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Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino Students

Check out scholarships that are exclusive to Hispanic students.

Featured Author:

Mark Kantrowitz

As a nationally recognized financial aid expert and publisher of Fastweb.com and FinAid.org, Mark has been called to testify before Congress about student aid on several occasions.

He has served as a guest columnist for the New York Times and the Huffington Post and has been interviewed regularly by major news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, MSN, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNBC and more.

Mark is the author of five books, including three about student aid. His most recent book, Secrets to Winning a Scholarship, helps families find and win scholarships. He is also on the editorial board of the Council on Law in Higher Education and the editorial board of the Journal of Student Financial Aid, a member of the board of directors of the National Scholarship Providers Association and a member of the board of trustees of the Center for Excellence in Education.

Mark is ABD on a PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and holds Bachelor of Science degrees in mathematics and philosophy from MIT and a Master of Science degree in computer science from CMU.

Follow him on Twitter at @mkant.

More articles from this author:

• Summary of President Obama's Budget Blueprint for Federal Student Aid
• President Obama Proposes Student Aid Increases in State of the Union Address
• Year in Review: Ups and Downs for Student Financial Aid in 2011

This guide lists more than 100 college scholarship and graduate fellowship programs for Hispanic and Latino students. Hispanic and Latino students should also conduct a scholarship search using the Fastweb scholarship matching service. The FastWeb scholarship database includes additional awards that are restricted to Hispanic and Latino students, as well as more general award programs that are available to all minority students and scholarships that are unrestricted by race or heritage.

According to the 2007-08 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), 3.5% of Hispanic and Latino undergraduate students receive private scholarships, with an average award amount of $2,269. At 4-year colleges the figures are 5.6% and $2,498, respectively. At graduate and professional schools, 4.9% of Hispanic and Latino students receive private sector fellowships, with an average award amount of $7,601. Approximately 117,500 Hispanic and Latino students receive scholarships and fellowships each year. Hispanic students are more likely than non-Hispanic students to receive graduate fellowships, but less likely to receive undergraduate scholarships.

The scholarships for Hispanic and Latino students are organized in the following categories:

• Largest and Most Prestigious Hispanic Scholarships
• Scholarships for Hispanic Business Students
• Scholarships for Latino Law Students
• Scholarships for Hispanic Journalism and Communications Students
• Scholarships for Hispanic Medical, Dental, Pharmacy and Nursing Students
• Scholarships for Hispanic Students in STEM Fields
• Scholarships for Hispanic Students in Other Majors
• Hispanic Scholarships with Geographic Restrictions
• Scholarships for Students with a Migrant Farmworker Background
• Scholarships for Undocumented Students

There are also sections focused on academic and leadership programs for Hispanic students, recruiting programs for Hispanic students and internship programs for Hispanic students. These are followed by lists of other directories of Hispanic scholarships and related resources.

Largest and Most Prestigious Hispanic Scholarships

Adelante Fund Scholarship Program
The Adelante Fund Scholarship Program sponsors several scholarship programs with amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. The deadline is in late May.

• The national scholarship is available to college juniors or seniors pursuing a degree in business, economics, finance, accounting, marketing, public relations or sales. Applicants must be US citizens or legal permanent residents. Applicants must have a 3.0 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to continue receiving the scholarship.
• The MillerCoors Texas scholarship is available to an incoming or current full-time undergraduate student attending a college in Dallas, Houston or El Paso. Applicants must be US citizens or legal permanent residents. Applicants must have a 3.0 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to continue receiving the scholarship.
• The MillerCoors Chicago scholarship is available to an incoming or current undergraduate student attending a college in the Chicago Metro area. Applicants must be US citizens or legal permanent residents. Applicants must have a 3.0 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to continue receiving the scholarship.
• The Hope Scholarship is available to an incoming or current undergraduate student attending an accredited college in San Antonio, Texas. This scholarship is not renewable. The award is not based on financial need. Applicants must have a 2.5 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must demonstrate involvement in community service. Recipients may pursue a degree in any field of study offered by the San Antonio college. Employees of CPS Energy are not eligible.
• The iHispano Scholarship is available to any incoming or current undergraduate student at a 4-year university in any major. Applicants must be US citizens or legal permanent residents. Applicants must have a 3.0 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to continue receiving the scholarship.

Best Buy Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship Program
The Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship Program is a national essay contest sponsored by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Best Buy Children’s Foundation. NCLR is the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. Two $10,000 and three $5,000 scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence and community service. The deadline is in early March.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute provides educational and leadership development programs including scholarships and fellowships. The scholarships include the CHCI Scholarship and CHCI Alumni Association Dream Scholarship (for first generation college students). The fellowships incude the CHCI Public Policy Fellowship for recent bachelor’s degree recipients and the CHCI Graduate & Young Professional Fellowship for college graduates with at least a Master’s degree or three years of professional experience in the chosen policy field. The fellowships provide an opportunity to work in Congressional offices, federal agencies or national advocacy organizations. Fields include health, housing, international affairs, law and STEM. All recipients are selected based on community service and leadership.