Hispanic Scholarships

Where to Find College Money for Latino Students

The Hispanic population by many counts is now the largest minority group in the U.S. However some disturbing statistics continue to plague Hispanic college students: above all other minority groups, Hispanic students are the least visible in the college realm—many don’t make it to college.

For this reason scholarships for Hispanics are abundant and come from all types of sources, including:

  • Corporations
  • Colleges and universities
  • Federal and state sources

Hispanic scholarships are specifically targeted to those college students or potential college students that are of Hispanic descent, including Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South American, etc.

Corporate Sponsors for Hispanic Scholarships

Corporate America is one of the biggest sources for Hispanic student scholarships. Hispanics are a serious minority in most corporations where diversity has become a key focus.

**Tip: Businesses and corporations particularly in the science, math, engineering and tech sectors emphasize minority participation and support Hispanic students with lucrative scholarships. Usually corporate scholarships require applicants to meet GPA and sometimes income requirements.

Other ways corporations and businesses may help Hispanic students is through professional and member-based organizations, such as those for engineers, scientists, and business professionals. Associations like these may provide scholarships for school, as well as travel funds that allow students to attend conferences and annual meetings associated with their field of study.

Hispanic Scholarships at Colleges and Universities

Colleges and universities offer merit- and need-based scholarships for all kinds of students, including minorities. College departments also maintain scholarships for specific student majors, a few of which are often reserved for minority students. Particularly fertile are fields of study in which minorities have been historically absent, such as science, tech, engineering and math, often just called the STEM subjects.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is especially instrumental in spearheading efforts to support Hispanic student education, first by recognizing Hispanic Serving Institutions--the colleges and universities in which more than a quarter of the student body is Hispanic—and by partnering with key organizations and corporations to fund proprietary scholarships for Hispanic students.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) has been supporting Latino college students for over three decades. The organization awards millions of dollars in scholarship money annually to students all over the country. Their main goal: to provide the necessary encouragement and financial support to double the enrollment of Hispanic students in colleges and universities across America.

Federal and State Scholarships

Do not overlook the scholarship opportunities provided by the Federal government and your home state. Both offer unique funding opportunities for minorities, often contingent on family income as well as academic record.

Searching for Hispanic Scholarship Programs

Don’t limit yourself exclusively to “Hispanic” scholarships; include general minority scholarships as well while you search. Resources for your search:

  • Your high school guidance or career counselor
  • Public library
  • Local organizations, clubs in which you’re active
  • Your parents’ employers
  • Internet

Internet Search Strategies

By far one of the most expansive sources is the Internet. However, a few things to keep in mind:

  • Don’t ever pay money for scholarship information.
  • Stay organized, keep notes and motivation is key.

You can find hundreds of scholarships online using basic search techniques. Here are some search samples to get you started; just type them into the search box of your favorite search engine:

  • hispanic scholarships
  • latino scholarships
  • minority scholarships
  • minority athletic scholarship
  • hispanic scholarships engineering

Fine tune your search as in the last two examples—add on a keyword relative to your intended major, or favorite sport.

*Search Tip: Take your list of colleges and universities you’re interested in and search each one through Google’s special Universities search utility. Choose a college or university from the list then search for scholarships or minority scholarships. It’s easy: You get relevant spam-free results specific to that university or college.