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Scholarships
Top LGBTQ+ scholarships for you
Find scholarships for LGBTQ+ that can help you pay for college.
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What are LGBTQ+ scholarships?
LGBTQ+ scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for LGBTQ+ students. LGBTQ+ scholarships can help students attain higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach due to financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for LGBTQ+ scholarships
Before you apply for LGBTQ+ scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements. Some common eligibility requirements may include your GPA, community service, citizenship, plan to attend an accredited program, leadership potential, and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Scholarship eligibility requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Check them out!
Are LGBTQ+ scholarships worth my time?
Some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for. Others require time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply to scholarships that require work which means you could have better odds of winning.
Pro tip: Don’t skip over scholarships for LGBTQ+ with smaller award amounts ($). There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find LGBTQ+ scholarships?
There are many resources to help you find scholarships for LGBTQ+.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search engine tools like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”

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LGBTQ+ scholarships
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The Scholarships360 $10,000 "No Essay" Scholarship
Due: 6/30/2025
No Essay
$10,000
Prism Foundation Scholarship
Due: 7/8/2025
No min. GPA Required
$5,000
The purpose of the Prism Foundation Scholarship is to celebrate and reward outstanding scholar activists who are making a positive impact on the API and LGBTQ+ communities. Applicants must be attending an accredited post-secondary institution in the United States in the upcoming academic year (starting in the Fall of this current year) when applying. Applicants should have a strong history of engagement within the API and/or LGBTQ+ communities. International students may apply as long as they are attending or enrolled in a U.S. accredited institution. This scholarship can also be applied toward study abroad. Everyone is to apply. However, the selection committee will consider an applicant's self-identification with the API and/or LGBTQ+ communities, as these groups are core to the foundation's mission. Past applicants and past recipients may reapply. One letter of recommendation highlighting the applicant's community engagement and/or leadership skills is required. It must be from someone who can speak to the applicant's abilities, such as a peer, colleague, teacher, school administrator, counselor, employer, or community leader. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Foundation for more information.
Women's in Aerospace Foundation Scholarship
Due: 6/18/2025
$5,000
The WIA Foundation is pleased to provide scholarships to those who identify as Women's, who are interested in a career in the aerospace field to pursue higher education degrees in engineering, math or science. An applicant must have completed at least two and a half academic years of full-time college work at the time of application and must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university in the United States or its territories, and plan to be enrolled in the subsequent academic year. Two letters of recommendation from a professor, or a supervisor of summer or Co-op work experience, or a supervisor of research work must be submitted. Recommendations from relatives will not be accepted. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Foundation for more information.
Collum - Mallonee LGBT Scholarship
Due: 6/1/2025
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Collum - Mallonee LGBT Scholarship will be awarded annually to a collegiate member who was initiated at any chapter and is in good standing. Aside from that, the applicants must meet other criteria including Fraternity, University, or community involvement; financial need; GPA; and recommendations as defined by the Leadership Foundation Trustees. Applicants must indicate that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) in order to be eligible. Letters of recommendation are required from an individual qualified to comment on the applicant's professional, fraternal involvement, and/or civic involvement. A transcript is not required at the time of application, however, the applicant may be contacted by the Leadership Foundation to provide the committee with a current transcript during the review process. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Delta Sigma Pi Leadership Foundation for more information.
Landmark Pest Management Women's in STEM Academic Scholarship
Due: 7/1/2025
No min. GPA Required
$1,000
As a woman-owned corporation operating in a largely male field, we understand the remarkable impact Women's can have. We want to pave the way for other Women's pursuing their dreams in the scientific world, which is why Landmark offers a scholarship designed to increase the number of Women's studying and influencing the future of science, including technology, engineering and math. To apply for the scholarship, applicants must be a student currently enrolled at a college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in the United States. Applicants must be studying or planning to study the fields of science (excluding social sciences i.e. economics), engineering, mathematics, or technology. Applicants do not need to be a United States citizen to apply. This scholarship is open to persons who identify as female. If the applicant or the applicant's parent or legal guardian is employed by Landmark, Inc. at the time of award, the student is not eligible for the scholarship. One award of $1,000 will be granted to the top essay submitted, and up to nine other students may receive awards for their submissions. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact Landmark Pest Management for more information.
The Joseph Zukin Jr. Scholarship for Entrepreneurship in America
Due: 6/2/2025
No min. GPA Required
$5,000
The Joseph Zukin Jr. Scholarship for Entrepreneurship in America will be awarded to any student, graduate or undergraduate, whose academic record and community activities reflect the entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by Mr. Zukin in his lifetime. Applicants may be currently enrolled undergraduate and Graduate Student; High School Senior accepted to an undergraduate program; students seeking an Associates of Art History (AA) or Associates of Science (AS) degree or enrolled in a technical or trade program; or students who have completed an undergraduate program and have been accepted into a Master's or Doctoral program. Special consideration will be given to students from marginalized communities related to race, color, sexual orientation, gender, socio-economically disadvantaged, and people with physical or mental Disability. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of financial need, academic performance, and community or extracurricular activities. Applicants should be self-motivated and demonstrate initiative. Applicants must provide a written reference. This scholarship is open only to students with a direct industry connection. Applicants with an industry connection may be given preference by the scholarship evaluation team. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact FOARE for more information.
Aurora Pride Scholarship
Due: 5/31/2025
No Essay
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,100
The Aurora Pride Scholarship is open to students who have earned a high school diploma or GED. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester that the scholarship is received. Preference is given to students who identify LGBTQ+, first-generation College student, or BIPOC students (black, indigenous, people of color). Students must be actively pursuing a defined program of study or certificate.
Chris Armstrong Scholarship
Due: 1/31/2026
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Armstrong (Chris) Scholarship is open to students who are members of or have demonstrated support for, the LGBTQ++ communities. Applicants must have documented leadership of, support for, or involvement in organizations, activities, or issues that benefit the lesbian, gay male, bisexual, and transgender communities. Willingness to be publicly recognized as a recipient of the award. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Arent Fox Diversity Scholarships
Due: Varies
No min. GPA Required
$25,000
The Arent Fox Diversity Scholarships will be awarded to rising second-year law students in good standing, at an ABA-accredited law school in the U.S. Applicants must be scheduled to graduate in 2026. Applicants must also have excellent college and law school academic performance; excellent oral and written communication skills; have demonstrated leadership qualities, work experience, and community involvement; be authorized to work in the US; and be a member of a diverse population that historically has been underrepresented in the legal profession. ArentFox Schiff defines diversity broadly, including gender, race or ethnicity, LGBTQ++, Disability, First Generation Student Student, Veteran status, socioeconomic status, and any other historically underrepresented category. Applicants must also have a strong interest in joining the Firm as an associate after law school graduation. Applicants must submit a legal writing sample that must be exclusively their own work. The sample may be from your legal writing course in law school. Three references, professional or academic references, are also required. Letters of recommendation are optional. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews will be scheduled throughout the summer. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship
Due: 6/2/2025
No min. GPA Required
$4,000
The Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship was established by Peggy Traub and Phyllis Dicker to encourage and support lesbians in their pursuit of higher education. This program provides one-year scholarships to several students graduating high school or already enrolled in college in any year of study, including graduate school. The application consists of 3 short essay questions. Submissions are judged on academic achievement, community service and leadership, and commitment to impacting LGBTQ+ issues. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
What types of scholarships are available for students?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Here are more tips that can help you understand all there is to know about scholarships and up your chances of winning.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for LGBTQ+ scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
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Tips for writing scholarship essays
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Fill out the FAFSA®
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