Best Colleges for LGBTQ Students Campus Pride Index

Established in 1982, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at UPenn offers supportive services and programming for the entire LGBTQ+ community and serves as a social hub and safe space for LGBTQ+ students. The center hosts dozens of undergraduate and graduate student groups representing diverse identities and interests, including organizations for Jewish, Asian, and Muslim LGBTQ+ students. UPenn also sponsors a chapter of the oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) national student society for LGBTQ+ students in the sciences.

UPenn's administration strives to create and maintain a welcoming environment for all LGBTQ+ students. Faculty and staff complete a training seminar to participate in the safe zones program that supports inclusion and networking. The safe zone sign displayed at various offices and other locations signifies a safe place for LGBTQ+ students to talk about their concerns and receive referrals and resources to help them navigate campus life. The university also provides gender-neutral restrooms and shower stalls in residence halls, access to gender-inclusive housing, and offers an easy process to change names or specify gender identity/sexual orientation on university documents.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

The University of Virginia ranks among the most LGBTQ-friendly higher education institutions in the state. The LGBTQ Center, established by the Office of the Dean of Students in 2001, sponsors several initiatives to develop and support sexual and gender inclusivities, and provide a safe gathering space for meetings, studying, and socializing. The Center receives support from the Serpentine Society, an inclusive organization for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer UVA alums. The university's division of student services coordinates the LGBTQ Speakers Bureau and offers safe space training for LGBTQ+ allies. UVA offers an inclusive open housing option, to third- and fourth-year undergraduate and transfer students.

UVA provides its LGBTQ+ students with several opportunities for academic enrichment, career enhancement, and community service including specialized internships, awards, and scholarships. The women, gender and sexuality department gives students the opportunity to explore LGBTQ+ studies through a variety of courses that address intersectionalities, human sexualities, queer theory, and gender-based violence.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Founded in 1865 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Lehigh University's mission and value statement explicitly rejects discrimination in all its forms, and affirms its commitment to inclusivity for LGBTQ+ students and employees. The Pride Center for Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity provides a gateway for bias reporting, links to counseling services, maps to gender-neutral restrooms, and resources for transgender, nonconforming, and gender-questioning students, faculty, and staff. The Pride Center makes it easy for students to also get help for health and wellness concerns, sign up for LUally (safe zone) training, and find out about gay-, lesbian-, and trans-friendly clubs, fraternities, sororities, and religious organizations.

Lehigh offers an all-gender housing option for undergraduate students who identify as transgender, nonbinary, or are questioning their gender identity. This option helps reduce heteronormative assumptions regarding housing assignments, and enables students to request roommates regardless of their gender identity/expression or sexual orientation.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

One of seven schools that form the consortium of Claremont Colleges in California, Harvey Mudd serves an exclusively undergraduate student body of almost 900. Known for its strong emphasis on STEM programs, Harvey Mudd ranks as one of the most academically selective among LGBTQ-friendly schools.

Seven Claremont Colleges have partnered to create the Queer Resource Center, which is dedicated to educational programming, advocacy, and support services for LGBTQ+ students. The QRC also coordinates Ally Trainings, a program dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming campus environment, as well as to strengthening and supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual communities.

Harvey Mudd demonstrates its commitment to LGBTQ+ students throughout their campus experience. The college provides students with the option to self-identify gender identity/expression on admission forms and other college documents, while gender-inclusive housing and gender-neutral dormitories are available for transitioning students. Students can also access an online map showing the location of all gender-neutral restrooms throughout the campus.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

UCLA offers LGBTQ+ students an inclusive environment along with a quality educational experience in a vibrant urban setting. For over two decades, the LGBT Campus Resource Center has sponsored counseling and therapy groups, free health supplies and information, and weekly educational programs. The center allocates specific resources for the transgender community, including medical and mental health services. The LGBTQ Allyship Training program helps students develop an understanding of gender identities and expressions and learn specific strategies to foster inclusion and maintain safe spaces.

UCLA has emerged as a leading center for LGBTQ+ education and research. The LGBTQ studies department offers an interdisciplinary minor for undergraduates. The university also hosts the Williams Institute, a think tank whose pioneering research has informed policies on LGBTQ+ parenting and adoption, transgender rights, and public health.

