Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino/a Students
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It is estimated that more than 4.1 million Hispanic and Latino/a students will attend U.S. institutions of higher education by 2026, outpacing growth among all other racial-ethnic groups. Despite this projection, Hispanic and Latino/a students often face serious financial challenges associated with attending college. These may include belonging to low socio-economic groups, being a member of a migrant family, or being the first in their family to attend college.
Scholarships and grants geared specifically toward Hispanic and Latino/a students are an important resource for making higher education feasible. Below we have curated a list of these resources along with eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and award amounts.
General College Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino/a Students
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be of Hispanic heritage in addition to being U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) eligible. A minimum 3.0 GPA for high school applicants, and a minimum 2.5 GPA for college or graduate school applicants. Eligible students should plan to enroll into their accredited educational program on a full-time basis.
Deadline: March
Award Amount: $500-$5,000
The Gates Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be Hispanic Americans who are high school seniors and in good academic standing (minimum GPA of 3.3). Applicants must be eligible for Pell grants and must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Awards cover all costs associated with attendance (tuition, fees, room and board, transportation, etc) not covered by financial aid or family contributions.
Deadline: September
Award Amount: Varies
NBCUniversal Media Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be Latino/a college sophomores or juniors enrolled in an accredited program full time who are at least 18 years of age. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, and be otherwise eligible to work legally in the U.S. without requiring sponsorship. Available to all majors with an interest in the media and entertainment industry.
Deadline: September
Award Amount: $5,000
TheDream.US National Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship is specifically for DACA- or (Temporary Protected Status) TPS-certified students preparing to, or who have already, graduated from a U.S.-based high school or a GED program. It's also open to students who have taken less than 21 college credits under certain conditions. Applicants must have arrived in the U.S. prior to the age of 16 and must plan to enroll full time in an associate or bachelor's degree program.
Deadline: March
Award Amount: Varies
Scholarships for Latina and Hispanic Women
Chicana Latina Foundation
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must self-identify as Chicana and/or Latina women and be enrolled in an accredited program (including community colleges) and have lived at least two years in one of 13 California counties (check if your county is on the list here). Undergraduate students (including community college) must have a 2.0 GPA; graduate students must have a 2.7 GPA.
Deadline: March
Award Amount: $1,500
Illustrating Awesomeness Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Open to women, or gender nonconforming individuals, of color. Applicants must be currently enrolled, or plan on enrolling during spring semester intake, in an undergraduate program at a college or university in the U.S. Awards must be applied to tuition fees.
Deadline: Varies
Award Amount: $750
ACS Scholars Program
Who Is Eligible: Available to individuals of underrepresented groups looking to major in, or are already majoring in, chemistry and related fields (see list of eligible majors here). Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and must be enrolled in an accredited academic institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Deadline: March
Award Amount: $5,000
Scholarships for First-Generation Hispanic and Latino/a College Students
EducationDynamics Minority First Generation Scholarship Contest
Who Is Eligible: Minority students first in their families to attend college. Applicants must be at least 17 years old and enrolled in an associate degree, bachelor's degree, or certificate program at an accredited college or university.
Deadline: July
Award Amount: $10,000
Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program
Who Is Eligible: Open to underrepresented first-generation high school students entering college. Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and plan on attending a four-year college or university in the U.S. to study a select group of fields (you can find that list here). Applicants are not required to be U.S. citizens.
Deadline: March
Award Amount: $5,000
Dorrance Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship is for Arizona high school students who will be the first to attend college in their families. Applicants must have been accepted to one of Arizona's three state universities and agree to live on campus for at least the first two years of their education. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA as well as minimum 1110 SAT, 22 ACT composite scores.
Deadline: Varies
Award Amount: $12,000 (per academic year)
Scholarships for Migrant Workers and Their Children
Frank Kazmierczak Memorial Migrant Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must demonstrate recent history of migration for agriculture work opportunities. They must also enroll in an accredited public or private college to pursue teaching as a career goal in order to receive the award. Application requires submission of most recent migration education certificate of eligibility.
Deadline: February
Award Amount: Up to $1,000
Berrien Fragos Thorn Arts Scholarships for Migrant Farmworkers
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be at least 16 years old at time of application and must be able to demonstrate history of migration to obtain work in agriculture. They must show interest in developing skills and talents in one or more of the arts-related disciplines (you can find a list here) and must provide a portfolio of their related work as part of the application. Applicants may also be asked to submit a detailed budget for how rewarded funds will be used.
Deadline: June and November
Award Amount: Up to $2,500
College Assistance Migrant Program
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be seasonal or migratory farmworkers (or the children of those workers) in their first year of an undergraduate degree at an accredited university in the United States.
Deadline: April
Award Amount: Varies
Jean DeGrace Crandall Memorial Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be seasonal or migratory farmworkers (or the children of those workers) with a history of migration in one of the following New York counties — Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, or Westchester counties — looking to pursue a college degree. Individuals must submit a copy of a migrant education certificate of eligibility.
Deadline: April
Award Amount: $1,000
Grants for Hispanic and Latino/a Students
Federal Pell Grants
Who Is Eligible: Awarded to undergraduate students based on exceptional financial need. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, or eligible noncitizens attending university for the first time.
Deadline: Varies
Award Amount: Up to $6,895 for 2022-2023
Jose Marti Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund
Who Is Eligible: Need-based grant awarded to Hispanic students planning to attend a Florida-based public or eligible private college. Students must demonstrate a need of at least $2,000. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens as well as Florida residents at the time of applying. Awarded to undergraduate students based on exceptional financial need. Must take a minimum of 12 credits at an eligible college each semester for renewal of the grant each year.
Deadline: April
Award Amount: $2,000 annually
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
Who Is Eligible: Need-based grant awarded on a yearly basis to students in undergraduate programs with exceptional financial need. Students must apply through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to be considered for this grant by their college or university.
Deadline: Varies
Award Amount: Up to $4,000 annually
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant
Who Is Eligible: Available for undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, or graduate students pursuing teaching careers in elementary or secondary school education. Grant recipients are required to serve a minimum of four years in a school or education-related agency for low-income students within eight years of completing their degrees. If students change majors or don't fulfill this requirement, the grant turns into a loan that must be paid back.
Deadline: April
Award Amount: Up to $3,772 annually
Additional Financial Resources for Hispanic and Latino/a Students
Frequently Asked Questions About Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino/a Students
How do Hispanic and Latino/a students fill out the FAFSA?
Filling out the FAFSA is necessary to determine financial aid eligibility and to qualify for federal aid. Qualifying Hispanic and Latino/a students who complete the FAFSA automatically apply for federal grants. The FAFSA is also available in Spanish.
What is the definition of a Hispanic or Latino/a person for scholarships?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person of Hispanic or Latino/a descent is from a Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Spanish, or South or Central American culture.
What GPA do you need to receive a full-ride scholarship?
In general, the higher the GPA the better — especially for a merit-based, full-ride scholarship. While the majority of scholarships that include a GPA requirement ask for a minimum GPA of at least 2.5-3.0 GPA, full-ride scholarships for Latino/a students typically raise that minimum to at least 3.5.
Are there scholarship resources for students attending Hispanic-serving institutions?
Yes. Scholarships for Hispanic students are widely available through national and regional organizations and private sponsors, though thousands more scholarships are available through Hispanic-serving institutions. Students should verify a school's membership in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities to pursue its specific scholarships for Latino/a students.
