23 Scholarships for Hispanic and Latino Students

According to census.gov, Hispanic students make up 19.1% of students enrolled in colleges and universities. Fortunately, many organizations and companies have set aside money to provide scholarships for Hispanic and Latino students. However, navigating the scholarship search can be a challenge.

We’ve simplified things for you with this list of scholarships. It covers a total of $230,000 in funding opportunities for Hispanic and Latino students. It is true that there are many more scholarships and grants out there, but this list of 23 is a great way to get started.

Note: This article provides a basic description for each of the listed scholarships. Please see the scholarship provider’s website for full application and eligibility requirements. This is a list to help you get started. This list does not include all scholarships available for Hispanic and Latino students.

Scholarships for Hispanics and Latinos

McDonald's HACER National Scholarship

HACER stands for Hispanic American Commitment to Education Resources, and in Spanish, hacer means "to make or to do." McDonald's believes in giving Hispanic students an opportunity to make a difference in the world. Selection criteria for this scholarship includes academic achievement, financial need, community involvement, and personal qualities and strengths (assessed in interview). There is no essay for this scholarship, but other required documents include a transcript, personal statement, letter of recommendation, list of community service projects, and FAFSA report and/or 1040s. There can be up to 30 recipients for this scholarship, so do not let the large amount award amount deter you from applying if you qualify.

Scholarship Amount: Amounts can vary

Who Can Apply: High school seniors who are legal U.S. residents with at least one parent of Hispanic heritage

The Gates Scholarship

Each year, 300 top student leaders are awarded the Gates Scholarship. This is a very competitive scholarship for exceptional, Pell-eligible, minority, high school seniors. Applicants for this scholarship must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, have a minimum GPA of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale), and plan to enroll full-time in a four-year degree program at an accredited U.S., not-for-profit, private or public college or university. Ideal candidates will have an outstanding academic record in high school, demonstrated leadership ability, and exceptional personal success skills.

Scholarship Amount:Full cost of attendance

Who Can Apply: High school seniors from at least one of the following ethnicities: African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American
*Proof of tribal enrollment will be required

Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship

The Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship began in 1997 and is awarded to standout Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American and women students. Applicants are to apply for this fellowship when submitting the Summer Associate application. What is interesting about this opportunity is that upon successful completion of the summer internship and acceptance of a full-time offer, recipients of this fellowship will be awarded an additional $40,000, plus any full-time Associate signing bonus, as applicable.

Fellowship Amount: $35,000

Who Can Apply: First-year MBA students pursuing the Summer Associate position at Goldman Sachs who are Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American or women. Available in the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Greenwich, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, West Palm Beach, Washington D.C.

Goldman Sachs Scholarship for Excellence

The Goldman Sachs Scholarship for Excellence is an exploratory program that is available to undergraduate juniors pursuing a summer internship. Applicants are encouraged to apply for this scholarship when applying for a summer internship.

Scholarship Amount: Up to $15,000

Who Can Apply: Undergraduate juniors pursuing a summer internship who are Black, Hispanic/Latinx or Native American. Available in the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Irving, Jersey City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, West Palm Beach, Washington D.C.

ExxonMobil Engineering Scholarship

The Exxon Mobile Engineering Scholarship Program awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors looking to pursue an engineering degree at a U.S. post-secondary institution. One recipient will receive the top award of $20,000, and another twelve recipients will receive an award of $2,000 each. Applicants must reside within the cities and surrounding areas found on the scholarship information page, so be sure to check out the list before applying.

Scholarship Amount: Up to $20,000

Who Can Apply: Hispanic graduating high school seniors accepted into 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.

LULAC National Scholarship Fund (LNSF)

LNESC and LULAC created this scholarship to help youth in underserved communities matriculate into college. There are three different LNSF awards that applicants are eligible for: National Scholarship Achievement Awards, Honors Awards, and General Awards. The National Scholastic Achievement Awards are valued at $2,000, the Honors Awards are valued from $500 to $2,000, and the General Awards are valued from $250 to $1,000. Each award has its own requirements and qualifications, so please visit the scholarship website for more information.

Scholarship Amount: Up to $2,000

Who Can Apply: Varies per award

NBCUniversal/LNESC Scholarship

Sponsored by NBCUniversal and administered by the LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC), the NBCUniversal/LNESC Scholarship is awarded to ten (10) qualified rising sophomores and juniors. Scholarship recipients will receive $2,500 in the fall and the other $2,500 in the spring.

