Eligibility

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 • Open to students who are active or involved in the leather, fetish, kink, or alternative lifestyle community — often demonstrated through community participation or leadership.  

 • Applicants may include high school seniors, college students, or community members planning to attend school.  

 

 Essay Requirement

 • Submit a 2-page essay responding to prompt(s) set by the Collective.

 • Essay topics commonly include:

 • Personal background and involvement in the LGBTQ+/leather/fetish community

 • Educational goals and how the scholarship will help achieve them

 • Challenges overcome and community contributions

 • Future plans and how they connect to your life or career goals in or outside the community  

 

 Additional Materials

 

Applications often require:

 • Letters of recommendation (typically 1–2), especially from community leaders, teachers, or mentors.  

 • Proof of volunteer/community service in related events (e.g., gear auctions, fundraising, activism).  

 • Sometimes a transcript or brief resume, depending on whether the scholarship emphasizes academics.  

 

 Original Work & Integrity

 • The essay must be original and written by the applicant.

 • No plagiarism — scholarship committees often check for authenticity.  

 

 Submission Guidelines

 • Follow the formatting rules in the official application (e.g., font size, spacing, page limits).

 • Submit before the deadline via the specified method (email or online form).

 

 Judging Criteria

 

Committees often evaluate:

 1. Clarity and strength of writing

 2. Alignment with the organization’s values (community involvement, authenticity)

 3. Personal growth and future plans

 4. Impact of the scholarship on your goals  

 

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 Tips for Writing Your 2-Page Essay

 

Here’s how to structure the required scholarship essay:

 

 1. Introduction (1 paragraph)

 • Briefly introduce yourself.

 • Mention your connection to the leather/fetish community if relevant to the scholarship’s mission.

 • State your educational and career goals.

 

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 2. Body (4–6 paragraphs)

 

A. Community Involvement

 • Describe your actual participation or leadership in relevant community events or groups.

 • Explain what you’ve learned and how it’s shaped you.

 

B. Academic & Career Goals

 • What are you planning to study?

 • Why does it matter to you and your community?

 

C. Challenges & Resilience

 • Talk about obstacles you’ve faced.

 • Show growth, resilience, and positivity.

 

D. Impact of the Scholarship

 • Explain how the financial support will help you — tuition, materials, travel, community projects, etc.

 

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 3. Conclusion (1 paragraph)

 • Summarize your main points.

 • Reiterate your enthusiasm and commitment to your goals.

 

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 Formatting Checklist

 • 2 pages maximum (unless otherwise specified)

 • 12 pt, readable font (e.g., Times New Roman)

 • Double-spaced

 • 1″ margins

 • Include your name and contact info on each page