LGBTQ+ students can sometimes face unique obstacles in obtaining financial aid. Here are some common ones you may encounter. If you need assistance with anything else, be sure to contact the Student Financial Service Center.
Note: With the Supreme Court ruling on June 26th, 2015, same sex marriages should be treated no differently than opposite sex marriages. However, there may be a lag in the logistics catching up with the law.
For the purposes of the FAFSA, the definition of marriage for the parents of a student is based on the laws in the state they live in. Same sex marriages are legally recognized in the state of Wisconsin.
When determining which parents to list, list the legal parents of the student if they live in the same house, regardless of marital status. If not living together, it is not required for both to be listed. A step parent must be listed if they are legally married. If a parent is not legally recognized, they should not be listed.
If the student is married, they must list their spouse if they were legally married in a state that recognized it, regardless of where they now live. They do not need to list their partner from a legally-recognized civil union or domestic partnership.
Source: Lambda Legal
When filling out the FAFSA, you must enter your name as it appears on your social security card, even if you are recognized by your preferred name at UWM. If you have recently changed your name legally, you must bring the court documentation to any Social Security Administration office to receive an updated social security card.
Unfortunately, an LGBTQ+ student may be cut off from their family after coming out. This alone is not enough for a student to be considered independent. However, the Higher Education Act does allow for an financial aid administrator to grant independent status due to unusual circumstances. That process is called a dependency override.
To obtain a dependency override, you must submit a letter to a financial aid administrator requesting one, complete with detailed circumstances of why one is required. If you can obtain a letter from a social worker or counselor supporting your circumstances, you should submit that as well.
When requesting an override, keep in mind what does and does not justify an override being granted.
An override cannot be granted for:
- A parent refusing to contribute to a student’s education
- A parent refusing to provide information for the FAFSA
- A parent not claiming the student as a dependent for tax purposes
- A student demonstrating complete financial self-sufficiency
However, these circumstances can justify an override:
- A parent abandoning the student
- An abusive family environment that threatens the student’s health or safety
- A parent rejecting, ridiculing, or inflicting emotional abuse on a student
An LGBT student being rejected by their family due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity can be classified under these justifiable reasons.
For more information, please see UWM Student Financial Services.
Source: Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Application and Verification Guide 2023-24, Chapter 5
Scholarships
UWM’s Panther Scholarship Portal encompasses all university-wide scholarship opportunities and most Schools/Colleges scholarship opportunities. UWM also offers LGBTQIA Scholarship Opportunities, detailed in the list below. You are encouraged to submit a General Scholarship Application via the UWM Panther Scholarship Portal, which will match you with campus-wide scholarship opportunities you may qualify for, including the opportunities listed below. Students should sign in using your ePanther ID and password to access the Panther Scholarship Portal. For questions related to these opportunities, please contact schlrshps@uwm.edu.
UWM Alumni Association LGBT+ Chapter Scholarship
2 awards at $1000 each
Providing support for undergraduate students demonstrating a commitment to promoting and securing equal rights for members of the LGBTQ+ community showing demonstrated commitment through advocacy, volunteerism, or other community service, to securing equal rights for members of the LGBTQ+ community in activities inside or outside the UWM campus OR demonstrated interest in pursuing a field of academic study promoting the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the LGBTQ+ community, including but not limited to the LGBT Certificate program. Criteria: sophomore, junior, or senior standing, academic merit, financial need based on FAFSA.
Helmut W. Hampel Scholarship
1 award at $1,000
Intended to provide support for undergraduate or graduate students demonstrating a commitment to promoting and securing equal rights for members of the LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or allies) community showing demonstrated commitment through advocacy, volunteerism, or other community service, to securing equal rights for members of the LGBTQIA community in activities inside or outside the UWM campus OR demonstrated interest in pursuing a field of academic study promoting the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the LGBTQIA community, including but not limited to the LGBT Certificate program. Prior recipients may have their scholarships renewed provided they remain eligible. Required high school GPA of 3.5 or higher for admitted freshmen, GPA of 3.0 or higher for current students.
Ross Leonard Scholarship
1 award at $2,000
Providing support for undergraduate students demonstrating a commitment to promoting and securing equal rights for members of the LGBTQ+ community showing demonstrated commitment through advocacy, volunteerism, or other community service, to securing equal rights for members of the LGBTQ+ community in activities inside or outside the UWM campus OR demonstrated interest in pursuing a field of academic study promoting the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the LGBTQ+ community, including but not limited to the LGBT Certificate program. Criteria: sophomore, junior, or senior standing, academic merit, financial need based on FAFSA.
Queer Curatorial Fund
Award varies
Scholarship for undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a degree program in PSOA Film, Video, Animation and New Genres to recognize excellence in artistic merit created by artists who identify as LGBT+ and/or projects featuring subject matter in the spirit of LGBT+ issues and expressions of acceptance. This award is not exclusively for students who identity as LGBT+ but can also be in recognition of subject matter understood as “LGBT”; “queer” and/or related to understanding, making room for difference, acceptance and inclusion.
Peck School of the Arts scholarships require artistic merit, full-time enrollment (with at least 6 credits in the major), and academic achievement (3.0 GPA). Please note, you will be asked to provide a link to a work sample.
Vivent Equity Scholarship
Award varies
Awarded to undergraduate freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior, and transfer students who demonstrate commitment to equal rights in the LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual) community through involvement in activities or academic studies. Preference is granted to individuals with financial need and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
- United We Dream scholarship page
- College Greenlight through Cappex keeps a good (and updated) list of scholarships for undocumented students
- The College Advising Guide for Undocumented Students also offers a comprehensive financial aid and scholarship section
- For those of us beginning our work with juniors, Questbridge and the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship are both open to undocumented students.
- Golden Door Scholars and TheDream.US.