USA Scholarships
Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship 2027 - $10K
The Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship from Horizons Foundation supports LGBTQ students earning a JD at a short list of partner law schools in California and Wisconsin. Awards reach up to $10,000 per recipient for the current academic year, paid straight to your institution rather than as a personal check. You must be in your first, second, or third year at Berkeley Law, UC Davis School of Law, UC College of the Law San Francisco, Santa Clara University School of Law, or the University of Wisconsin Law School. The committee looks for courage and leadership on LGBTQ issues, documented financial need, and students who have faced barriers such as racism, transphobia, immigration status, or being the first in your family to attend college. Create an account in Horizons Foundation's Scholarship Online Portal when the window opens on 14 September 2026 and submit by 27 October 2026. Expect decisions in December 2026.
What is the Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship?
Horizons Foundation administers the Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship Fund from San Francisco, but the money follows a tight map: five law schools, three class years, and students who can show both LGBTQ leadership and real financial pressure. The award is not a pride-week photo op. Recent recipient announcements highlight clinic work, immigration advocacy, and trans rights organizing alongside plain language about tuition gaps.
Up to ten thousand dollars can land on your bursar account, which helps when Bay Area or Madison rent eats your summer savings. Because Horizons pays the school directly, budget the award as a tuition or fee credit rather than cash for bar prep courses unless your financial aid office allows reallocation.
The partner list keeps California and Wisconsin tied together through alumni donors, so students at Harvard or NYU cannot reroute the application. If you transferred into Berkeley mid-year, you still need active enrollment at one of the named campuses when you submit.
Portal timing is brisk: two weeks from the mid-September opening to the late-October cutoff in the published 2026 dates. Start your leadership narrative early, especially if you juggle journal deadlines or moot court travel. December notification gives you a chance to adjust spring borrowing before seat deposits for summer positions come due.
Selection committee decisions are final, which means proofread every answer and treat optional boxes as chances to explain intersectional barriers. Horizons explicitly names LGBTQ students of color, trans students, immigrants, and first-generation college students as priority groups, so connect your identity stories to concrete access hurdles rather than generic diversity statements.
Eligibility
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✓LGBTQ identity and law school enrollmentHorizons funds LGBTQ persons pursuing a law degree. You should be out or comfortable affirming your LGBTQ identity in the application materials the portal requests.
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✓First-, second-, or third-year at a partner schoolOnly students in years one through three at Berkeley Law, UC Davis School of Law, UC College of the Law San Francisco, Santa Clara University School of Law, or University of Wisconsin Law School may apply.
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✓Leadership and courage for LGBTQ communitiesThe fund prioritizes applicants who have taken visible leadership on LGBTQ issues on campus, at work, or in community organizations.
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✓Significant financial needHorizons expects you to demonstrate financial need through the scholarship application. Be prepared to explain how tuition and living costs strain your budget.
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✓Barriers to educational accessPriority goes to students who face compounded obstacles, including LGBTQ students of color, transgender students, LGBTQ immigrants, and first-generation college students, among others listed by Horizons.
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✓Commitment to committee decisionsAll selection committee decisions are final. There is no appeal process published on the Horizons website.
Benefits
- Maximum award Up to $10,000 for the academic year
- Payment method Sent directly to your law school
- Eligible years First, second, or third year JD students
- Direct cash to student Not provided
- Non-partner law schools Ineligible even if LGBTQ
- Full three-year tuition Partial funding only
Document checklist
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✓Horizons Scholarship Online Portal accountRegister on Horizons Foundation's portal when the cycle opens. Use the access instructions posted on the official Albers-Alexander page if an access code is required.
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✓Completed Albers-Alexander applicationFill out every section in the online form, including biographical data, school information, and financial need questions.
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✓Leadership and community impact statementsPrepare narratives about LGBTQ advocacy, campus organizing, pro bono work, or personal courage that reviewers can verify through your resume or references.
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✓Financial need documentationGather information on tuition, loans, family support, and expenses so you can answer need questions accurately. Horizons may request supporting materials through the portal.
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✓Law school enrollment verificationConfirm your class year and law school affiliation. Only the five named institutions qualify, even if you live in another state.
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✓Optional reference or resume materialsKeep a current law school resume ready in case the portal asks for employment, clinic work, or student organization roles tied to LGBTQ service.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship?
It is a Horizons Foundation fund that awards up to $10,000 to LGBTQ law students who show leadership, financial need, and barriers to educational access at Berkeley Law, UC Davis, UC Law San Francisco, Santa Clara Law, or Wisconsin Law.
Which law schools qualify for the Albers-Alexander scholarship?
Eligible schools are Santa Clara University School of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law, UC Davis School of Law, UC College of the Law San Francisco, and the University of Wisconsin Law School. Other ABA schools are not eligible for this specific fund.
When is the Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship deadline?
Horizons lists 27 October 2026 as the application due date for the current cycle, with the portal opening on 14 September 2026 and award notices in December 2026.
How much is the Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship?
Recipients can receive up to $10,000 for the academic year. Horizons sends payment to the law school, not directly to the student.
Can 1L students apply for the Albers-Alexander scholarship?
Yes. First-, second-, and third-year JD students at the five partner schools may apply, provided they meet LGBTQ identity, leadership, and financial need criteria.
Does the Albers-Alexander scholarship require financial need?
Horizons prioritizes applicants who demonstrate significant financial need alongside LGBTQ leadership. Be ready to explain your cost of attendance and funding gaps in the portal.
How many Albers-Alexander scholarships are awarded each year?
Horizons announcement posts have listed roughly ten to twelve recipients in recent cycles, though the exact count varies annually and is not guaranteed on the application page.
Where do I apply for the Albers-Alexander LGBTQ Law Scholarship?
Apply through Horizons Foundation's Scholarship Online Portal linked from https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/funding-programs/lgbtq-scholarships-fellowships/albers-alexander-lgbtq-law-scholarship/ once the cycle opens.
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