Scholarship Amount: $5,000

Who Can Apply: College sophomores or juniors of Hispanic heritage with an interest in the media and entertainment industry, but all majors are welcome

AMS Minority Scholarships

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) Minority Scholarships support underrepresented minority students in the sciences—atmospheric or related oceanic, and hydrologic sciences. Marine Biology is not an acceptable field of study for this scholarship. The $6,000 award is split evenly over the recipient's freshman and sophomore years of college; however, funding for the second year requires successful completion of the first academic year. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and be U.S. citizens or hold permanent resident status.

Scholarship Amount: $6,000 over two years

Who Can Apply: Minority students entering their freshman year and planning to pursue careers in the atmospheric or related oceanic and hydrologic sciences (Marine Biology ineligible)

ACS Scholars Program

The ACS Scholars Program awards approximately $900,000 in scholarship funds to 350 students annually. Over 3,000 students have received funding from the program to date. Funding for each award is contingent upon available funds, the amount of scholarships awarded, and evidence of financial need. In spite of that, freshman recipients typically receive up to $2,500, sophomores $3,000, and juniors and seniors $5,000. These awards are also renewable as long as the ACS Scholar meets the academic performance requirements. Graduating high school senior or college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors attending for a 5th year or second bachelor's degree may apply for this scholarship program. Lastly, students planning to enter Pre-Med programs or pursuing a degree in Pharmacy or Nursing are NOT eligible.

Scholarship Amount: Up to $5,000

Who Can Apply: Minority students majoring (or intending to major in) chemistry-related disciplines and planning to pursue careers in chemistry-related fields

ABA Diversity Scholarship

The ABA Diversity Scholarship was designed to expand the number of traditionally underrepresented groups among the management and operation divisions of the transportation, travel and tourism industry. The ABA Foundation notes that there are many professions that are relevant to the travel and tourism industry, so students studying accounting, hospitality management, and more should feel welcome to apply. This scholarship requires a 500-word essay that will be about the role you hope to play in advancing the future of the transportation, motorcoach, travel, and tourism/hospitality industry.

Scholarship Amount: $5,000

Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students at accredited universities majoring in or studying coursework relevant to the travel and tourism industry

APSA Diversity Fellowship Program (MFP)

The APSA Minority Fellowship Program has a new name: The APSA Diversity Fellowship Program (DFP). This change was made for a few reasons, but a major one was to get away from the term "minority," which can reinforce a false narrative that people of color are "minor" or "less than." To date, the APSA DFP has awarded more than 600 students fellowships and contributed to over 100 students completing doctoral degrees in political science. Each fall, 12-14 fellows are awarded $4,000 over two years. Additionally, each spring, some doctoral students in the pre-dissertation stage receive one-time awards ranging from $1,000 - $2,000, contingent upon the availability of funds.

Fellowship Amount: Up to $4,000

Who Can Apply:
Fall applicants - Undergraduate seniors, graduates, or students enrolled in a master's program that plan to apply for a PhD in political science and belong to a racial/ethnic minority group
Spring applicants - 1st or 2nd year PhD students in good standing in a political science program who belong to a racial/ethnic minority group

Actuarial Diversity Scholarship

Sponsored by The Actuarial Foundation, the Actuarial Diversity Scholarship helps promote diversity within the actuary profession. The vision of the foundation is an educated public in pursuit of a secure financial future. This scholarship is awarded to multiple recipients. The amount awarded for the scholarship varies based on the class standing of the recipient. Freshmen recipients get $1,000, sophomores receive $2,000, juniors receive $3,000, and seniors receive $4,000.

Scholarship Amount: $1,000 to $4,000

Who Can Apply: Students intent on pursuing a career in the actuarial profession with at least one birth parent who is Black/African American, Hispanic, Native North American, or Pacific Islander

Spectrum Scholarship Program

The American Library Association (ALA) offers the Spectrum Scholarship Program to students to attend an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an AASL-recognized School Library Media Program. Citizenship or permanent residency of the U.S. or Canada is required. Students may be enrolled full-time or part-time for this scholarship; however, students must maintain a minimum course load of two classes per semester while on scholarship.

Scholarship Amount: $5,000

Who Can Apply: Students who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern/North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander AND attend an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an AASL-recognized School Library Media Program

Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship

Students who are members of any of the following ethnic/racial groups are encouraged to apply for the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship: African American, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, or Hispanic. The purpose of the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship is to assist academically competitive students in Kansas planning to enroll at a Kansas college or university. Financial need is a major component in determining scholarship recipients.

