These 10 Scholarships, Grants, and Funding Opportunities Are Open to Latinx Students Today
Many students think that they have to get scholarships before accepting college admission, but that's just not true. There are fellowships, funding opportunities, and grants that have rolling applications for already enrolled students who demonstrate excellence in academic, athletic, and subject-specific expertise. And for students of color, there are additional opportunities for scholars based on their backgrounds.
Latinx students, in particular, are often disadvantaged in the college application and financial aid process. Many are first-generation Americans, who are new to the entire series of paperwork, applications, and calls for information. It is already difficult to navigate the many applications, competing deadlines, and ongoing high-school workload, but imagine navigating it in a language that is new to you or new to your parents, who play an integral role in the enrollment process.
To make the road to a degree easier, there are a number of foundations and companies actively trying to help Latinx students fund their education. These 10 scholarship applications are open right now for Latinx students to get funding for everything from books to tuition.
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The Gates Scholarship
The Gates Scholarship is a highly competitive scholarship to help outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households pay for expenses above what is offered by financial aid. Each year, 300 students receive this prestigious award.
Deadline: Sept 15, 2021
Eligible students must be:
A high school senior
From at least one of the following ethnicities: African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native (for American Indian/Alaska Native, proof of tribal enrollment will be required), Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American
Pell-eligible
A United States citizen, national, or permanent resident
In good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent)
Additionally, a student must plan to enroll full-time, in a four-year degree program, at a U.S.-accredited, not-for-profit, private or public college or university.
The Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship
The Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship was established in 1994 in New York City for medical, nursing, dental, public health, and health policy students with outstanding academic records and leadership who are committed to serving Hispanic communities.
Deadline: September 24, 2021
Eligible students must be:
Enrolled full-time in the following U.S.-based, accredited graduate programs:
Medicine: allopathic or osteopathic
Dentistry
Pharmacy
Nursing (including BSN)
Public Health/Policy
Physician Associate
Have a 3.0 GPA or Passing grade (fail/pass system)
Note that students should have exceptional academic performance, documented leadership activities, and have a commitment to a career providing healthcare services to the Hispanic community in the U.S. Applicants are not required to be Hispanic; an affinity for the health of Hispanic communities and interest in NHHF Scholars Alumni activities is required.
Exxon Mobil Engineering Scholarship
Exxon Mobil Engineering Scholarship seeks outstanding Hispanic incoming college freshmen who plan to complete a post-secondary degree in engineering at a U.S. institution. These awards include one (1) national scholarship of $20,000, paid over four years, and twelve (12) $2,000 local scholarships.
Deadline: October 1, 2021
Eligible students must be:
Incoming college freshmen who are also residents within the following cities and surrounding areas:
Oxnard, CA
San Diego, CA
Colorado Springs, CO
Miami, FL
Kansas City, MO
Albuquerque NM
Philadelphia, PA
Bayamon, PR
Austin, TX
Corpus Christi, TX
Houston, TX
Dallas, TX
El Paso, TX
San Antonio, TX
Vancouver, WA
Hispanic as well as accepted and planning to attend a full-time program in engineering leading to a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university in the U.S.
Earners of a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.75 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent.
U. S. citizens or have the legal right to work in the U.S. without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.
?La Unidad Latina Fund
?La Unidad Latina Fund is led by a group of socially conscious college graduates dedicated to the advancement of the Latino community nationwide. Members are on a mission to help high school students reach college graduation and excel thereafter.
Deadline: October 15, 2021
The annual national scholarship program for undergraduate and graduate Latino students awards grants of up to $2,000 per recipient to lessen their financial burden. Applications are accepted each year from September 1 to October 15, and winners are announced in December. In addition, the pre-college program for NYC-based high schoolers is currently open. Learn more here.
Do Something
Do Something is a Youth-Led Movement for good. This not-for-profit is exclusively for young people and social change. Unlike other scholarships that are based on essays and recommendations, this one just requires that you literally do something. These "easy scholarships," as the organization calls them, are rolling opportunities to get college funding to do things that your community needs most, such as encouraging friends to protect themselves against meningococcal disease and spot medical misinformation (due date September 15, 2021) or writing a mental health checklist to help keep your friends calm and safe (due date September 20, 2021). Every month, there are new campaigns and challenges.
Deadline: Rolling.
