Source: Flickr user gazeronly .
The last few decades have seen amazing things happen for the LGBTQ community. Specifically in the last few years, marriage equality has brought LGBTQ issues to the forefront of people’s minds. When applying to colleges and searching for scholarships, diversity can play a large part in finding the right fit. Here are a few great scholarship options for LGBTQ+ students.
1. Collin Higgins Youth Courage Award
Collin Higgins’ movies featured characters that always stood up to adversity with dignity and grace. Each year, the Collin Higgins Youth Courage Award is given to individuals who have refused to be silenced when faced with hardship, intolerance, and bigotry based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and national origin but have instead responded with the same dignity and grace as Higgins’ characters. Each award winner receives a $10,000 grant and is honored during all-expenses paid trips to Pride weekend in either New York or Los Angeles and the Creating Change Conference.
Learn more about the Collin Higgins Youth Courage Award
2. NOGLSTP Out to Innovate™ Scholarship
The Out to Innovate™ scholarship is given to outstanding LGBTQ+ students working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. Eligible students must be in good standing with their institution, have a minimum of two years of post-secondary education with a declared STEM major, a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and be an active supporter of programs working to increase LGBTQ inclusion and visibility.
Learn more about the Out to Innovate™ Scholarship
3. Kay Longcope Scholarship Award
Honoring the first out reporter at the Boston Globe newspaper, the Kay Longcope Scholarship is awarded to and LGBT individual of color planning on a career in journalism. Although undergraduate applicants are not required to have declared journalism as their major, all applicants must show their awareness of issues facing the LGBT community and the importance fair and unbiased media coverage. Recipients of the award are incoming or current undergraduate or graduate students who show their commitment to journalism and LGBT issues through samples of their work, internships, and work with their school newspapers.
Learn more about the Kay Longcope Scholarship Award
4. PFLAG National Scholarship Program
Last year PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) awarded over $75,000 in scholarships to LGBTQ students with scholarship awards ranging from $1,000-$5,000. Graduating high school seniors or students that graduated last year and are entering post-secondary education for the first time are encouraged to apply for PFLAG scholarships. Applicants must identify as LGBT or be an ally with an interest in service to the LGBT community.
Learn more about the PFLAG National Scholarship Program
5. The QF’s Annual High School Seniors English Essay Contest
Each year the Queer Foundation (QF) hosts an essay contest for multiple $1,000 college scholarships. The contest is aimed at promoting effecting writing by, for, and or about queer youth. Essays are written around a theme chosen by the QF each year. Winners are chosen based on their writing’s originality, accuracy, objectivity, and effectiveness.
Learn more about the QF’s Annual High School Seniors English Essay Contest
6. Point Foundation Scholarships
The Point Foundation offers multiple scholarships each year to full-time LGBTQ students. Applicants are evaluated based on financial need, academic achievement, personal merit, involvement in the LGBTQ community, professional and leadership experience, personal and future goals, and marginalization. Scholarship award amounts vary based on need but average around $10,000 yearly for up to four years with the possibility of a 5th year extension.
Learn more about Point Foundation Scholarships
7. Pride Foundation Scholarships
The Pride Foundation offers multiple different scholarship opportunities to students in the LGBTQ+ community that are divided into four areas, academic pursuits, community leadership, cultural identities, and geography. Recipients of Pride Foundation Scholarships are regularly students that show leadership potential within the LGBTQ community and/or their field of study, lack a broader LGBTQ support system, are facing additional barriers to educational access, and demonstrate financial need.