UCLA graduates benefit from the activities of the Lambda Alumni Association, whose social events and mentorship opportunities provide personal support and professional development for UCLA's LGBTQ+ alum community and current students.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Rutgers University ranks among the most supportive schools for LGBTQ+ students. The Center of Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities offers a full slate of programs, leadership workshops, and consulting for all members of the LGBTQ+ community. It sponsors the Q-mmunity orientation for new students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, gender nonconforming, asexual and allies. Additionally, the Trans@RU website connects transgender and gender nonconforming students with health services, legal aid, and a map of all single-use restrooms on campus.

Rutgers invites undergraduates to investigate academic perspectives on sexuality and gender. The interdisciplinary LGBTQ studies minor includes courses on human diversity, the psychology of sexual orientation, the sociology of sex and gender, and sex, law, and public policy.

LGTBQ+ and ally students may select from several gender-inclusive and gender-neutral housing options. A thematic-living community encourages students to explore lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and asexual issues outside the classroom. Returning students may designate roommates of any gender and the university offers roommate matching for freshman interested in LGBTQ+ issues.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

The Pride Center at San Diego State University has made great strides since it opened in 2014, creating and supporting an affirming campus environment for LGBTQ+ students. It provides an array of services and resources that address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and ally communities. One of its major initiatives, SafeZones@SDSU, offers training to maintain a safe campus environment, sponsors a National Coming Out Day, and organizes an annual Lavender Graduation that celebrates the accomplishments of LGTBQ+ students. Student organizations under the auspices of the Pride Center include a fraternity and sorority geared to LGBTQ+ students, the Womyn's Outreach Association, and a chapter of oSTEM.

SDSU offers gender-inclusive on-campus housing options that enable students to select a roommate regardless of gender identity. Students interested in academic explorations of sexuality and gender identity can pursue an undergraduate major, minor, or graduate certificate in LGBTQ studies.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Cornell University, one of the most LGBTQ-friendly Ivy League schools, has created an inclusive and affirming environment through an array of programs, supportive services, and organizations. The LGBT Resource Center administers many of these initiatives, including the HIV Support Group, the Queer Straight Alliance, and the Ithaca Trans Group.

Cornell Health, the university's medical provider, offers a full range of healthcare and mental health services for LGBTQ+ students. These include specialized services for students who are transgender, those who are questioning their gender identity, and those considering medical and surgical gender transition. Unlike most student insurance programs, Cornell's Student Health Plan covers hormonal and surgical services to support the process of gender identity confirmation.

Cornell University Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association, one of the oldest and largest LGBTQ+ alumni groups in the country, has expanded over the last 30 years into a network of over 3,000 members. The association regularly hosts social and networking events on the Cornell campus and at chapters across the U.S.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Massachusetts-based Williams College, one of the nation's highest ranked private liberal arts institutions, is widely recognized for its LGBTQ-inclusive policies and initiatives. The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center provides a safe space for everyone, regardless of gender identity or sexuality. Students can use the center to receive sexual health information, as well as safe sex supplies. One aspect of the center's programming emphasizes transgender advocacy: trans students and those transitioning can access resources on health and psychological services, and information explaining how students can change their name or gender identity on college records.

Students will find a diverse LGBTQ+ community at Williams with representation in all aspects of campus life, from dance clubs and athletic teams to the Black Student Union and Muslim Student Association. Several academic departments also offer courses that address LGBTQ-related issues.

William's LGBTQ+ graduates support an active alumni/ae association. BIGLATA, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Alumni organization, sponsors professional networking events and mentoring and volunteer opportunities for LGBTQ+ alums and current students.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Ohio State University offers an impressive set of LGBTQ+ services and resources to create an inclusive, affirming campus environment for all students regardless of sexual orientation or gender identities and expressions. OSU's Multicultural Center organizes hundreds of LGBTQ+ initiatives, programs, and resources to connect students with useful information about gender-inclusive housing, as well as policies for changing names and gender identity on university records. It conducts safe zone training, social justice and leadership workshops, and Lavender Graduation ceremonies.

The Center sponsors several Q*mmunity Groups, student cohort organizations that focus on gender identities. These include the QTPOC Q*mmunity for LGBTQ+ students of color, Q*mmunity Dialogues that bring together queer and allied students interested in social justice advocacy, and the First Year Q*mmunity that provides support to new OSU students as they adjust to campus life.

Founded in 1997, Scarlet and Gray -- OSU's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer alumni society -- sponsors a scholarship program for current students and networking events for students and alums.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

LGBTQ+ initiatives at Columbia University reflect the diversity of its students and the multiculturalism of New York City. The university coordinates much of its LGBTQ+ programming through LGBTQ @ Columbia. Students can access their webpage for information on gender-inclusive housing, the university's preferred name policy, and medical care and mental health services.

