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LGBTQ+ Scholarships and Internships

LGBTQIA+ Scholarships and Internships

University Scholarships

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships have officially launched ScholarshipUniverse! This new platform is an easy-to-use, personalized hub that makes applying for both UCSB-specific and external scholarships easier than ever. 

Students can access the tool by logging in with their UCSB NetID and password at ucsb.scholarshipuniverse.com 

You can learn more about ScholarshipUniverse by visiting their website, where you'll find step-by-step instructions for how to use the tool, an FAQ, and more. If you know any students looking for scholarship opportunities, please encourage them to log on to ScholarshipUniverse!

Annual Scholarships

NOGLSTP Out to Innovate Scholarships

NOGLSTP Out to Innovate Scholarships are intended for LGBTQ+ undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) programs.

  • Deadline: early June
  • Award(s): varies

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League Foundation 

The program is open to self-identified Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer <Questioning>, +, graduating high school seniors meeting the prescribed criteria.

  • Deadline: Late April
  • Award: Varies

 

National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA) 

The NGPA is proud to announce over $150,000 in scholarships for 2019. We are honored that our members and sponsors have put their faith in the NGPA to carry the message of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) inclusion to the aviation community. The NGPA, founded in 1990, is a 501 C3 with membership throughout the world. We seek to promote acceptance and inclusion of the LGBT community in aviation through education, advocacy, and social networking. 
NGPA scholarships are open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Applicants must be a member of the NGPA at the time of application and should be able to demonstrate their support and advocacy for the LGBT community. The scholarship application window is open from June 1, 2022 – July 31, 2022. 

 

National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGA) 

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists scholarships are awarded annually to students who demonstrate a commitment to providing fair and accurate coverage of the LGBTQ community. Several of these annual scholarships are presented in honor of prominent journalists. 

  • Deadline: application for 2022-2023 now close, check back in Spring 2023
  • Award: Varies

 

The Ronald P. Wilmot Scholarship 

The Ronald P. Wilmot Scholarship Fund of the Jewish Community Federation Endowment Fund provides approximately 10 scholarships annually to high school seniors or graduates who are planning to enroll or already enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university who are children of a gay or lesbian parent(s)

  • Deadline: application for 2023- 2024 posted on February 1, 2023
  • Awards: up to $2,000 each

 

Tang Scholarship 

Mr. Edward C. Tang established this award in 2007 to provide financial assistance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (l/g/b/t) Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) for post-secondary education. This scholarship is to help LGBT youth proudly achieve educational pursuits and dreams without shame. This scholarship awards up to four outstanding students annually, a combined scholarships totaling up to $60,000, awarded over up to four years. These scholarships are renewable for a maximum of three more years (a total of four years) provided each student annually meets the renewal requirements.

  • Deadline: 5 pm on April 30, 2022
  • Award: up to $60000

 

Scholarship Lists and Financial Aid Resources

College Scholarships 
Features a large collection of scholarships ranging from general categories to more specific ones. No membership or registration is required.

FinAid
This site provides resources for financial aid and scholarships. The site also has a section devoted specifically to LGBT scholarships.

PFLAG Chapter Scholarship Program 
PFLAG Scholarships provide an important, positive statement to a group of young people that is coping amazingly well in an often-adverse school environment. They are marginalized and subjected to harassment and discrimination in many parts of the country, not only at school but also often in their own families. PFLAG is proud to support these articulate, accomplished scholars with great promise for future contribution to our society in general and to the cause of rights and recognition for LGBT people in particular.  Many PFLAG chapters have scholarship programs of their own. The following is not an exhaustive list but includes some of the programs that are available through our chapter network.

Safe Schools Coalition Scholarships and Grants 
Safe Schools features a list of a growing number of organizations that want to provide financial support for college-bound students, whether they have been thrown away by parents or they just need extra help to complete their education.

The Scholarship Connection
The Scholarship Connection database includes over 300 scholarship opportunities. Unless otherwise noted, Scholarship Connection does not have further information on database awards. To obtain additional information, please use the contact information provided for each individual scholarship. If an application deadline has passed, you may contact the scholarship foundation directly to inquire about next year's deadline. For complete, up-to-date application requirements, review the application materials; do not rely solely on the information in this database.

