What does an LGBTQ+ friendly university look like?

LGBTQ+ scholarships can provide students in the LGBTQ+ community with opportunities to thrive in their careers. Scholarships could be as simple as a grant, or they could include further support and mentorship to help students reach their full potential.  

If a university offers, or is associated with, LGBTQ+ funding, it’s a sign that they value diversity within their student body and want to invest in your future.  

Companies are working to be more inclusive and diverse when it comes to recruitment, but the right support isn’t always available as an employee. Gabriëlla and Kai believe that having access to careers advisors who understand the challenges faced by queer people in the workplace could help.  

“I think it would be helpful to have guidance on how to deal with uncomfortable situations in the workplace and how to know whether a company will embrace and support you before you take the job,” Kai said.  

“I’d also be keen to see more LGBTQ+ tailored mentoring so that students could see people in the community thriving and finding success for themselves. It’s a confidence boost.”  

One of the most important factors when considering whether a university is LGBTQ+ friendly is to find out whether there are specific policies in place for the protection and safety of its students and staff.  

Knowing that your university has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to the harassment or mistreatment of any of its students, especially those from minority groups, is fundamental to feeling safe. 

Lieneke Luit, a program coordinator for VU Pride, said: "VU Pride is a key contact point for all LGBTQIA+ students and employees at VU Amsterdam facing issues around their sexual or gender identity. We'll always refer people to more appropriate help when needed, like the Social Safety team."

Are there academics and other staff members who openly identify as LGBTQ+ at the university? For both Gabriëlla and Kai, seeing queer staff who are comfortable with being open about their sexuality or gender is a good indicator that you can be your full self in the classroom. 

“I work with a non-binary professor in the VU Pride network and to see that they feel safe and comfortable being out in their workplace makes me feel reassured that I can be myself here too,” Kai said.  

Another way to see how important LGBTQ+ issues are to a university is via academic research. If Kai was applying to university again and attending an open day, they would take an interest in the research that a university is undertaking to better understand LGBTQ+ issues.  

“What impact is that research having on people within the community and how does that work feed into students’ learning on different courses when it comes to addressing LGBTQ+ experiences and perspectives?” Kai added.  

“I think that the way a university approaches equality and inclusion overall is telling,” Kai said. “Students want different things from university life depending on how they identify. Somebody might not choose to engage in LGBTQ+ committees or social events but knowing that their university really cares about making safe spaces and inclusive experiences for their whole student body, that’s going to make the difference.” 

Not all university life is spent on campus, so having a grasp of the demographics within a city can be an important part of your university decision making too.

Gabriëlla recommends doing some research into how liberal the city is when it comes to accepting and embracing people from diverse backgrounds. “Will you feel safe and comfortable living in a city of your chosen university? That can make an enormous difference to your experience as a student in the LGBTQ+ community.”