GPP, Arcus Foundation
Education Resources for LGBTI Philanthropy
Created by Arcus Foundation, 2017.
(updated August 2020)
The purpose of this document to provide a comprehensive and fluid list of academic and funding opportunities for scholars and activists in the Global South.
The structure of the list is as follows: scholarships for international students, scholarships for LGBTQ+ students, academic opportunities for studying international human rights with significant funding, studying international human rights with seemingly lesser funding, other forms of training in human rights, and master’s programs in queer studies.
The situation for funding changes frequently and this list attempts to organize based on what seems to be current available opportunities. Note that in addition to scholarships, many U.S. programs also provide work study. Many PhD and Masters programs will provide positions for students as teaching assistants and cover tuition or offer scholarships and assistance if they want you as a student.
Asia and the Pacific
North America
Europe
- DAAD Scholarships– Germany
- Erasmus Mundus – All Europe
- National Scholarship Programme – Slovakia
- SI Scholarship for Global Professionals – Sweden
- British Council scholarships– UK
- Chevening scholarships – UK
- London School of Economics – UK
Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women & Transgender Community
Supports API Queer and Transgender women in pursuit of technical/professional training or a bachelor degree and recognizes those who are active in the LGBT community. Learn more here.
The Dawn Wilson Scholarship for LGBTQ+ Students of Color
Dawn Wilson Scholarship will be awarded to subsidize the cost of higher education at the University of Louisville for undergraduate LGBTQ+ students of color. The amount of the scholarship will be determined by funds available at the time the scholarships are granted. Learn more here.
Horizons Foundation
Horizons houses several scholarships and fellowships that support the LGBTQ community in higher education and training in the SF Bay Area and beyond. Horizons believes that investing in the future leaders of the community will contribute to creating the envisioned world.
Gamma Mu Foundation
Grants scholarships to gay men pursuing vocational or academic training, with preference given to those who are from or plan to attend school in an underserved area, and to those who have overcome significant discrimination and/or marginalization in their community.
Additionally, this foundation offers the Folisi & Goodwin Scholarship In Memory of Ray Williams to a member of the broader LGBTQ+ community with preference based on the same standards mentioned above. Learn more here.
The Gene and John Athletic Scholarship
Offers scholarships of $2,500 and $5,000 with a reliable pool of resources (both monetary and community-based) to gay and lesbian athletes looking to continue their education while pursuing athletics in order to help them reach their potential and realize their dreams.
League Foundation
The LEAGUE Foundation channels financial resources to support the educational pursuits of America’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender youth as part of its mission.
Presently, the scholarship program concentrates on high school graduates transitioning directly into higher education. This emphasis stems from the elevated high school dropout rates among LGBTQ students, coupled with a significant number of suicides during high school.
LGBT Liberation Scholarship
The LGBT Liberation Scholarship honors students courage in the face of adversity and discrimination by awarding $1,000 – $2,500 individual grants to LGBTQIA activists who have transformed their experiences with bigotry and discrimination into opportunities to inspire others.
Live Out Loud
Provides financial support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) youth who are pursuing a college degree. Learn more here.
Messenger-Anderson Journalism Scholarship
Funds scholarships for GLBT students pursuing a degree and/or career in journalism. Learn more here.
The Pinnacle Foundation
Scholarships provided for 16-24 year old LGBTIQ* students who desire to undertake full-time education at a public or private secondary school (final year) or public institution of higher education in Australia. Learn more here.
Point Foundation
Awards scholarships to LGBTQ+ students (enrolled in the USA) based on academic track record, commitment to bettering the LGBTQ+ community, and financial need.
PFLAG Scholarships
PFLAG is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. They had a list of scholarship provided by their members across the U.S. Learn more here.
