Austin Bar Foundation LGBTQ Law Scholarship Application Process – 2026

2026 Deadline:

July 31, 2026 – Awards will be announced in August

Award Amounts:

$20-25,000 total to be awarded. Individual scholarships will likely range from $2,500 to $5,000, depending on the quality of the applications received.  The committee reserves the right to award a higher scholarship amount to an exceptional applicant.

Eligibility:

Applicants must be currently enrolled, about to begin their 1L year, or be a recent graduate of an accredited public or private law school located in the State of Texas.

How to Apply:

Click HERE to download the application form. Email a single PDF file containing the following documents (in this order) to Ms. DeLaine Ward at delaine@austinbar.org. The PDF file should be titled using the following format: date you submit the application.surname.2026 LGBTQ Law Scholarship.pdf (e.g. 2026.06.01.Ward.2026 LGBTQ Law Scholarship):

1. Essay (your name must appear in the top left-hand corner. Should you receive a scholarship in August, please indicate your mailing address to receive your check.)
2. Resume
3. Academic Record (unofficial transcript or, if you're an incoming 1L, an acceptance letter)
4. Financial Need Statement (optional; short, no more than 1 page)

Essay Prompt:

Applicants must submit a written essay. Your essay should reflect on whether immutable characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, or disability status, should or should not be considered by decision-makers. Applicants are encouraged to approach this topic from any perspective they find meaningful. The following examples are offered as potential starting points for discussion.

• A district court judge making child-related orders in a case involving a mother and a father
• A hiring manager evaluating a racially diverse pool of job applicants
• The use of the "gay panic" defense in criminal law

Can, or should, decision-makers take into account characteristics that a person cannot change about themselves? When is it fair? When is it harmful? How is a trait classified as immutable, or does it matter?

What We're Looking For:

The scholarship committee is not seeking any particular viewpoint, nor are essays graded against a predetermined rubric. The committee will consist of six lawyers who each review applications independently before meeting to discuss the submissions we found most thoughtful, memorable, or intellectually engaging. Essays that incorporate personal perspectives or experiences are often especially compelling.

DONATIONS TO SCHOLARSHIP

Donations for the scholarship will be made to the Austin Bar Foundation and earmarked for the scholarship. The Austin Bar Foundation will provide the ability to check scholarship fund balances, contributions, and distributions. Anyone who makes a donation will receive a nonprofit tax deduction form. CLICK HERE to donate to the Austin Bar Foundation. Please specify on the form whether the donation is designated for the LGBTQ+ Scholarship, or a general donation to the Austin Bar Foundation.