The 2025 UGLA Scholarship Program

Four-year colleges and universities

Since 2021, the Uptown Gay and Lesbian Alliance has awarded $42,500 in scholarships to graduating seniors from Los Angeles area high schools who were going on to four-year colleges and universities. To receive one of those scholarships, recipients successfully demonstrated their active support for issues of social justice, focusing on matters such as inclusion, equality, and opportunity for members and allies of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and queer community.

UGLA is continuing this program for 2025, awarding scholarships at the $2,500 and $1,500 levels to seniors  graduating  from  high  schools  in the Los  Angeles  area who demonstrate similar active support of  social justice issues for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. The 2025 scholars, along with those from previous years, will play a critical role in the ongoing struggle for social justice … helping reinforce UGLA’s advocacy of these social justice issues.

 

Two-year colleges

In 2023, UGLA began a scholarship program for students who are enrolled in coursework at Glendale Community College and Pasadena City College. These scholarships are administered by the cooperating community colleges and are available to students pursuing two-year degree and vocational education programs. For information on Glendale Community College scholarships, click here. For information on Pasadena City College scholarships, click here.

 

 

 

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How do I apply for an UGLA Scholarship?

Applying for a 2025 UGLA Scholarship is a straightforward, two-step process.

 

Initial Application Package

The 2025 UGLA Scholarship  Initial Application Package consists of the following.

  • A basic application form with the usual questions about you (name, address, etc.)
  • Personal statement focusing on your active involvement in and support for social justice in the LBGTQ+ community
  • A clear head and shoulders photo of yourself

The first component … the basic application form itself … should not need much if any advance preparation on your part.

The other two components of the Initial Application Package need to be prepared and ready to submit before you start the actual online application process.

  • Your personal statement
  • Head and shoulders photo of yourself

You will include these items as files attached to the online application. Click here to get guidelines for  preparing these items. Consider printing and saving that PDF file.

 

In the event you are awarded an UGLA Scholarship, this photo will be used in the program for the UGLA Scholarship Awards Ceremony held on Sunday,  June 8, 2025. The photo will also appear in the awards ceremony issue of UGLA’s newsletter, LGBTQ+ News.

You will complete your Initial Application Package online and UGLA must receive it by April 30, 2025.

Additional materials

After you submit your Initial Application Package, you also need to submit the following.

  • Current transcript
  • Letter of recommendation
  • A letter of acceptance from the college or university you plan to attend

This additional information also must be received by UGLA no later than April 30, 2025.

Completing and submitting your Initial Application Packages

Once you are ready to start the online application process, click the “Apply” button below. After you complete the online application and submit it, you will receive an email that contains:

  • A checklist with a complete description of the additional information you must provide.
  • Information about the letter of recommendation you need to request.

Both your online application and your additional information must be received by UGLA no later than April 30, 2025.

If you are selected to receive an UGLA Scholarship Award, you will be expected to attend the UGLA Scholarship Award Ceremony on June 8, 2025 at 2:00pm. It will be held in the northeast Los Angeles area, with details provided later.