SMYAL LGBT Youth Leadership Scholarship

The SMYAL LGBT Youth Leadership Scholarship provides financial assistance to young leaders of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area who wish to attend college. The award is $5,000 and is paid directly to recipients entering their first year of post-secondary education, which may include technical or trade school, as well as two- and four-year colleges. Applicants must self-identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, be 24 years old or younger, have attended high school or completed GED in the D.C. Metro Area (Washington D.C. and surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia), and be starting their first semester of post-secondary education by Fall 2026. Students returning to higher education (such as upperclassmen) are not eligible. The application requires a personal essay (maximum 1,500 words), two letters of support from individuals who can speak to the applicant's suitability for this award, and a list of programs where the applicant has submitted active applications and any acceptance letters received.