Eligible students must be:
25 years old or younger and live in the U.S. or Canada (or a citizen of either country, but living abroad)
And that's it: Do Something never requires an essay, GPA, or recommendation to apply. Scholarship money is sent directly to the school of your choice, so it can only be used on costs incurred directly from any post-high school higher education program (for example, community college, college, university, or trade school) that is listed on the itemized tuition bill. According to the org's website, DoSomething scholarship winners are selected through a random drawing of everyone who completed the action steps and verified participation.
Minority Teaching Education Scholarship
Minority Teaching Education Scholarship aims to increase the number of minority teachers in Florida to better reflect the state's diverse population. This scholarship fund offers $4,000 awards, disbursed during the fall and spring semesters, in the amount of $2,000 per semester. Students may be eligible to receive the scholarship for up to two consecutive years.
Deadline: November 30, 2021 (for spring enrollment)
Eligible students must be:
Florida residents
African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaskan Native
Admitted into a state-approved teacher education program at any FFMT participating university/college
Juniors, seniors, or graduate students—and must not have earned a baccalaureate degree in Education. (You may have earned a baccalaureate degree in a field outside of Education.) A graduate student must be enrolled in a program that leads to initial teacher certification.
In possession of 60 credit hours or an AA degree
Under 18 credit hours of upper-division education courses
Maintaining at least a 2.5 GPA and full-time enrollment
Denny's Hungry for an Education Scholarship
Denny's Hungry for an Education Scholarship is administered through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. This scholarship helps minimize some college expenditures. According to the HACU website, these scholarships are only for college students who were enrolled during the 2021 spring semester. All students must have completed their first semester of freshman year at a HACU member institution at the time of applying. High School students are not eligible to apply. Apply here.
Deadline: November 19, 2021 (for spring enrollment)
Eligible students must:
Need financial assistance (typically determined by FAFSA).
Be a full or part-time undergraduate or graduate student attending a two-year or four-year HACU member institution. For the most up-to-date listing of HACU-member institutions, please click here. (Open to all majors)
Have a 2.5 GPA or above
Be a United States citizen or permanent resident of the United States
The United States Hispanic Heritage Leadership Institute
The United States Hispanic Heritage Leadership Institute has partnered with Rumba Meats, of the Cargill family of brands, to celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage through food. The partners are awarding 25 post-secondary academic scholarships of $1,000 each and helping empower today's Hispanic youth to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Deadline: November 30, 2021
Eligible students must be:
A high school senior graduating in the Spring of 2022
Enrolled or accepted for enrollment as full-time undergraduate students in an accredited four-year or two-year institution in the U.S. or U.S. territories
Able to verify their enrollment status for the 2022/2023 academic school year prior to scholarship disbursement
Able to demonstrate a verifiable need for financial support
Consistent, active participants in public and/or community service activities
There are no citizenship requirements for this scholarship; undocumented and DACA-students are encouraged to apply. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA and have at least one parent of Hispanic ancestry.
ACS Scholars Program
ACS Scholars Program is led by the American Chemical Society. This scholarship aims to diversify the sciences by offering scholarships to students of color who are majoring in Chemistry, Engineering, Nano Science, and more.
Deadline: March 1, 2022
Eligible students must be:
U.S. citizens or legal permanent U.S. residents (please inquire via email if you have questions regarding asylum or DACA status)
African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian
Graduating high school seniors or college freshmen, sophomores, or juniors. Seniors can apply for their fifth year.
Those intending to major or are already majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemical technology, or another chemistry-related science and planning to pursue a career in a chemistry-related science as well (please see website for more details)
Full-time students at a high school or an accredited college, university, or community college
Those demonstrating high academic achievement in chemistry or science (grade point average 3.0 or higher)
The website says that the amount of each individual award depends upon the availability of funding, the number of scholarships awarded, and evidence of financial need. Awards range between $1,000 and $5,000 per academic year. Scholarships are renewable if scholars maintain performance requirements.
Goldman Sachs MBA Scholarship
The Goldman Sachs MBA Scholarship is a fellowship that awards recipients a $35,000 award in addition to the Summer Associate salary. After successful completion of the summer internship and acceptance of a full-time offer, Fellowship recipients are awarded an additional $40,000, plus any full-time Associate signing bonus, as applicable.
Deadline: March 28, 2022
Eligible students must be:
First-year MBA students pursuing a 2021 Summer Associate position at Goldman Sachs
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and/or women.
