As a family-oriented organization, PFLAG is deeply committed to making the world a better place for our loved ones.

Each year, the San Jose/Peninsula chapter of PFLAG honors exceptional high school seniors and community college transfers from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area, who have demonstrated leadership in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in their schools and communities. These young people are courageous, passionate, and determined to create a better world—and we’re proud to support their journeys through higher education.

PFLAG San Jose Peninsula Scholarships

How You Can Help:

  • Any donation amount is welcome – every dollar makes a difference!

  • Fully fund a scholarship with a $6,000 gift, and it will be named in your honor or in honor of someone you choose.

  • Contribute $3,000 and partner with another donor or with our chapter to jointly sponsor a scholarship — both names will be recognized.

  • All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% goes toward scholarships.

Donate Today

  • Online

  • Mail a check:
    PFLAG San Jose / Peninsula
    PO Box 2718
    Sunnyvale, CA 94087

  • Have questions or want to discuss a named scholarship?
    Contact us at: scholarships@pflagsanjose.org

The PFLAG San Jose/Peninsula Scholarship Program

History: PFLAG San Jose / Peninsula has maintained a scholarship program for over 30 years. We started with awards of $500 and grew them to the current $6,000 per scholarship winner. Since 1993 our chapter has awarded nearly half a million dollars in scholarships to deserving high school seniors headed for college. Recently we expanded our program to include community college graduates transferring to four year institutions. The number of scholarships we are able to award each year depends on the donations received from our chapter members and the community.

Eligibility: High school seniors, and community college graduates transferring to four year colleges or universities, who reside in or attend school in the San Francisco Bay Area are eligible. Finalists who reside in Santa Clara or San Mateo counties are our first priority for awards. We are looking for activists, of any gender identity or sexual orientation, who have demonstrated service to the LGBTQ+ community. Our scholarships are a reward for activities during high school and community college and an encouragement to continue LGBTQ+ activism throughout the college years and beyond.

Application: Our scholarship program is administered in partnership with eQuality Scholarship Collaborative℠. Applications for scholarships awarded by PFLAG San Jose / Peninsula are submitted through eQuality’s’ electronic application system. The application deadline is January 31 each year.

We encourage all eligible students to apply! Click here to start

Recent Winners of Scholarship Awards

Pictured are four of our six scholarship winners for 2026. They will be bringing their advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community to Davidson, Northeastern NYC, Florida State, and the University of California at Berkeley, Davis and Santa Barbara.