Academic Opportunities for International Human Rights
Last update: January 2024
North America
- MA in Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs
- MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution
- MA in International Development
American University has a highly diverse student body comprising more than 1,600 international students. AU offers partial scholarships to international students to help defray the cost of tuition. For more information on financial aid, please visit:
Asia and the Pacific
- MA in Human Rights – AUT – New Zealand
Utrecht University, Netherlands
York University Toronto, Ontario
University of Roehampton London, England
University of Sydney, Australia
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
Université de Strasbourg, France
Master in Human Rights, concentrations in:
NGO’s Law, Humanitarian and Human Rights
University of Toronto, Canada
Webster University Webster Grove, USA
University of Virginia Charlottesville, USA
Yale University New Haven, USA
Vrije Universiteit (Free University) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Université Paris Saclay Saint-Aubin, France
University of Oslo, Norway
Université Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne) Paris, France
Université Paris 10 (Paris Ouest-Nanterre) Nanterre, France
Université de Nantes, France
Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
University for Peace San Jose, Costa Rica
Université de Bourgogne Dijon, France
University College of London London, England
University of Essex Colchester, England
University of Dayton Dayton, USA
Université Catholique de Lyon Lyon, France
University of California Various locations, California, USA
University of Denver Denver, USA
Université Grenoble-Alpes Grenoble, France
University of Gothenburg Gothenburg, Sweden
University of Minnesota Minneapolis, USA
Makerere University Kampala, Uganda
Bologna University, Italy
Auckland University of Technology Auckland, New Zealand
- Master of Human Rights
The Auckland University of Technology offers a Master’s degree in Human Rights through covering theory and skills related to advocacy, treaty body reporting, human rights campaigns and media and communication strategies. The university also offers a scholarship for the Master of Human Rights. - https://www.aut.ac.nz/study-at-aut/fees-scholarships-and-finance/scholarships/scholarships-and-awards/detailpage?detailCode=500993&sessionID=58610239&sourceIP=&X_FORWARDED_FOR
- https://www.aut.ac.nz/study-at-aut/fees-scholarships-and-finance
Boston University Boston, USA
Harvard University Cambridge, USA
Academic Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School
Specialization in Conflict and Peace Studies
Specialization in Human Rights
Arizona State University Tempe, USA
Carleton University Ottawa, Onatario
Columbia University New York, USA
- MA in Human Rights Studies
- MA in International Affairs
Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Curtin University Perth, Australia
Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson, USA
Leuphana University of Luneburg Luneberg, Germany
Faculté Libre de Droit Lille, France
University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
National University of Ireland Various locations, Ireland
New York University New York, USA
Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- MS in Global Affairs
Concentration in Genocide, Political Violence, and Human Rights - MA in Peace and Conflict Studies
Paris School of International Affairs Paris, France
South Methodist University Dallas, Texas, USA
BA in Human Rights
Minor in Human Rights
Trinity College Hartford, USA
Ryerson University Toronto, Ontario
American University District of Columbia, USA
- MA in Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs
- MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution
- MA in International Development
American University has a highly diverse student body comprising more than 1,600 international students. AU offers partial scholarships to international students to help defray the cost of tuition. For more information on financial aid, please visit:
Balsillie School for International Affairs Waterloo, Ontario
- MA in Global Governance
- MIPP—Master of International Public Policy
The Basillie School for International Affairs offers two advanced degree programs related to human rights work. The school has a commitment to the financial assistance of students, and offers several awards and scholarships to provide for them. - https://www.balsillieschool.ca/scholarships-and-awards
Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario
- MA in Social Justice and Equity Studies
Brock University offers a Master of Arts in Social Justice and Equity Studies. According to the university, “Our program seeks to enact an emancipatory politics of knowledge in favouring voices and perspectives that have been historically marginalized and who are actively resisting domination.” Financial aid through Brock University is offered through scholarships, assistantships, and various fellowships. - https://brocku.ca/nextstep/apply/financial-information/
Central European University Budapest, Hungary
- MA in Human Rights
The Central European University offers a Master of Arts in Human Rights. This program combines social science, policy-based approach with legal science to address important questions in Human Rights, and there are several outlets available for financial assistance. - https://www.ceu.edu/node/13693
City University London, UK
- MA in International Politics and Human Rights
