
    1. Letter of recommendation.
    2. Brief essay.
    3. Financial aid statement filled out by college Financial Aid Director.

Applications not meeting these requirements will be excluded.

How to Apply for a Scholarship

Download the Scholarship Application to apply and get further instructions.

Scholarship inquires should be directed to the Scholarship Board Chair.

The amount varies from year to year and multiple recipients may be presented. In recent years, scholarships have ranged from $500 to $2500, and have been awarded to multiple candidates each year.

Scholarship Committee of North Carolina Council of Epsilon Sigma Alpha

The Scholarship Committee consists of ten members of the North Carolina Council of Epsilon Sigma Alpha International elected at the Annual Convention of the State Council. Governed by the Scholarship Bylaws, the committee reviews the applications, determines if the applications meet the criteria and judge them during their annual meeting in April.

Contributions to the Scholarship Fund

Contributions are tax deductible and may be made to the Scholarship fund at any time. Contact the Scholarship Committee Chairman for additional information about making a contribution.

Additional Scholarships Available Through Epsilon Sigma Alpha International

The Epsilon Sigma Alpha Foundation also makes scholarships available to students. You can find them at ESA Foundation.