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 scholarships for LGBTQ+ students.
1. Collin Higgins Youth Courage Award
Amount: $15,000
Deadline: TBD for 2021
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.
2. NOGLSTP Out to Innovate™ Scholarship
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: Varies
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.
3. Kay Longcope Scholarship Award
Amount: Up to $3,000
Deadline: June 5, 2020
Honoring the first out reporter at the Boston Globe newspaper, the Kay Longcope Scholarship is awarded to an 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 of 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.
4. LEAGUE Foundation LGBTQ Scholarship
Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 19, 2020
The LEAGUE Foundation offers five different scholarship categories, though students only need to submit one general application. The foundation supports LGBTQ+ high school seniors accepted into a college. The five awards include:
- The Laurel Hester Memorial Scholarship
- The Matthew Shepard Memorial Scholarship
- The Tyler Clementi Memorial Scholarship
- The LEAGUE DFW Chapter Scholarship
- The LEAGUE Foundation Scholarship
5. Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship
Amount: Varies
Deadline: June 24, 2020
The Stonewall Foundation hosts to Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship. Established by Peggy Traub and Phyllis Dicker, the scholarship supports women-identifying lesbians currently in higher education. Both high school seniors and undergraduate students are welcome to apply for this award.
6. Point Foundation Scholarships
Amount: Varies
Deadline: TBD for 2020-2021
The Point Foundation offers multiple scholarships each year to full-time LGBTQ students. The foundation evaluates applicants 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.
7. Pride Foundation Scholarships
Amount: Varies
Deadline: TBD for 2021-2022 (Opens October 11, 2020)
The Pride Foundation offers multiple different scholarship opportunities to students in the LGBTQ+ community divided into four areas: academic pursuits, community leadership, cultural identities, and geography. Recipients of Pride Foundation Scholarships are usually 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.
