Being the largest minority group in the United States, Latinos tend to have a lower student’s debt because of multiple scholarships, federal support, and studying at schools with lower tuition fees. According to the research conducted by the Pew Research Center, educational attainment among U.S. Latino and Hispanic students has increased considerably. This tendency is determined by the fact that Latino Scholarships are offered by many companies, organizations, and educational institutions. So, if you are of a Latin/Hispanic origin, you have a great opportunity to apply for a free scholarship.
How to apply for one such scholarship? While the requirements may differ from one school or university to another, you will surely need to do some assignments like essay writing or video recording. Now that you know your chances of getting financial aid, have a look at the list of available Latino scholarships.
The List of Latino Scholarships
Before you decide to send your application, you need to have a clear understanding of what options you have. Let’s have a look at the scholarship opportunities provided below.
ACS Scholars Program
- Application Deadline: 3/1/2021
- Amount: $5,000
ACS Scholars Program is intended for underrepresented minority students who want to get specialization in Chemistry or Chemistry-related fields. This reward is eligible for African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander (excluding Asian) or American Indian students pursuing a college degree in the chemical sciences. In order to send your application, you need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident with high academic performance in Chemistry (Grade Point Average 3.0, “B” or better) and financial need.
Actuarial Diversity Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 5/2/2021
- Amount: $4,000
The Actuarial Diversity Scholarship aims to encourage diversity in the educational environment. Thus, it supports Black/African American, Hispanic, Native North American, and Pacific Islander students on the way to an academic degree. A potential applicant needs to pursue a degree in the actuarial field, have at least one birth parent belonging to the minority group, and demonstrate a minimum ACT Math score of 28 or SAT Math score of 600. To increase your chances of obtaining a scholarship, you need to pass actuarial exams successfully.
ALA – LITA/LSSI Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 3/1/2021
- Amount: $2,500
The LITA/LSSI Minority Scholarship has been established by the Library and Information Technology Association and Library Systems and Services, Inc. in order to provide the financial aid to the students from minority groups. The scholarship is offered to those who want to qualify for the library and automation field. A potential participant needs to be the U.S. or Canadian citizen and demonstrate potential in the development of automated systems in libraries.
American Association of Blacks in Energy Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 3/15/2021
- Amount: $5,000
The American Association of Blacks in Energy aims to discover and support talents in the energy industry. The purpose of this scholarship is to increase the number of African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans in energy-related fields. An applicant must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, be a high school senior, and belong to the underrepresented minorities in the sciences.
American Library Association Spectrum Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 3/1/2021
- Amount: $5,000
A potential participant of this scholarship must be a citizen or resident of the U.S. or Canada. Also, he/she must be American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. To maximize the chances of the positive result, an applicant should be involved in one of the graduate programs in library and information studies with ALA accreditation.
AMS Minority Scholarships
- Application Deadline: 2/8/2021
- Amount: $6,000
The AMS Minority Scholarships aims to provide two-year funding to minority students of Hispanic, Native American, and Black/African American origins. The financial aid provided by this scholarship is based on donations made by the AMS Giving Program. An applicant needs to be a U.S. citizen or have a permanent residence permit in the country, while his/her major interest must be Marine Biology or any other related discipline.
APA Judith McManus Price Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 4/30/2021
- Amount: Not fixed
The target audience of APA Judith McManus Price Scholarship is represented by women and minority groups. It is a mandatory requirement for them to be citizens or residents of the United States. Also, the program is oriented to teaching practicing planners in the public sector.
APSA Minority Fellowship Program
- Application Deadline: Varies
- Amount: Not fixed
The Minority Fellows Program (MFP) is implemented in the form of fellowship competition for students from demographic minorities who are going through the early stages of doctoral programs in political studies. An eligible participant should belong to a racial minority, have US citizenship or residence permit, and have a profound interest in politics.
ASA Minority Fellowship Program
- Application Deadline: 1/31/2021
- Amount: $18,000
The Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) has been established by the American Sociological Association (ASA) in order to encourage the educational pursuits of sociologists. A potential applicant must be involved in a sociology program at the stage of pursuing a doctorate. He/she must be a U.S. citizen with eligibility under DACA.
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
- Application Deadline: Not fixed
- Amount: $5,000
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides representatives of minorities with a grant that involves limited financial support to study or intern abroad. The program aims to encourage the growth of future specialists by gaining skills critical to the national security and economic development. The Gilman Scholarship Program is available for U.S. undergraduate students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grant at two-year or four-year college programs.
BLM² Scholarship Foundation College Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 7/3/2021
- Amount: $1,000
The BLM² Scholarship has been established to support those students who have a strong willingness to achieve academic success and gain an academic degree in one of the leading disciplines. By eliminating the financial barriers in education, BLM² increases the chances of ethnic minorities to study the field they want. An eligible applicant must be a permanent resident of the State of Illinois, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and belong to one of the minorities. At the time of application, a student must be a full-time college student.