City University London offers a program that combines international political analysis and a theoretical and empirical approach to human rights issues. The university provides various scholarships specifically for international students. - https://www.city.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/funding-and-financial-support/international-students
- https://www.city.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/international-politics-and-human-rights#course-detail=3
European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation, San Nicolo, Italy
- European Master’s Programme (E.MA) in Human Rights and Democratisation
This program uses an action- and policy-oriented approach to learning that combines legal, political, historical, anthropological, and philosophical perspectives with skills building activities. EIUC offers financial support in the form of a partial contribution towards living expenses and/or a full or partial tuition waiver. - https://www.eiuc.org/education/ema/becoming-an-ema-student/fees-and-expenses.html
Higher School of Economics, Russia
International Institute for Social Studies The Hague, Netherlands
- MA in Human Rights, Gender and Conflict Studies: Social Justice Perspectives
Located in Rotterdam, this ISS program offers critical reflections on issues relating to gender, human rights, conflict and social mobilization, which are all key to social justice. There are a variety of scholarships available to those wishing to study at the institute. - https://www.iss.nl/prospective_students/fellowships/
London School of Economics London, England
- MSc in Human Rights
The London School and Economics is one of the leading academic institutions in the world, and offers an MSc in the study of human rights. There are several scholarships offered by LSE itself, as well as a wealth of external scholarships available to international students. - https://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/moneyMatters/financialSupport/ScholarshipsLSE/MScApp/taughtMScprogrammes.aspx
- https://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/moneyMatters/financialSupport/ScholarshipsLSE/MScApp/awards/Awards.aspx
School for International Training Battleboro, USA
University of Bergamo, Italy
- Master’s Degree in Human Rights and the Ethics of International Cooperation
This Master Degree Program seeks to provide graduates with intellectual tools and practical skills required to function in a multi-faceted and contradictory world of international cooperation. At UB, students are able to pay fees according to their financial status, and are also offered a number of small scholarships to defray the cost of tuition. - https://en.unibg.it/practical-information/join-us/fees
University of Glasgow, Scotland
- MA in Human Rights and International Politics
This programme offers a thorough academic analysis of one of the most salient and pressing issues in the contemporary world: the place of individual human rights in a system of international relations. The University of Glasgow has an extensive database of scholarships available, including to international students. - https://www.gla.ac.uk/scholarships/
Universität Hamburg, Germany
- MA in Human Rights and Democratisation
The European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation is a one-year, multidisciplinary academic postgraduate program run jointly by 41 European universities and institutes. The university abolished tuition fees in 2012, yet still provides external scholarships to aid in living expenses. - https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/campuscenter/campus-leben/finanzen.html
University of Sussex Brighton, UKd
MA in Human Rights
Human rights at Sussex goes beyond a narrow legalistic approach and explores how human rights are socially embedded in wider processes of poverty, violence, identity, globalisation and the emergence of global forms of governance. University of Sussex offers a number of scholarships to Global South students based on geographic location.
University of London, UK
- MA in Understanding and Securing Human Rights
- MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies
The University of London provides Masters degrees related to human rights, both in the theoretical understandings of the field, as well as the first major to focus on refugee protection and forced migration. UL maintains a significant database where scholarships may be browsed by academic department and country of origin. - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/scholarships
University of Oxford, UK
- Master’s in International Human Rights Law
At one of the oldest academic institutions in the world, the purpose of the Master’s programme at Oxford University is to develop your understanding of, and ability to use, international human rights law. The university offers scholarships to students broadly, as well as those specifically pertaining to the IHRL major. - https://ihrlmst.conted.ox.ac.uk/finance/funding/
Central European University Budapest, Hungary
Goldsmiths University of London, UK
Birkbeck University of London, UK
University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
Queen’s University Kingston Kingston, Canada
University of Toronto, Canada
University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada
Rutgers New Brunswick, USA
SOAS University of London, UK
University of Manchester, UK
Boston College, USA
Boston University, USA
Columbia University New York, USA
Harvard University Cambridge, USA
Programs Offered:
London School of Economics, UK
Rockwood Leadership Institute Oakland, USA
Several public trainings focused on capacity-building for leaders in social justice non-profit and philanthropic organizations
