Scholarships for Hispanic Students
Introduction 
There are many scholarships available for students of an Hispanic background. Whether you are male or female or whatever your family background is, you qualify for many scholarships if you are Hispanic. There are prizes of all sizes out there, although many Hispanic scholarships are among the largest in the country.
What kind of scholarships go to Hispanic students? There are several different kinds, just as there are many kinds of scholarships in general. You will probably not be able to fund your entire education using only Hispanic scholarships, but you should be aware of the types and the process involved in applying for them. Each scholarship you apply to is a great opportunity to help fund your education and many are renewable for several years!
Most Hispanic scholarships are merit-based and competitive. This means that you must have either a history of academic success or a slate of off-campus accomplishments to qualify. However, other scholarships come in the form of essay contests. For these contests, you generally do not need any other qualification aside from plans to attend college and evidence of your Hispanic background. Subjects for the required essays generally revolve around your future plans, making the world a better place, or explaining what your heritage means to you. Naturally, you should try to cultivate a deep understanding of your roots to better communicate your ideas.
Finding Scholarships for Hispanic Students
There are thousands of different avenues for seeking out scholarships for Hispanic students. Many of these scholarships will easily be found within your own community. If you are in an area with a flourishing Hispanic population, reach out to local community groups that cater to the needs of Hispanic individuals. They may have scholarship funds or grants that you can qualify for, but it is not a guarantee that these scholarships are widely publicized. You may have to send letters, make phone calls, or visit organizations in person to find out about opportunities.
Scholarships are also available directly from universities. These scholarships frequently come in the form of a departmental scholarship sponsored by the faculty and students who study topics in Hispanic history or culture. If the university is well known for having many Hispanic alumni, then one of them may have made a donation that established a fund for Hispanic students. In either case, you will probably only qualify for these scholarships if you are planning to attend that specific institution, and sometimes it is expected that you will major in particular subjects.
Even if you do not live in a region with a large Hispanic population, there are also national organizations that you can apply to. These organizations are dedicated to fostering and recognizing the unique contributions that Hispanics have to offer; like the arts, sciences, and humanities. Scholarships provided by national organizations have a tendency to be much larger than those offered by local foundations. On the other hand, national organizations also attract more applicants than local ones, so you may need to put forth more time and effort into a successful application. This may also entail furnishing proof of your Hispanic heritage.
How to Qualify for a Competitive Scholarship for Hispanic Students
Although some scholarships will only require you to submit information about your skills, interests, and academic performance, most are more competitive. You should be prepared to answer a variety of personal questions that pertain to your fitness to receive a scholarly grant. Most of these scholarships require a “personal statement” that describes you, your aspirations, and what you plan to do in the future. You should practice writing similar statements at different lengths, because while a few scholarships might allow you to go to 1,000 words, many will demand a succinct statement of 500, 300, or even as little as 100 words. This allows the decision-makers behind the scholarship to accept and sort more applications.
Many organizations are interested in a personal “hook” or story that demonstrates your motivation for going to college. Think about your special skills, your relationship with your community, what kind of adversity or challenges you have overcome, and what you see yourself doing when you have reached your goal of a complete and debt-free college education. An interesting or inspiring story with some unusual element can be very compelling.
Want to learn more about scholarships for Hispanic students? Visit the links below.
- Various Scholarship Opportunities from the Hispanic College Fund: The Hispanic College Fund is one of the largest organizations serving the merit-based college funding needs of U.S. Hispanic students.
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund at UC Denver: Scholarship information for prospective students of the University of Colorado, Denver.
- The Hispanic Scholarship Fund Network at New York University: Hispanic scholarly organization that provides events and funding information for prospective and current students of New York University.
- National Hispanic Scholars at UNL: Information on three different Hispanic scholarships provided for incoming students at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
- The USF Latino Scholarship: One of the nation’s largest Latino and Hispanic scholarship funds, which has provided more than $1,000,000 in prizes since 1992.
- CSU Fullerton Information on 26th Annual Hispanic Scholarship Golf Tournament: A charity event associated with the CSUF Hispanic Education Endowment at California State University, Fullerton.
- Scholarships and Internships at Purdue University’s Latino Cultural Center: Scholarship information from world famous Purdue University.
- Hispanic Scholarships at the University of Illinois, Springfield: Popular sources of Hispanic scholarships as vetted and verified by the University of Illinois, Springfield.
- The Goizueta Foundation Scholarships at GSU: Information from Georgia State, including one of the largest single awards available for Hispanic students, which covers all tuition expenses.
- Hispanic Excellence Scholarship Fund: Scholarship application and other information from the Hispanic Excellence Scholarship Fund of California State University, Bakersfield.
- Yegge Endowed Hispanic Scholarship: Provides about $40,000 in tuition assistance per year to Hispanic and Latino law students at the University of Denver.
- Scholarship Information from Rice University: List of verified scholarship opportunities for Hispanic students and others as curated by Rice University.
- Hispanic Student Scholarship Programs: Provides information on Cuyahoga Community College’s Hispanic Scholarships for Student Success as well as scholarships from national philanthropic organizations.