Skadden Fellowship Foundation 
The Skadden Fellowship Foundation, described as "a legal Peace Corps" by The Los Angeles Times, was established in 1988 to commemorate the firm's 40th anniversary, in recognition of the dire need for greater funding for graduating law students who wish to devote their professional lives to providing legal services to the poor (including the working poor), the elderly, the homeless and the disabled, as well as those deprived of their civil or human rights.   The aim of the foundation is to give Fellows the freedom to pursue public interest work; thus, the Fellows create their own projects at public interest organizations with at least two lawyers on staff before they apply. The deadline for 2023 applications is September 9th, 2022.

Undergrad and Grad Scholarships with No Proof of Status Requirement

Scholarships are essential for many undocumented students to pay for higher education, especially students who do not qualify for in-state tuition and state-based financial aid. Undocumented students pursuing higher education need to know that scholarships are available to them—regardless of their immigration status.

Internships & Fellowships

San Francisco/Bay Area

Our Family Coalition

LYRIC, Center for LGBTQQ Youth

  • LYRIC’s mission is to build community and inspire positive social change through education enhancement, career trainings, health promotion, and leadership development with LGBTQQ youth, their families, and allies of all races, classes, genders, and abilities.
  • https://lyric.org/sli/

Human Rights Campaign

SF Pride

  • The Mission of the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration Committee is to educate the world, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people.
  • Check if they are currently looking for interns! https://sfpride.org/

City & County of San Francisco Internship

  • The City and County of San Francisco is seeking student interns for various engineering and architecture disciplines, to provide support to in-house teams. 
  • http://www.sfstudentintern.org/

 

Los Angeles

GLAAD

  • A U.S. non-governmental media monitoring organization founded by LGBT people in the media. Before March 2013, the name "GLAAD" had been an acronym for "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation", but became the primary name due to its inclusiveness of bisexual and transgender issues.
  • https://www.glaad.org/internships

Los Angeles LGBT Center

  • The Los Angeles LGBT Center is the world's largest provider of programs and services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Dedicated to building a better world for LGBT people, the organization's work spans four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, and Leadership and Advocacy.
  • https://lalgbtcenter.org/about-the-center/careers

OutRight Action International

  • OutRight is a leading international LGBT human rights organization dedicated to improving the lives of people who experience discrimination or abuse on the basis of their sexual orientation, sex characteristics, or gender identity.
  • https://www.outrightinternational.org/content/internships

 

UCDC Program

National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

  • The National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (link is external) (NGLCC) is a non-profit organization founded in 2002 aimed at increasing visibility and access for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)-owned businesses. The NGLCC provides certified LGBT businesses access to corporations and networking opportunities.
  • Internship types include: communications, meetings & education, corporate relations, supplier diversity, affiliate relation & external affairs, and international programs.
  • Contact internships@nglcc.org

Human Rights Campaign

Victory Institute

  • Victory Institute’s signature internship and fellowship programs – as well as its Presidential Appointments Initiative – develops and promotes LGBTQ leaders with varied levels of experience. Through our internships and fellowships, you can work in the U.S. Capitol, attend our four-day Candidate & Campaign Training, or take advanced leadership training sessions at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Our Presidential Appointments Initiative aims to secure appointments in pro-equality presidential administrations.
  • https://victoryinstitute.org/programs/

VA National Diversity Internship Program

  • The VA National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) provides internship opportunities to diverse undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled, full-time or part-time at an accredited post-secondary institution. Sessions offered from various institutions such as, but not limited to Minority Serving Institutions (i.e., Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Asian American Pacific Islanders, Tribal Colleges and Universities).
  • https://www.va.gov/employee/programs/internship.asp

Intern For LGBTQ Members of Congress

  • A congressional internship is a mix of hard work, political experience and educational rigor. Congress depends on interns for a number of tasks, from administrative responsibilities like answering phones, letter writing, filing, and running errands to research and constituent assistance.
  • In order to intern at a congressional office, send an email to the staff and inquire about their open positions. Most congressional offices are continually accepting applicants and look for individuals who take the initiative to reach out.