Frequently Asked Questions
You must attend one of the following institutions either in person or online: Hunter College (City University of New York), University of Illinois Chicago, Mercy University (New York State), SUNY Empire (New York State), or Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)
If attending online school at an educational partner, you must live within 15 miles of the institution as community partners where FELLOWS are placed for work are local to our educational partners.
Please submit your request to [email protected], we’d be happy to review it.
Scholarship money will fund tuition, fees, and books.
NEXT for AUTISM will make a check or ACH transfer payable to the educational partner’s registrar using the student ID in your application. Students will receive funding in two equal installments in August and January if meeting program requirements.
Yes, you must apply and interview to work at approved locations. Most locations will require a background check and a driver's license, and some may also require a drug test.
We suggest that NEXT for AUTISM Fellows work 12-20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters and 20-35 during the summer. We require Fellows to work a minimum of 800 hours per year in order to qualify for scholarship renewal.
NEXT for AUTISM will collect your paystubs each month and calculate a running total of hours worked per year.
We encourage you to collaborate with the approved provider agency to set up a schedule that works best for you. As long as you achieve 800 hours of work annually, you will qualify for scholarship renewal. In the case of studying abroad, this may require you to increase hours during other semesters to reach this target.
- 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.
No. As long as you are fulfilling the requirements of the scholarship, you are eligible for$5,000 in scholarship dollars annually. Applicants who complete scholarship requirements are eligible for a $1,000 award increase annually.
Yes, funding is available for students that have at least 2 years to dedicate to the program. This includes students enrolled in 5-year programs or continuing their education through graduate school at approved educational providers.
Approved majors include Education, Health Profession - PT, OT, SLP, RN, Psychology, Recreational Therapy, and Social Work. Other majors could be considered, either subject to approval by NEXT or if the applicant demonstrates it’s a similar major to one in this list.
NEXT for AUTISM Fellows should be studying in the field of Health and Human Services. Priority will be given to students committed to serving individuals with autism in their careers post-graduation. There are a range of options that you can utilize your degree to serve the autism population including but not limited to: Assistant Behavior Analyst, Social Worker, Case Manager, Special Education Teacher, Psychologist, and Nurse.
Have a question we didn’t answer? Write us at [email protected], and we will gladly set up a time to connect.