About 52 million people in the United States identify themselves
as Hispanic, making Latinos the largest minority group in the country.
Yet despite improved graduation rates and increased numbers
of Hispanic students heading off to college, a significant financial barrier
still exists for many Latino families looking for ways to make postsecondary
education accessible for their children.
Fortunately, there are several organizations and
programs geared toward Hispanic students that offer generous scholarships and
specific support services. Here are some
of the most visible:
The Hispanic
Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic
Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization
supporting Hispanic postsecondary education.
HSF awards multiple scholarships through various programs, including the
Gates
Millennium Scholars, the HSF/Discover Scholarship, and the HSF Walmart
Foundation Scholarship. To be eligible
for scholarships offered through HSF, students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, be
US citizens or legal permanent residents, fill out the FAFSA, and plan to
enroll as full time students at accredited US postsecondary institutions. In
addition, the Hispanic College Fund maintains a scholarship search tool, Latino College Dollars, specifically
designed to support Hispanic students.
¡Adelante!
An organization worth exploring is the ¡Adelante! U.S. Education
Leadership Fund. Since its inception
in 1993, ¡Adelante!’s
Scholarship Program has awarded over $1.6 million to qualified Hispanic students. Scholarships range from a general national
scholarship and various leadership scholarships to one geared specifically to future
engineers. High school students may submit an acceptance letter as a proof
of enrollment. Scholarships
for the 2013-14 academic year are currently posted and applications are due May
31, 2013, so check the website for more information.
Hispanic College Fund
Founded in 1993, the Hispanic
College Fund (HCF) is a Washington-based national nonprofit organization
with a mission to develop the next generation of Hispanic professionals by
providing educational, scholarship, and mentoring programs to students throughout
the US and Puerto Rico. Among the more visible HCF programs is the Hispanic Youth Institute,
which takes place each summer in communities across the country.
MALDEF
A civil rights organization, MALDEF has
developed a Scholarship
Resource Guide to support high school, college, and graduate students in
their attainment of a higher education—regardless of immigration status. This is a free, informative resource guide
for students, parents, and educators.
Society of Hispanic
Professional Engineers (SHPE) Foundation
Students interested in the science, technology, engineering,
and math (STEM) fields should look into scholarships offered through the SHPE Foundation. Merit and need-based scholarships ranging from
$1000 to $5000 are awarded each year to graduating seniors, undergrads, and
some graduate students. The application period for
the 2013-14 academic year will close on May 1, 2013.
League of United
Latin American Citizens
The League of
United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) offers a variety of scholarships
through the LULAC
National Scholarship Fund.
Applicants are eligible for National Scholastic Achievement Awards,
Honors Awards, and General Awards. Applications
are currently available on line and must be submitted by March 31, 2013.
National Association
of Hispanic Journalists
Since 1986, the NAHJ
has awarded more than $1.6 million in scholarships to 610 students who
intend to pursue a career in journalism.
Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 with a variety of options from
incoming freshmen to those in graduate school.
All applicants must be student members of NAHJ ($35) and submit applications
by no
later than April 5, 2013.
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