Columbia hosts several LGBTQ+ student organizations representing a variety of interests. The Columbia Queer Alliance is the oldest, and was established in 1967 to bring together LGBTQ+ student activists. Q & A, a group for queer, genderqueer, and trans Asian students, provides support to Asian American and international Asian undergraduates and graduates. JQ creates a safe space and educational forum for Jewish LGBTQ+ students and allies.

As a top-tier school, Columbia promotes quality interdisciplinary feminist and queer scholarship through its Institute for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality. The institute offers an undergraduate major, concentrations, and a graduate certification program for students interested in LGBTQ-related study.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

The mission statement of the University of Texas at Dallas affirms the creation of an inclusive and safe environment that values and celebrates the sexual orientation and gender identities/expressions of students, faculty, and staff. The LGBT+ Education, Advocacy, and Programming (LEAP) initiative, administered through the Galerstein Gender Center, sponsors several progressive measures to address gender equity including a comprehensive nondiscrimination policy, gender-neutral housing options, inclusive counseling services, safe zone training, and an ambitious schedule of programs and events.

Students interested in academic perspectives on LGBTQ-related topics may pursue an 18-credit minor in gender studies offered by the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Coursework in this program includes networked identities, the psychology of gender, human sexuality, and sex, gender, and society.

The UT-Dallas Alternative Spring Break, a distinctive feature of the university's LGBTQ+ initiatives, offers LGBTQ+ students and allies an immersive week-long service trip. Volunteers spend their time performing hands-on service, community outreach, and leadership-building exercises, supplemented by periods of reflection.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

The Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life at UMN coordinates LGBTQ-related services, programs, and policies. The center helps LGBTQ+ students and allies to navigate academic and campus life, and provides links to a broad range of resources including information on name change policies, healthcare insurance, and gender-neutral restrooms.

The Gender and Sexuality Center provides a mentoring program for LGBTQ+ students who need help adjusting to college life. UMN's Lavender House Living Learning Community offers residential students a safe and inclusive environment to explore and express their sexualities and gender identities.

Students can investigate academic perspectives on LGBTQ+ identities and issues through coursework offered in the gender, women and sexuality studies program or by pursuing an interdisciplinary minor in LGBTQ studies. The Steven J. Schochet Endowment supports academic initiatives in LGBTQ studies by hosting lectures that highlight faculty and student research. The endowment funds a full-year interdisciplinary fellowship in queer, trans, and sexuality studies for doctoral students.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Minnesota-based Macalester College ranks as one of the best undergraduate liberal arts schools in the U.S. Not surprisingly, it also ranks high as an LGBTQ-friendly college. Macalester's student-run Gender & Sexuality Resource Center sponsors several organizations that provide students with a safe space to discuss sexuality and gender-related issues within their own communities. These LGBTQ-specific identity collectives include the Trans Identity Collective, the Queer People of Color Collective, the Queer Women's Identity Collective, and the Asexual Spectrum Identity Collective.

In addition to student organizations, Macalester's LGBTQ+ alum association -- Scot's Pride -- hosts networking and social events. The college also maintains the Out and Proud Online Community, a voluntary list of faculty and staff members who identify as LGBTQ+.

Several resources and supportive services address the needs of LGBTQ+ students. The college offers inclusive housing options, gender-neutral restrooms, counseling, and mentoring programs. The Allies Project trains LGBTQ+ faculty, staff and students to help create and maintain safe, supportive environments for all members of the Macalester campus community.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Indiana University-Bloomington, a top-tier public institution with a student body of 46,000, has created a welcoming and affirming campus for its LGTBQ+ community. The LGBTQ+ Culture Center is a comprehensive resource and information center that oversees dozens of services, including several ally trainings throughout the year. These sessions are geared to academic and administrative departments interested in learning more about LGBTQ+ issues, and outlines ways to create safe spaces for all.

IU has implemented supportive policies for changing names and gender identity on university records and staffs a full range of counseling and medical services. The university also offers gender-inclusive housing options, including the Sigma Phi Beta Fraternity and Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority for LGBTQ+ students who wish to participate in Greek life.

The LGBTQ+ Culture Center and the LGBTQ+ Alumni Association award several scholarships for students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning. The Alumni Association also sponsors an array of programs, social events, and networking opportunities that connect alums with current students.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Massachusetts-based Babson College specializes in entrepreneurship education, and its motto, "Entrepreneurship of All Kinds requires Diversity of All Kinds," signifies its strong commitment to creating a community that supports and celebrates LGTBQ+ students and allies.

