To be able to pursue your dreams and passions is nothing short of empowering. But for many people within the rare disease community, there are barriers to pursuing our goals. These barriers come in the form of frequent or time-consuming medical visits, unique challenges in condition management, healthcare equity and treatment inaccessibility, research access, and the financial costs associated with rare disease diagnosis, treatment, and management. Unfortunately, these barriers may also inhibit one’s ability to pursue your ideal job or education. The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases is working to address this – and help members of the rare disease community pursue their dreams – through the #RAREis Scholarship Fund.

Through the #RAREis Scholarship Fund, up to 53 individuals with a diagnosed rare disease – regardless of treatment status – will receive an educational grant of $5k to put towards their education in the Fall of 2022. The application cycle opened on March 18, 2022 and will close on April 22, 2022. Those who are receiving the grants will be notified by July 2022.

Interested in applying? Take a look at the details and the process below – or apply here today.

Applying for the #RAREis Scholarship Fund

To apply for the #RAREis Scholarship Fund, you must be over age 17 and enrolled in accredited classes, full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate programs, or vocational-technical or trade schools for the Fall of 2022. On the application page, the scholarship notes that veterans and non-traditional students are also encouraged to apply.

In order to apply for the #RAREis Scholarship Fund, you must:

• Create a Scholarship America profile/account and then search for this particular scholarship fund. If you head to this link and click “Apply,” it will take you to a page where you can create your account.
• Write an essay on: How will your education and career goals help you to become an advocate for the rare disease community? Essays must be a maximum of 2,000 characters (approx. 350-400 words).
  • Helpful Hint: You may check your character count on Word or Google Docs. But you can also use a number of free character-count tools online – just Google them!
• Provide educational transcripts, a Diagnosis Verification form, and information on your extracurricular and work experiences. The Diagnosis Verification Form can be found on the scholarship page.

Learn more about the #RAREis Scholarship Fund and remember – the application deadline is April 22, 2022.

About the EveryLife Foundation

According to their website, the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases is:

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering the rare disease patient community to advocate for impactful, science-driven legislation and policy that advances the equitable development of and access to lifesaving diagnoses, treatments, and cures. By activating the patient advocate, we can change public policy and save lives.

Outside of the #RAREis Scholarship Fund, the EveryLife Foundation also offers a variety of important resources for those within the rare disease community. These include, but are not limited to:

• Programs such as Rare Artist and Young Adult Rare Disease Representatives (YARR)
• Events to help raise rare disease awareness
• Advocacy tools
• Financial assistance 
• Local media toolkits