ExxonMobil/LNESC Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 4/15/2021
- Amount: $20,000
The ExxonMobil/LNESC Scholarship Program aims to support Latinos who want to gain an academic degree in engineering at the U.S. college or university. A potential participant must have a residence permit in the particular region, attend a full-time Bachelor’s program in engineering, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and above, and reach the ACT of 29 or the SAT of 1350. Also, he/she must be of a Hispanic background, which can be proved by relevant documents.
FTE Fellowships for Latino/a, Asian and First Nations Doctoral Students
- Application Deadline: 2/1/2021
- Amount: Not fixed
FTE provides financial support for doctoral students who have succeeded in their Ph.D. or Th.D’s coursework. An applicant must demonstrate his/her commitment to the religious, theological, or biblical studies while attending the classes in an American or Canadian institution. A candidate must Hispanic, Asian, or representative of any other ethnic minority. Importantly, he/she must complete the coursework by the beginning of the fellowship year.
GRCF Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids Minority Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 3/1/2021
- Amount: Not fixed
The Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids Minority Scholarship is open to students of the ethnic minorities, including African-American, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Pacific Islander. During the application process, the major condition for them is to study at a non-profit public or private college/university with the major in fine arts. Also, an applicant should be able to prove his/her financial need, have a resident permit in Kent County, and have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
GRCF Miller Johnson West Michigan Diversity Law School Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 3/1/2021
- Amount: $5,000
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation offers the Law Scholarships to students of ethnic minorities, including African American, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Alaskan Native. Despite being located in Michigan, the administration of this scholarship aims to help all minority students who are pursuing a law degree at any accredited law college or university in the United States. As long as you can prove your financial need and have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, feel free to send your application.
GRCF Warner Norcross & Judd Law School Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 3/1/2021
- Amount: $5,000
The Warner Norcross & Judd Law School Scholarship is focused on the financial assistance to students of ethnical minorities who wants to gain an academic degree in Law. A student should study paralegal or legal secretarial studies at any accredited law school in the United States and have a status of a current or former resident of Michigan in order to send an application.
GRCF Warner Norcross & Judd Paralegal and Legal Secretarial Scholarship
- Application Deadline: 4/1/2021
- Amount: Not fixed
In order to apply for the GRCF Warner Norcross & Judd Paralegal and Legal Secretarial Scholarship, an eligible candidate must belong to one of the minority groups in the country. This is the first and the major condition for the program. Also, a potential candidate should study paralegal or legal secretarial studies at an accredited program in Michigan or in any state across the country. But he/she should be a current or past resident of Michigan. What’s more important, he/she should be able to prove their financial need to the government or the organization.
Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards
- Application Deadline: 12/6/2020
- Amount: $1,000
The Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards are granted by the social Foundation to Latino high school seniors who demonstrate excellent performance in their studies. Compared to other scholarship programs, this one involves a broad spectrum of disciplines. The potential applicants can have major Business & Finance, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Education, Healthcare & Science, Media & Entertainment, Social Justice, and Technology. Among the mandatory requirements is that a candidate has a status of a high school senior, reach a minimum 3.0 GPA, have a Hispanic background (for example, Spain, Brazil, and the Philippines), have a U.S. citizenship or permanent residence permit, and qualify for DACA. Of course, the nearest plans of the candidate should involve the attendance of an accredited higher education institution in the United States.
Hispanic Scholarship Consortium Scholarship Program
- Application Deadline: 4/30/2021
- Amount: Not fixed
The Hispanic Scholarship Consortium aims to detect highly motivated student leaders with a clear understanding of their future plans in a particular field. In order to apply for the HSC Scholars Program, a candidate should be a high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student. Also, he/she must be of Hispanic/Latino origins, reach a 2.5 GPA, and be a resident of Texas.
Lebanon Valley College Multicultural Fellowship
- Application Deadline: Varies
- Amount: $5,000
The target audience of the Multicultural Fellowship (MCF) is also limited to the representatives of such racial and ethnic groups as African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, Native American, or multiracial. Financial aid will range from $1,000-$5,000 annually for up to four years, depending on financial need. To qualify for the scholarship, a candidate must complete the FAFSA.
MALDEF Law School Scholarship Program
- Application Deadline: 12/31/2020
- Amount: $2,000
MALDEF’s Law School Scholarship Program is accessible to all students in the Law faculty who are currently involved in an accredited law school in the United States. A potential candidate will be evaluated for his/her academic and extracurricular performance, ethnical background, and financial need. What’s even more important is that a potential candidate should demonstrate an utter commitment to advancing Latino civil rights in their careers. The developers of this scholarship request a personal statement of up to 750 words to be attached to the other application documents.
The Bottom Line
Finding a good scholarship is probably the best way to get through college or university without getting into a huge debt. As you can see, there are more than enough opportunities for ethnic minorities to receive financial aid from the government and social organization. Depending on different factors such as your age, field of study, or ethnicity, you may be eligible for one or several types of funding. Once you find the most appropriate options for yourself, don’t hesitate to apply for scholarship assistance.
