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Author: Amy Williams
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Amy Williams is a senior writer specializing in mental health, education, and nursing. She's researched and written more than 20 articles for EduMed on higher education and online learning in practical nursing, advanced nursing, and allied health. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Central Florida.
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Michael Hoffman has authored close to 300 articles for higher education publications, including over 140 for EduMed across nursing and allied health. He's interviewed and collaborated with hundreds of active healthcare professionals and students. Michael holds degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara College of Law. Before his writing career, he practiced as a civil litigator in Los Angeles and worked as a development executive for a major film producer in Santa Monica, California.
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Support for College: Scholarships & Resources for LGBTQIA+ Students

Landing one or more scholarships is a great way to make a big dent in your college education price tag. And if you’re an LGBTQIA+ student, the good news is that there are lots of scholarships available just for you. This guide will introduce you to some of the best of those scholarships and provide you with some great resources designed to help you succeed in funding your college studies — and beyond.

The following professionals lent their expertise to this article:

Author: Amy Williams
Amy Williams Arrow up right
Amy Williams is a senior writer specializing in mental health, education, and nursing. She's researched and written more than 20 articles for EduMed on higher education and online learning in practical nursing, advanced nursing, and allied health. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Central Florida.
Areas of Expertise
Check HealthcareNursingMental Health
HealthcareNursingMental Health
Editor: Michael Hoffman, MA, JD
A smiling bald man with a beard, wearing a black t-shirt and glasses perched on his head, standing in front of a brick wall.
Michael Hoffman, MA, JD Arrow up right
Freelance Writer, Researcher, & Journalist
Michael Hoffman has authored close to 300 articles for higher education publications, including over 140 for EduMed across nursing and allied health. He's interviewed and collaborated with hundreds of active healthcare professionals and students. Michael holds degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara College of Law. Before his writing career, he practiced as a civil litigator in Los Angeles and worked as a development executive for a major film producer in Santa Monica, California.
Areas of Expertise
Check HealthcareNursingAdv Nursing
HealthcareNursingAdv Nursing

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Scholarships and Grants for LGBTQIA+ Students

Finding ways to pay for college is challenging for practically everyone, but it can be a particular challenge for students in the LGBTQIA+ community. For example, research by the Williams Institute at UCLA found that 35% of LGBTQ people between 18 and 40 have federal student loans, compared to only 23% of their non-LGBTQ peers.

So, if you’re looking for funds to pay for your college education, don’t discount the tremendous potential value of scholarships and grants.

Scholarships and grants are likely the most popular forms of college financial aid for one very important reason: they’re not paid back. That makes them essentially “free money” for your studies.

While the the terms “scholarship” and “grant” are often used interchangeably, there are (in most cases) differences between the two. The biggest is that most scholarships are awarded based on merit while most grants are awarded based on financial need.

To get you started on your funding search, here are 10 of the best scholarship opportunities for LGBTQIA+ students available today.

LGBTQ+ STEM Scholarship

Sponsored by study.com, this scholarship is open to LGBTQ+ students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in any field of study at an accredited college or university in the United States. Applicant must have a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours yet to be completed in their degree program.

Amount: $500

Out to Innovate Scholarship

Out to Innovate awards scholarships to LGBTQ+ students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to honor those who support a creative educational community and encourage diversity in the STEM workforce. Requires a 2.75 or higher GPA.

Amount: $2,000-$5,000

Women in Medicine LGBTQ+ Leadership Scholarship

Women in Medicine offers five awards annually to help female and gender expansive students pay for medical school. Applicant must be enrolled in the first, second or third year of an allopathic, osteopathic, or naturopathic medical school program in the United States or Canada, and demonstrate active leadership in the LGBTQ community.

Amount: $1,000

Live Out Loud Young Trailblazers Scholarship

The Young Trailblazers Scholarship from Live Out Loud provides financial support to LGBTQ+ students from New York State with demonstrated financial need. Funds may be used to cover any expenses related to their education at an accredited institution.

Amount: $5,000

Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award

Sponsored by the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, this scholarship is open to undergraduate students in any major (a journalism or communications major is desirable but not required) and graduate students pursuing a degree in journalism. NLGJA membership is required.

Amount: Up to $5,000

Gamma Mu Scholarship Program

The Gamma Mu Foundation aims to make a positive difference in the lives of the LGBTQ+ community members in part by sponsoring a number of scholarships and grants. The Gamma Mu Scholarship is specifically for gay men under 35 with priority given to those who are first-generation college students and have overcome discrimination.

Amount: $2,500-$5,000

Tang Scholarship

Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQ+ high school graduates in specific Bay Area counties in California are eligible to apply for the Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s Tang Scholarship. Up to four awards are made annually to help LGBTQ+ students achieve their educational pursuits and dreams without shame.

