Scholarships & Financial Aid for LGBTQ Students

Students wondering how they can afford the rising costs of higher education often benefit from scholarships. Scholarships provide learners with free money, and many scholarships only extend awards to specific types of students, including LGBTQ+ students. There are plenty of scholarships for LGBTQ+ students, though applicants may not know where to find them.

More so than other types of students, LGBTQ+ learners may require financial aid to attend school. Many LGBTQ+ students in higher education come from financially difficult backgrounds, and LGBTQ+ youth have a 120% higher risk for homelessness. The LGBTQ+ community continues to be underrepresented, and students may experience difficult circumstances and challenges that other learners do not.

Fortunately, LGBTQ+ students can secure funding to help cover the cost of their degrees. Through financial aid and scholarships, LGBTQ+ students can afford their education while maintaining sound financial footing.

Thousands of students win scholarships each year. Several of these scholarships only extend awards to LGBTQ+ students, particularly those who come from financially challenging backgrounds. LGBTQ+ scholarships often set no requirements for major, level of study, or school.

Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award

Who Can Apply: LGBTQ+ students who demonstrate an interest in journalism may apply. Applicants submit five relevant work samples in print, video, audio, or photography and must also maintain a 3.2 GPA during the academic year after they win the award.
Amount: Up to $5,000

League Foundation LGBTQ Scholarships

Who Can Apply: Self-identified LGBTQ+ members currently graduating high school can apply for the League Foundation LGBTQ+ Scholarships. Applicants submit two personal essays and two letters of recommendation.
Amount: Varies

Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award

Who Can Apply: Created in 2000, the Colin Higgins Youth Courage Awards help LGBTQ+ students who experienced hardship cover higher education costs. Winners also receive an all-expense paid trip to New York or Los Angeles for Pride weekend.
Amount: $10,000

Pride Foundation Scholarships

Who Can Apply: Available to LGBTQ+ students across the Northwest, the Pride Foundation Scholarships helps applicants who demonstrate financial need. The foundation selects multiple winners each year.
Amount: Varies

NOGLSTP Scholarships

Who Can Apply: NOGLSTP offers multiple scholarships of varying award sizes to LGBTQ+ students interested in STEM. Applicants must intend to pursue or currently pursue an undergraduate or graduate STEM degree.
Amount: Varies

How To Apply for Scholarships

Scholarships provide one of the best funding methods for LGBTQ+ students, but there are other forms of college funding as well. Many LGBTQ+ students use popular funding methods like grants and student loans, but lesser-known methods could prove even more useful.

Before researching additional college funding options, LGBTQ+ learners should apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA provides special financial aid resources to students who demonstrate financial need. Use this valuable resource to learn more about the different types of financial aid available to learners, including LGBTQ+ students.

Fellowships

Similar to internships, fellowships provide learners with money in return for work. A fellowship falls under a specific field, so LGBTQ+ students can gain relevant professional experience while also securing additional funding. Most fellowships only accept graduate students or those close to completing an undergraduate program.

Grants

Grants come from the federal government, state governments, private organizations, or colleges. Grants often come as free money, meaning LGBTQ+ students do not repay grants after graduating. Students often secure grants automatically after applying to college, though some grants accept applicants.

Loans

After covering some of the costs associated with a degree, learners often use student loans to pay remaining tuition costs, fees, living costs, or miscellaneous expenses. LGBTQ+ students must repay loans after graduating, though specific loan terms vary depending on who issues the loan. Students secure loans through the government and private organizations.

Work Study Programs

Colleges and universities receive state and federal government funding to pay students for various work-study positions. Work study essentially creates jobs on college campuses to be filled by students. Depending on the program, students can use the money they earn any way they choose. Students must demonstrate financial need to qualify for work-study programs.

Employer Sponsored

Employers want to develop existing talent and sometimes fund employee education in a relevant field to do so. Employer sponsored funding can cover the entire cost of an education, though LGBTQ+ students must continue working while earning their degree part time. Learners do not repay this funding to their employer after graduating.

Financial Aid Hurdles Facing LGBTQ Students & Families

Going through the financial aid process can be difficult for anyone. However, LGBTQ students and their families may be faced with a unique set of challenges when applying for financial assistance.

Many financial aid application forms, including the FAFSA®, require students to list their gender. For many LGBTQ students, this is easier said than done. In addition to instigating insensitivity to gender issues, listing gender can require students to ignore their own gender identity, which is an unfair situation for any student.

In order to apply for financial aid, most students need to submit their parent's financial statements, including tax returns and bank documents. Parents who are unsupportive or hostile toward their LGBTQ child might refuse to cooperate. This can be particularly challenging for students under 24 years old, who are required to file the FAFSA® as dependents.

If a student needs a loan, some institutions might require the parents as a cosigner. If the student doesn't have a strong relationship with an understanding, caring parent, asking them to become a cosigner might be impossible.

In situations where LGBTQ students are able to comfortably state their sex as “male” or “female,” data inconsistencies could arise and significantly delay the processing of financial aid, particularly if the student has changed names or sex on government issued identification cards or documents. Students who can't afford or don't have parental permission to officially change their names or sex might be forced to out themselves when applying for financial aid, discouraging them from applying at all.

When applying for non-governmental financial aid, the FAFSA® is often still required as a part of the overall application. Even if it isn't, LGBTQ students may be put in situations where they either have to hide their LGBTQ status or be true to themselves and risk a prejudiced scholarship or financial aid committee that may hold their gender status or sexual orientation against them.

LGBTQ+ Financial Aid Resources

Campus Pride is a leading resource for LGBTQ students and promoter of LGBTQ student rights on college campuses. Campus Pride's website also includes a comprehensive LGBTQ scholarship database.

This organization has the simple goal of promoting LGBTQ equality in higher education.

Fastweb is a large and comprehensive source of scholarships and advice for students.

This is the primary source for information about federal student aid. It is run by the U.S. Department of Education.

Human Rights Campaign is a major national organization for advancing LGBTQ civil rights.

Their mission is to achieve equality for LGBTQ individuals. The organization also offers internships and fellowships to students.

PFLAG is a nationwide organization of family members and allies of LGBTQ individuals that works to improve civil rights. LGBTQ individuals and their families can obtain support from any of the PFLAG local chapters.

Point Foundation encourages LGBTQ students to achieve their educational goals. One of the ways the Point Foundation does this is to provide scholarships and mentoring opportunities.

The Pride Foundation works to advance LGBTQ individuals' rights, especially through financial assistance, including grants and scholarships.

This is an online source that facilitates the college experience with scholarships (including LGBTQ scholarships), internships and career and academic information.

This office will provide information on financial aid options available to students along with general assistance when applying for financial aid.

Depending on the school, there will be specifically tailored LGBTQ+ resources available, such as counseling. The center also includes issues that students should be aware of and information about the LGBTQ student population and school policies.

This student group serves as an invaluable resource, answering questions or pointing LGBTQ+ students in the direction of assistance. The group also provides social support to LGBTQ+ students.

Staff Writer

Contributing Writer