LGBTQ+@ Babson is the college's main resource center for initiatives, programming, and events that address LGBTQ+ issues. Babson provides safe zone and gender-expansive training sessions throughout the academic year. They also sponsor several student organization action groups and social affinity and networking organizations, including the Pride Alliance for undergraduates, the Out Network for graduate students in the MBA program, and an active LGBTQ Alumni Affinity Group. The Pride Award announced at the annual Lavender Graduation ceremony honors those who have made significant contributions in support of the Babson LGBTQ+ community.

Babson features an innovative identity-based living-learning community, the LGBTQ+ Neighborhood. This residence space enables LGBTQ+ students to request a community of neighboring rooms and gender-inclusive roommate assignments that do not need to be gender-specific.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

Recognized as a "Public Ivy League" school, the University of California-Davis has created a positive and LGBTQ-friendly environment that welcomes students, staff, and faculty from all sexes, gender identities, gender expressions, sexualities, and asexualities. The LGBTQIA Resource Center, a full-service space open to all members of the UC Davis community, provides an array of services and training workshops. LGBTQ+ students can find out how to report hate crimes and which faculty and staff members are out. It also publishes We Thrive, a web-based resource where LGBTQ+ students can connect with medical and counseling services, access free HIV testing, and learn about procedures covered by the student insurance plan.

UC Davis offers gender-inclusive housing and gender-neutral restrooms. The Rainbow Community, a living-learning residential experience, invites LGBTQ+ and ally students to explore sexual orientations, gender identities, and differences in a safe and supportive environment. Undergraduates interested in acquiring an academic background in LGBTQ+ studies may pursue one of the interdisciplinary majors or minors through the department of gender, sexuality, and women's studies.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

UC Santa Barbara serves over 25,000 students representing a diverse mix of cultures and backgrounds. Its commitment to that diversity extends to its LGBTQ+ students, ensuring that they experience an enriching and supportive environment.

The Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity plays a major role in this effort through its social and educational events, training programs, and links to resources and essential services. Students can easily find information on federal and California policies governing gender designation and name changes and procedures for reporting hate crimes and bias incidents. The Center publishes a current list of LGBTQ-specific scholarships and awards and provides information about gender-neutral restrooms, gender-inclusive housing, and LGBTQ+ living-learning residence spaces.

In addition to the Center's full schedule of educational programs, UC Santa Barbara offers undergraduates the opportunity to pursue a minor in LGBTQ studies. The university also supports the LGBTQ+ Alumni Network which helps to keep LGBTQ+ graduates connected to the university through professional development events and community service.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

The University of Delaware, the largest institution of higher education in the state, provides an affirming environment for its LGBTQ+ students under the auspices of the LGBTQ Program Coordinator. The LGBTQ+ Advocacy, Support, and Resources Program connects UD's LGBTQ+ students with a broad array of support services, resources, and opportunities for advocacy and activism. Students can learn more about name change and gender designation policies on university forms, health care and counseling services, and ally training workshops.

The LGBTQ+ program hosts the annual Lavender Welcome Reception open to new LGBTQ+ students. SD supports two major LGBTQ+ student organization: HAVEN for undergraduates and Prism for graduate students. Sophomore, juniors, and seniors may request assignments to all-gender housing options if they are 18 or older. Students interested in adding an academic exploration of LGBTQ+ history, theories, and current perspectives into their education may pursue a minor in sexuality and gender offered through the women and gender studies department.

Learn more at Campus Pride.

New Hampshire-based Dartmouth College enjoys national prominence for its academic programming, and, in recent years, has become one of the top LGBTQ-friendly schools in the U.S. The Office of Pluralism and Leadership coordinates supportive services and resources available to Dartmouth's LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff. Their webpage directs students to information about gender-inclusive housing options, and the Triangle House Living Learning Community for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and allied people. The office connects students with information about LGBTQ-specific scholarships and awards and offers internship with organizations that work with LGBTQ+ individuals, their families, and allies.

Student organizations provide several opportunities for engagement in community service and activism. For example, Outreach Peer Mentors trains its members to provide peer-to-peer mentoring that helps students to develop positive LGBTQ+ identities while successfully adapting to life at Dartmouth. The college also sponsors the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Alumni/ae Association open to graduates interested in maintaining their connection to Dartmouth and addressing issues affecting LGBTQ+ alums and students.

Learn more at Campus Pride.