Applications for the #RAREis Scholarship Fund are now open.
Established in 2020, the #RAREis Scholarship Fund supports individuals living with rare diseases as they pursue their educational goals. This year, thanks to the support of Amgen, the program will surpass 500 scholarships awarded, totaling more than $2.7 million in scholarship funding since the program launched.
For the Fall 2026 semester, 58 scholarships of $5,000 will be awarded to individuals in the rare disease community pursuing higher education.
More Than Financial Support
The #RAREis Scholarship Fund provides opportunities to connect, learn, and advocate within the broader rare disease community. In 2025, the program piloted a mentorship initiative led by Nyah Conway as a capstone project for the University of Maryland’s Master of Public Health program. Mentors are matched with similar rare diseases or areas of study and invited to participate in learning sessions throughout the year. Annie Tulkin, Founder and Director of Accessible College, led a session on navigating higher education and advocating for accessibility in college. “Students with rare diseases bring resilience, creativity, and determination to their education,” Annie explains, “The #RAREis Scholarship recognizes not only the challenges these students face, but also the incredible strengths they bring to college campuses and their communities.”
Scholarship recipients may also apply for a travel award to attend Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. “The #RAREis Scholarship provided not only tremendous financial support, but also the opportunity to connect with other rare disease patients and step into the world of advocacy,” said Jocelyn Ma, a 2025 recipient from Texas living with Lupus Nephritis. “Through this experience, I have built meaningful connections and found mentors who share similar experiences navigating these challenges. Attending Rare Disease Week further empowered me, showing me that my voice matters and deserves to be heard.” Jocelyn attends Texas A&M College of Medicine and hopes to become a physician in rheumatology or primary care. She is also a member of Young Adult Rare Representatives (YARR) and a mentee in the #RAREis Mentorship Program.
“The #RAREis Scholarship opened up so many doors and supports me beyond the financial aspect,” said Brian DuVal, a 2024 scholarship recipient pursuing his Master of Public Health at Vanderbilt University. “I’ve had opportunities to connect with others in the rare disease community, participate in advocacy events like Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill, and receive mentorship from the EveryLife team. Thanks in part to the scholarship, I’m excited to graduate in Spring 2026 and continue my career in Washington, DC working in rare disease policy.”
Applications for the 2026 #RAREis Scholarship Fund are open March 17 through April 28 at 2:00 PM ET.
Learn more and apply:
https://www.rareadvocates.org/rare-scholarship
