Find out if you meet the eligibility requirements.
The Miracle-Ear Foundation® serves and supports children and adults who have a hearing loss. Our Gift of Sound™ program provides hearing aids and hearing support services at no-cost* to families or individuals who have incomes that are significantly limited, who are unable to afford the high costs of quality hearing instruments and have exhausted all possible resources for their hearing health.
Hearing challenges are unique, every application for service and support is considered on an individual basis. The recommended hearing aid style will depend on a person’s specific hearing condition and circumstances.
*Application fee for adults, ages 19 years and older, requesting services from the Miracle-Ear Foundation is $200. This is a non-refundable fee; please make sure you fit eligibility criteria before applying.
Miracle-Ear® is committed to helping underserved people with hearing loss and giving them the gift of sound. Our eligibility requirements are designed to reach those who need our help most. In order to qualify for our program:
Please note this is not the only eligibility criteria, this is only one component of the overall requirements.
If you fit within the eligibility requirements and have carefully reviewed the criteria for income, assets, and hearing loss, you may be eligible for services from the Miracle-Ear Foundation.
To apply online: scroll down to the Miracle-Ear Foundation Application and select the “Apply Now” below to begin the online application.
If you prefer to download a printable version of the application, scroll down to the Miracle-Ear Foundation Application and select the “Download Now” button below to print and complete the application.
For online applications – (Adult applicants only) – The Miracle-Ear store must receive the $200 non-refundable application fee before the application can be submitted to the Miracle-Ear Foundation. The application fee must in the form of a cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Miracle-Ear Foundation. The store will upload a copy to your application and mail it to the Miracle-Ear Foundation.
For paper applications – Bring the completed application, supporting documents, and the application fee ($200 adults only/$0 children). The application must be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Miracle-Ear Foundation.
You will receive notification by email (if provided) within three weeks if your application has been approved or denied services. The chosen Miracle-Ear store will also receive this notification.”
If you or your child has been diagnosed as having a hearing loss and it has been medically determined that a hearing instrument is needed, you’ll need to complete the online application or download and complete the paper version, and supply the supporting documents detailed in the application. These supporting documents include but are not limited to an audiogram and physician’s medical clearance form (dated within the last six months), as well as financial information to indicate eligibility for services from the Miracle-Ear Foundation. There is a $200 non-refundable application fee for adult applicants (19 & older) only. Please note that the physician’s medical clearance and audiogram are required for child applicants 18 & younger.
For online submissions, you will submit the application to the Miracle-Ear store to complete their portion of the application. For adult applicants, the store must receive the application fee before they can submit their portion of the application to the Miracle-Ear Foundation. When submitting a paper application, these documents must be submitted directly to your local Miracle-Ear® store where they will be delivered to the Miracle-Ear Foundation for review and consideration.
If it is possible for you to obtain hearing aids for you or your child through publicly supported state or local programs such as, but not limited to, Aid to Families and Dependent Children, the Department of Rehabilitation, Children’s Services, private health insurance, state Medicaid program, VA or vocational rehab, or other means (such as obtaining financing), you are not eligible for this program. Your application may not be considered unless you or your child has been rejected, in writing, by such a program. After your application has been reviewed by the Miracle-Ear Foundation, you will be notified by mail or email. If your application is accepted into our program, an appointment will be set up by your local Miracle-Ear store in approximately four weeks. After you have received approval and your first appointment is scheduled, the Hearing Care Professional (HCP) may test your hearing and discuss the specifics about the hearing loss. An impression will be taken of the ear(s) for an earmold which couples the hearing aid to your ear(s).
When the Miracle-Ear store receives the hearing aid(s) and earmold(s), an appointment will be set up with you to learn about the use, insertion, operation, care, and function of the hearing aid(s). You can then set up the necessary follow-up appointments with your HCP. At the next appointment, you can talk about any specific questions or concerns you or your child may need answers to regarding your progress with the hearing aid(s).
We recommend that every child with a hearing loss be directed to an audiologist for evaluation and rehabilitation since hearing loss often challenges children in the areas of language development, and educational and social growth. The Miracle-Ear store nearest you will be pleased to make recommendations to you and your child for long-term support.
If you have questions or concerns about eligibility, please reach out to your nearest Miracle-Ear center.
If applying online doesn't work well for you, download the Miracle-Ear Foundation application.
There is no replacement coverage for loss or damage for adults. For children 18 and younger, if a hearing aid is lost or damaged within three years of receipt from the Foundation, a notarized letter detailing the situation must be presented to the Foundation to replace the hearing aid.
The Miracle-Ear Foundation will not replace a hearing aid due to loss more than once in lifetime.
Repair of hearing aids for adult applicants within three years will be covered by the Miracle-Ear Foundation; beyond three years, normal repair fees apply.
Individuals may be able to purchase a service plan through their local Miracle-Ear store.
Repair of hearing aids dispensed for children (age 18 and younger) will be based on the specific warranty of the hearing aid.
Provided proper care and maintenance of the earmold and hearing aid(s) have been taken as instructed, the Foundation will provide new earmold(s) for children only based on their changing need. Adult recipients are responsible for any future revisions to their earmolds.
If you have questions or concerns about our loss and damage policy and service warranty, please reach out to your nearest Miracle-Ear center.
Download our loss and damage policy and service warranty here
Please click here to review our eligibility requirements. If you fit within the eligibility requirements and have carefully reviewed the criteria for income, assets and hearing loss, you may be eligible for services from the Miracle-Ear Foundation.
To apply select the Apply for the Gift of Sound button under the eligibility requirements. Before starting the application, please contact your local Miracle-Ear store to confirm they participate in the Gift of Sound Program and can accept your application for services. The store must confirm that you have been denied financing and that they have received the $200 application fee for adult applicants only. Click here or call 1-800-464-8002 to find a participating Miracle-Ear store. The Miracle-Ear Store information section of the application must be completed by the store.
While the Board of Directors understands that this fee may be a hardship, the non-refundable application fee is consistent with other like charities that help individuals with their hearing health. We require the $200 non-refundable application fee for all adult applicants 19 & older without exception. Based on our eligibility criteria, adults should not submit an application or application fee if they do not meet these guidelines for this service.
The Miracle-Ear Foundation can answer your questions to see if you may be an eligible candidate before you apply. If you have questions, please contact us at 1-800-234-5422. Many applicants have sought out support from their church, Lions Club, family, or other community resources for this fee.
The Miracle-Ear Foundation does not replace lost or damaged hearing aids for adult recipients (19 and older). We encourage you to take special care of your hearing aids to avoid damaging or losing them. When not in your ears, keep them in a safe place where they will not be misplaced or damaged. If you would like to replace lost or damaged hearing aids, you will be responsible for purchasing new hearing aids through your local Miracle-Ear store. You may only reapply for new hearing aids through the Miracle-Ear Foundation every five years. Download our loss and damage policy and service warranty here.
If you have questions or concerns about our loss and damage policy and service warranty, please reach out to your nearest Miracle-Ear center.