Scholarship Amount: Up to $1,850 annually

Who Can Apply: Kansas students graduating from high school and enrolling at a Kansas college or university

AICPA Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students

The AICPA Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students helps get diverse CPAs in college and university classrooms by awarding annual fellowships of $12,000 to full-time minority accounting students. The AICPA understands that university instructors serve as mentors and role models to the students they teach, and this program aims to create more diverse mentors and role models.

Scholarship Amount: $12,000

Who Can Apply: Minority students who have earned a Master's degree or completed at least 3 years of full-time experience in the accounting profession and who have either applied to a PhD program and are awaiting acceptance, been accepted into a PhD program, or matriculated into a PhD program

AICPA Scholarship Award for Minority Accounting Students

The AICPA Scholarship Award for Minority Accounting Students supports full-time minority students pursuing a degree in accounting or an accounting-related major. This scholarship is available for undergraduate and graduate students. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency AND a minimum GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) are required.

Scholarship Amount: $3,000 - $5,000

Who Can Apply: Full-time minority students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate-level degree in accounting or an accounting-related major

Scholarships for DACA Students

Haz la U/Make the U Program

To help make the dream of attending college a reality for more Hispanic and Latino students, Colgate-Palmolive partnered with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to fund the "Make the U" program, also known as "Haz la U." Students who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to community service could receive one of the 100 scholarships available. This scholarship is open to students who are U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or DACA eligible.

Scholarship Amount: 100 awards of $1,000

Who Can Apply: High school senior of Hispanic or Latino descent with a minimum 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale) or 7.5 (10.0 scale) enrolling into college in the fall

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

All majors and graduate fields are eligible to apply for this scholarship; however, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund typically awards scholarships to STEM majors. U.S. Citizens, permanent legal residents, DACA, or Eligible Non-Citizens as defined by FAFSA^®  are eligible to apply. Applicants must verify GPA and complete the FAFSA or state based financial aid application if applicable.

Scholarship Amount: $500 to $5,000

Who Can Apply: High school, undergraduate, and graduate students who are Hispanic

Dr. Juan Andrade Jr. Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders

To date, the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute has awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships and internships. The Dr. Juan Andrade Jr. Scholarship for young Hispanic Leaders is the most notable scholarship offered by the organization.

Scholarship Amount: $500 to $1,000

Who Can Apply: High school seniors, college freshman, sophomores, and juniors up to the age of 25 with at least one parent of Hispanic ancestry, DACA students are eligible to apply

Prospanica Foundation Scholarships

Prospanica was founded in 1988 as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and the foundation has distributed more than $8 million in scholarships to date. Students must join the Prospanica Foundation to apply for these scholarships, be a U.S. citizen, legal permanent resident, or DACA recipient. Prospanica is searching for innovative entrepreneurs who endeavor to uplift the Hispanic community with their work. If this sounds like you, applying for Prospanica Foundation scholarships might be a good idea.

Scholarship Amount: Up to $5,000

Who Can Apply: College sophomores or higher and graduate students of Hispanic/Latino heritage enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited university business school

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Scholarships

The SHPE Foundation knows that the main barrier preventing Hispanic students from completing a bachelor’s degree is financial need. To fulfill that need, SHPE offers scholarships to Hispanic students pursuing degrees in STEM. This scholarship requires you to be an active member of SHPE.

Scholarship Amount: Varies

Who Can Apply: High school seniors, undergraduate students, graduate students, and students pursuing or professionals pursuing technical certificates or graduate-level professional education at a qualifying institution.

Check out our article on scholarships for undocumented students if you are interested in more scholarship opportunities for undocumented students.

Scholarships for Hispanic Women

Illustrating Awesomeness Scholarship

The Illustrating Awesomeness Scholarship is an opportunity for young women or gender non-conforming individuals of color. The scholarship is intended for undergraduate students, so high school seniors with a semester of high school remaining will not be considered. Applicants must attend a college/university in the U.S. To apply, you must complete the scholarship application and respond to the essay question via essay or video.

Scholarship Amount: Four awards of $750

Who Can Apply: Women or gender non-conforming individuals of color who are undergraduate students

Chicana Latina Foundation Scholarship

The Chicana Latina Foundation (CLF) has awarded scholarships to over 370 Latina college students to date. CLF scholarships are offered to Chicana and/or Latina students who have lived for at least two years in specific counties in Northern California and plan to attend an accredited college, university, or community college in one of the counties. These California counties include: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, San Francisco, Sonoma, and Yolo.

Scholarship Amount: $1,500

Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students who identify as Chicana and/or Latina, have lived at least two years in one of the above counties, and plan to attend an accredited college, university, or community college in one of above counties

Check out our article on scholarships for women if you are interested in more scholarship opportunities for women.

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