The Queensland University of Technology has announced a Legal Name Change Bursary for transgender and gender-diverse students to access.
The bursary provides trans and gender diverse students with financial assistance to correct their names on legal documents, and is open to current undergraduate, postgraduate, and research students from all study areas, domestic or international.
University Registrar Leanne Harvey announced the new bursary to the student body on September 30th in a mass-email.
‘Here at QUT we are proud to support our students who identify as lesbian; gay; bisexual; transgender; intersex; queer or questioning; asexual, agender or aromantic; and those with other diverse genders and sexualities (LGBTIQA+),’ Harvey said.
‘To show our support, a range of activities and events have taken place as part of QUT Pride Month, and today I am pleased to announce the launch of the Legal Name Change Bursary for Trans and Gender Diverse Students.’
The move has been welcomed by the QUT Guild Queer Collective, whose secretary, Ethan Johnstone, said the Bursary could remove barriers for trans and gender diverse students.
‘Being able to have your legal name be your actual name removes so many barriers and stresses faced by transgender people, and I think it’s great that QUT has come out with this bursary in support of that,’ Johnstone said.
‘University is often the first time many people have independence from their families and are able to start the transition process, so having support from that first point is really good to see and could benefit many people.’
You can find out further information on the Legal Name Change Bursary here or contact the Equity Scholarships Team on 3138 5582 or equityscholarships@qut.edu.au.
There are also resources for LGBTIQA+ students available, including the QUT Guild, Queer Collective, queer spaces, all-gender toilets, general practice and health services, specialist health clinics, and counselling.
