Finding Hispanic College Scholarships for Women & Mothers

As a single mother you may have already concluded that with a sole income it is very difficult to raise your children.

One of the logical decisions that can change this situation is to look for ways to increase your income.

The situation becomes even more complicated when you are part of a minority community.

Getting a qualification will increase your chances to land a better paid job, or to have your salary increased at your current job.

One of the easiest ways to get a qualification is to go to college, but since this involves tuition fees, you may be reluctant to do so. The best thing to do is to search for single mom Hispanic college scholarships which cater to minority groups.

First in My Family Scholarship
If you are the first in your family to pursue higher education, you may be interested in the First in My Family Scholarship Program. The awards range between $500 and $5,000 and are offered by the well respected Hispanic College Fund.

Other Hispanic Scholarship Programs
The Chicana/Latina Foundation Scholarship Committee is another reputable organization which offers college scholarships for Hispanic women.

However, these are aimed at women from the San Francisco Bay area only. In order to qualify for the tuition assistance of $1,500, the women must have lived in the Bay area for at least 24 months. Also, the attended college needs to be in the surrounding counties.

Latin American Women’s Professional Foundation can also help Hispanic mothers to continue their education. When deciding to go to college, Hispanic single moms need to consider the type of borders that need to be crossed: financial and cultural.

The financial part should no longer represent a problem for you, as there are plenty of scholarships that cover partially or even the complete tuition fee.

Finding scholarships for a single hispanic mother may not seem easy, but there are a number of opportunties out there.

If you really want to go to college then you WILL find the money to do it – “where there’s a will, there’s a way”, as the old adage goes!

There are a few places to look for a valuable free scholarship, including:

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
Hispanic Heritage Foundation
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)
Private scholarships for Single Mothers

HSF (Hispanic Scholarship Fund)
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is the largest fund for Hispanic students looking for educational finacial aid.

HSF’s mission is to strengthen America by advancing the college education of Hispanic Americans. HSF will achieve this mission by increasing the rate of Hispanics earning a college degree.

Currently they are giving away around $30 million per year in schoalrship funds to Hispanic students across all 50 US states as well as for colleges in Guam, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (Univision Scholarship)

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is specifically focused on providing scholarship opportunities to Hispanic students.

The Becas Univision Scholarship program has now been combined with the HSF.

The deadline is March, with selection happening in May 2018. Winners will find out if they are the lucky recipient of a scholarship between October and December.

The available scholarships give applicants the opportunity to receive anywhere between $500 and $5000 in educational financial assistance.

The amount you receive will depend on your financial need which is determined by the selectors. Of course, you have to be chosen to have a chance at any amount so making sure you meet all the eligibility requirements is vital as a first step (see below).

For an extra high chance of being selected for the HSF or Univision scholarship, consider that they are now putting a greater emphasis on students who are studying STEM majors:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Mathematics

You do of course stil have a chance of receiving a scholarship in other fields, as all of the usual graduate and major fields are eligible.

In addition to scholarships, a range of other services are also provided by the fund to assist future and current students. Scholarships valued between $500 up to $5,000 are awarded, providing an excellent opportunity to have many of your educational expenses covered.

The overall goal of the HSF is to encourage Latino families and individuals to feel confident in making further education an achievable priority in their lives, rather than something that seems financially out of reach.

Some of you might be looking for the Becas Univision Scholarship program – however this scholarship has now been merged with the HSF and that’s where you now need to apply.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund aims to see one college graduate in every Hispanic household in the USA!

Quick Facts About the HSF Scholarships:

• Undergraduate and graduate students can qualify for merit-based scholarships
• Awards range in value from $500 up to $5,000
• All graduate fields and majors are accepted. There is an emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) subjects

What are the eligibility requirements to qualify for a scholarship with HSF?

To qualify for up to $5,000 from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, you need to meet some basic requirements.

As an adult student and a college undergraduate or graduate, or someone transferring from community college, you are eligible to apply for a scholarship with HSF provided you:

• are of Hispanic heritage
• are a US citizen, a permanent legal resident, an eligible non citizen according to the FAFSA, or DACA
• have a 2.5 GPA minimum on a 4.0 scale or equivalent
• are planning to enrol at an accredited four year university or graduate school full time during the Fall of the scholarship cycle year
• complete a FAFSA
• you may also need to complete a financial aid application in your state where applicable

When Do Applications Open?

HSF scholarships applications usually open December 1.

The Fund recommends preparing in advance, and the first step is to start your own profile at the official HSF website. Applications close on March 30, giving you three months to prepare and apply.

What Other Scholarship Programs Does the HSF Offer?
In addition to the main HSF scholarship of between $500-$5000, the fund also offers various other scholarship programs for Latino students, including adults and mothers wanting to go back to school like yourself. It’s important to be aware of all the awards that are available and if you qualify – the more scholarships you apply for, the greater your chance of receiving one!

This college financial aid can mean the difference in being able to study, or not being able to afford it at all.

The other four scholarship programs on offer through the HSF are:

• Gates Millennium Scholarship (GMS)
• Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities Scholarship (VAMOS)
• Greater Cincinnati HSF Scholarship
• Becas Univision Scholarship Program

No matter which scholarship you want to apply for, it’s important to be familiar with the eligibility requirements so that your application will have the best possible chance of succeeding and getting you that scholarship money you so want and need for your further education!

Read on to find out the specific requirements for each of the other college financial aid programs offered through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Gates Millennium Scholarship (GMS)

This scholarship started in 1999 with plans to run for 20 years thanks to a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Note that this scholarship is not specifically targeted at adults, although some mothers might be eligible if you meet are a high school senior, GED recipient, or high school graduate going to an accredited college for the first time. If you don’t meet these requirements as an adult woman or mother, don’t despair, as there are many other Hispanic and general scholarships that you can apply for.

Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities Scholarship (VAMOS)

Students in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas are who the Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities Scholarship is aimed at, with the goal to help people like you to become empowered to achieve your goals with the help of the financial assistance provided with this scholarship. This is a generous scholarship that offers the winners:

• $3,000 of financial aid per year of study for students attending University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• $5,000 for students who are attending other universities, colleges and accredited institutions

Do note however, that unlike the other scholarships within the HSF, VAMOS is only open to high school graduating seniors so is unlikely to be suitable for most mothers. It is still worth being aware of this scholarship in case it becomes open to older students in the future.

Greater Cincinnati HSF Scholarship

This scholarship program is aimed at Latino students who live in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. It is all about supporting people in need throughout the Midwest, providing much needed student financial aid to the lucky winners.

To be eligible as an adult student for the Greater Cincinnati HSF Scholarship you need to meet these requirements:

• Be of Hispanic heritage
• Resident of Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky or be planning to attend school in either of these states
• Have a minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale or equivalent
• Be a US citizen
• Complete your FAFSA
• Have pkans to enrol in an accredited university or college full time

Applications for the Greater Cincinnati HSF Scholarship open in January and are distributed between October and December each year.

Becas Univision Scholarship Program

The Becas Univision scholarship was started as a part of the Univision Educación campaign. What you need to know about this scholarship program:

• The scholarship is open to Latino students who live in the USA
• You must be of Hispanic heritage
• As an adult college or graduate student you need to have a minimum of 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale or equivalent
• You need to complete a FAFSA application, and state based application if required
• You need to be planning to enrol full time in an accredited 4 year university or grad school during the Fall of a scholarship cycle year

Applications for the Becas Univision Scholarship Program open on January 1 and have a deadline of March 30 for submissions. If you have been chosen to receive an award through the program, you will find out during June or July, and the awards are distributed from October to December.