Scholarships for LBGTQ+ Students

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.

Lender	Rates (APR)	Eligibility
	1.13% to 11.23%¹ Variable 3.50% to 12.60%¹ Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT SALLIE MAE
	1.04% to 13.19% Variable 3.00% to 14.14% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT CREDIBLE
	1.49% to 7.64% Variable >800 FICO 3.99% to 7.64% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT LENDKEY
	1.82% to 11.32% Variable 3.27% to 12.46% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ASCENT
	0.99% to 11.98% Variable 2.99% to 12.99% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT COLLEGE AVE
	3.47% to 6.11% Variable 4.60% to 7.40% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ISL
	1.04% to 11.44% Variable 3.34% to 12.78% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT EARNEST
	1.20% to 11.59% Variable 3.31% to 11.99% Fixed	Undergraduate and Graduate	VISIT ELFi
¹Variable interest rates start from 4.12% APR to 10.98% APR. We also offer fixed interest rates from 5.74% APR to 11.85% APR. Click here for important information. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply.

College Raptor is not a loan lender and does not assume responsibility for suggesting a loan to a user who may not be eligible for it. Rates, terms, conditions, eligibility, approval, and other considerations are the decisions of the lenders and may vary depending on which lender or marketplace the user selects. We urge users to carefully consider and review all loan options and terms before committing to taking out a loan.