LGBTQ+ Scholarships

The LGBTQ+ Pride Scholarship at the University of Rochester awards $10,000 to $35,000 per year to academically excellent undergraduates who are engaged with LGBTQ+ issues and eager to contribute to Rochester's inclusive campus community. Applicants must complete the Pride Scholarship Application in their MyROC account after submitting the undergraduate admission application; merit review alone does not substitute for this supplement. The scholarship honors students committed to expanding understanding of sexual and gender identities at Rochester. It renews annually with satisfactory academic performance and full-time enrollment like other University merit scholarships.

The OUT Maine Scholarship Fund provides renewable scholarships of $1,000 to $25,000 annually for LGBTQ+ Maine youth pursuing post-secondary education at an accredited, not-for-profit, non-sectarian college, university, or technical/vocational school in the United States. Applicants must be an LGBTQ+ Maine resident between the ages of 17 and 22, planning to attend or currently attending an eligible institution, with demonstrated financial need (FAFSA Student Aid Report required, waived for students unable to file due to immigration status). A cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 is preferred but not required, and preference goes to students from underserved Maine communities and first-generation college students. The application, including an essay, two letters of recommendation, transcript, and proof of Maine residency, is due April 1 each year. Recipients check in periodically with OUT Maine staff.

The Alan Turing Memorial Scholarship at UC San Diego supports continuing undergraduates majoring in computer science, computer or electrical engineering, communications, political science/public policy, or related networked-systems fields who are connected to the LGBTQIA+ community and actively advocate for LGBTQIA+ issues. Continuing students apply through the annual Continuing Student Scholarship Application, typically due in early April. Preference is given to applicants with demonstrated academic merit, academic involvement, and financial need. If awarded, recipients may be asked to provide a public statement about their advocacy with consent. The award provides up to $12,000 for one academic year.

The PFLAG New Orleans Scholarship Program recognizes outstanding LGBTQ+ students from Louisiana, awarding roughly twenty-five scholarships a year ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 (larger awards may be paid over four years). The program has run for decades and is supported by individual, business, and foundation donors. Applicants must self-identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer via a written statement; be a Louisiana resident at the time of application with a copy of a Louisiana driver's license or state ID as proof; be at least seventeen years old by May 1 of the award year; and be applying to attend or currently attending an accredited post-secondary institution. Applications, including two letters of recommendation and 400-500 word essays, are due February 1 each year.

Pride Foundation's scholarship program supports LGBTQ+ student leaders in the Northwest. Since 1993 it has awarded more than $10 million to over 2,600 students, and one application enters students into consideration for more than 60 scholarship funds. In the 2025 cycle the minimum total award was $7,500 and the average award was $8,670. Applicants must identify as LGBTQ+ or questioning and be a resident of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington (current resident, or lived in one of these states for at least a year within the last five years); they may study elsewhere. Any post-secondary path qualifies, including community college, four-year college, certificate and vocational/technical programs, and graduate or professional school. Citizenship is not checked. The application opens in October and closes in early January, with decisions in June.

Undergraduate and graduate students in the United States who identify as women in the LGBTQ+ community and study or plan to work in business, fashion design, retail management, or social justice advocacy may apply. The one-time $5,000 award is paid directly to the recipient's school. Applicants should demonstrate excellence, creativity, and positive community impact. Complete the scholarship application with academic and enrollment information. The Aritzia x Stonewall Scholarship was established in 2021 by Aritzia to support LGBTQ+ women in higher education.

LGBTQ+ student leaders age 24 or younger who graduated high school or earned a GED in the D.C. Metro area and are starting their first semester of post-secondary education may apply. SMYAL awards one $5,000 scholarship through Sophie's Live Out Loud Award, named for advocate Sophie Magerl. Winners are featured publicly by the organization. Write a personal essay up to 1,500 words on your journey as an LGBTQ+ leader, obtain two letters of support, and submit a list of programs you have applied to along with any acceptance letters received.

The Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship honors the founder of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists and provides up to $5,000 in tuition assistance to an LGBTQ+ student who plans a career in journalism and is committed to fair and accurate coverage of the LGBTQ+ community. Eligible applicants are current or incoming undergraduates enrolled in a U.S. community college or four-year university, or current or incoming graduate students enrolled in an accredited journalism or mass communications program. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents planning a full year of study in the U.S., and must be NLGJA members (student membership is available at application time). Applications open in April and close in mid-May each year and include an application form, resume, five work samples, proof of enrollment or acceptance, and transcripts.

The Dru Project, founded in memory of Pulse nightclub victim Christopher Andrew "Drew" Leinonen, awards Spirit of Dru scholarships of $5,000 to LGBTQ+ student leaders who exemplify Drew's spirit of unity, inclusion, and love. Applicants must be LGBTQ+ students who will attend college, trade school, or graduate school; priority is given to applicants living in states with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Funds are paid directly to the recipient's school and applied toward tuition, and students may win the scholarship only once. The organization also offers a $5,000 student loan debt grant for former students. The application round runs each spring, closing at the end of May (the 2026 period closed May 31, 2026), with winners notified at the end of June. Essays are required, including one based on the organization's GSA guide.

The Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship was established by Peggy Traub and Phyllis Dicker to encourage and support lesbians in their pursuit of higher education. Each awarded student receives a one-time scholarship of $4,000 paid directly to their school. Applicants must identify as a lesbian and attend or plan to attend a college or university in the United States as an undergraduate or graduate student; graduating high school seniors are eligible. Selection emphasizes academic achievement, community service, leadership, and commitment to impacting LGBTQ issues. The application is administered by Stonewall Community Foundation in New York and typically opens in spring with a June 30 deadline; the 2026 cycle is closed and the 2027 application will be announced on the foundation's scholarships page. An essay is required.