Vertex Foundation

Vertex Foundation advances educational access for people affected by sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT) through targeted scholarship support in the United States and Canada. Its named Vertex Foundation Scholarship for SCD & TDT Scholars is built around a clearly defined community: individuals diagnosed with SCD or TDT, as well as their immediate family members, including spouses, siblings, caregivers, and children. That focus places the foundation’s work at the intersection of higher education and the lived realities of serious chronic blood disorders. The foundation’s scholarship support reaches students across multiple stages of postsecondary education. Eligible applicants include high school seniors, current undergraduate students, and graduate students who plan to enroll part time or full time at accredited two-year, three-year, or four-year colleges and universities, graduate schools, or CEGEP institutions or their equivalents in the United States or Canada. For the 2026 cycle, the program offers $5,000 awards, with payments issued in U.S. or Canadian dollars based on the recipient’s residence. Awards are not renewable, but students may apply again in later years if they continue to meet eligibility requirements. Vertex Foundation’s program design emphasizes academic progress, leadership, school and community participation, work experience, essays, and an online recommendation rather than financial need. The essay prompts connect education directly to the SCD and TDT community by asking applicants to explain how living with one of these conditions, or supporting a family member with one, has shaped their academic and professional goals and how they hope to make an impact. Through that structure, Vertex Foundation links scholarship funding with long-term personal development, community engagement, and graduate and undergraduate attainment for a medically affected population.