Amount: Up to $15,000

Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship

This Stonewall Community Foundation scholarship is awarded to several students annually to encourage and support lesbians in their pursuit of a college degree. Application submittals include most recent transcripts, a letter of recommendation, and answers to three short essay questions.

Amount: $4,000

National Rainbow College Fund Scholarship

The National Rainbow College Fund Scholarship is for LGBTQ+ students who are residents of California and currently enrolled in or incoming students to a four-year or community college program. Demonstrated financial need is required.

Amount: $2,500

Prism Foundation Scholarships

The Prism Foundation provides scholarships with the goal of empowering outstanding students who make a positive impact on Asian/Pacific Islander and LGBTQ+ communities. The scholarship is for students who are attending a college, university, or trade school and have been active within the API or LGBTQ+ communities.

Amount: $1,000-$5,000

The Keys to Landing Your Scholarship

Now that you’ve been introduced to some of the best scholarships out there, it’s time to develop a strategy for successfully finding, applying to, and winning the ones you want. Here are five valuable tips to get you started.

Key #1: Do Your Research

The first key to scholarship success is to find ones you’re both eligible for and have a good chance of winning. So, you’ll need to put some real time and effort into exploring what’s available, including the specific application requirements and the stated goals of the scholarship program and the organization sponsoring it.

Key #2: Follow Directions

Details matter when it comes to scholarship applications, and those details vary from program to program. So, be sure to always review the directions carefully and meet all requirements to the letter for each scholarship you apply to.

Key #3: Apply for Smaller Scholarships

Big scholarships with big awards are great, but don’t overlook the smaller scholarships.

Smaller scholarships come with less competition, increasing your chances of winning. And those smaller award amounts can really add up.

Key #4: Apply Early

Getting started on your scholarship application as early as possible can help alleviate stress and ensure you have the time to get all of your ducks in a row before submittal. And applying early gives you have the opportunity to make a strong and lasting first impression on the selection committee.

Key #5: Highlight Your Strengths

Don’t be shy about highlighting your academic and leadership accomplishments in your scholarship application. Selection committees often weigh heavily such things when choosing winning candidates.

And committees often take particular note of volunteer work or other activities performed in the LGBTQ+ community, so be sure to include that as well.

Essential Funding Resources for LGBTQIA+ Students

From paying for textbooks to creating a budget, there are many things you need to prepare for before starting your college journey. We’ve outlined some of the best online financial resources for LGBTQ+ students below to help you in that preparation.

50 Top Scholarships for Students of Medical & Health Programs

As an LGBTQIA+ student, applying to scholarships offered exclusively to members of that community may increase your chances of winning, but you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) limit yourself to just those opportunities. This EduMed guide offers a broader range of scholarships available to healthcare students.

Burden of LGBTQ Student Loan Debt

Students in the LGBTQ+ community take on more student loan debt than their non-community counterparts. This article takes a comprehensive look at the causes and effects of that burden and offers some suggestions for relieving it.

Chegg

When it comes to the cost of a college education, tuition isn’t your only expense. Chegg is an online marketplace where you can buy or rent new and used textbooks, saving money in the process.

Financial Planning Tips for LGBTQ+ Couples

This article from Fidelity Investments offers helpful information and advice regarding the financial and legal challenges people in the LGBTQ+ community face and how to navigate them.

How to Lower Student Loan Payments

This episode of the Queer Money Podcast tackles the subject of lowering student loan payments and offers several suggestions on how to do so. Great for both younger students and those close to graduation.

Paying for College as an LGBTQ+ Student

This article from Investopedia offers a comprehensive look at the options available to LGBTQ+ students for paying for college and tackling their student loan debt after graduation.

The Essential FAFSA Checklist for College Students

Federal student loans and other forms of federal financial aid are great resources to help fund your college pursuit, but you’ll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to see what you’re eligible for. This EduMed checklist can help you get started.

Amy Williams AUTHOR

Amy Williams is a senior writer specializing in mental health, education, and nursing. She's researched and written more than 20 articles for EduMed on higher education and online learning in practical nursing, advanced nursing, and allied health. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Central Florida.

Read More About Amy Williams

Michael Hoffman, MA, JD EDITOR

Michael Hoffman has authored close to 300 articles for higher education publications, including over 140 for EduMed across nursing and allied health. He's interviewed and collaborated with hundreds of active healthcare professionals and students. Michael holds degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara College of Law. Before his writing career, he practiced as a civil litigator in Los Angeles and worked as a development executive for a major film producer in Santa Monica, California.

Read More About Michael Hoffman
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