Next for Autism Scholarship Program Grant

The Next for Autism Scholarship Program is a unique initiative designed for health and human services students. Offering a combination of tuition assistance and paid work experience, participants work as Direct Support Professionals (DSP) for neurodivergent adults. With starting pay at $16 per hour and a $5,000 annual scholarship, this program not only provides financial support but also helps students develop valuable skills while making a positive impact in their communities.

NEXT for AUTISM FELLOWS is a work-based scholarship program for health and human services students that combines tuition assistance with paid work experience as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) assisting neurodivergent adults.
Financial & Personal Benefits
Pay starts at $16 per hourReceive a $5,000 annual tuition scholarshipOpportunity for annual scholarship increase, based on program retentionGain paid, hands-on work experience and directly impact livesComplete 800 hours annually working as a DSP, supporting community organizations in needDevelop highly sought-after skills for health and human services

Eligibility

Undergraduate or graduate students enrolled at a partner schoolMajoring in Health or Human Services, or a related fieldGraduating in 2027 or later, with at least two years to participateReady to work 800 hours annually as a DSPAn interest in supporting autistic adultsYou must attend one of the following institutions either in person or online: Hunter College (City University of New York)University of Illinois ChicagoMercy University (New York State)SUNY Empire (New York State), or Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)You must live within 15 miles of the institution as community partners where FELLOWS are placed for work are local to our educational partners. What is required to renew the scholarship?You must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7 annually on a scale of 4.0. You will be required to submit proof of work every month to NEXT for AUTISM. Students who achieve these milestones are eligible to receive an additional $1,000 in award funding each year they continue as a Fellow.