HACU Scholarship Criteria

HACU Scholarship Criteria

To be eligible to apply for HACU Scholarships, applicants must meet the following HACU Scholarship Program criteria listed below.

Current College or University Students:

1. Are currently enrolled at a HACU-member institution;
2. Have graduated from a high school or have earned a high school equivalency diploma in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or outside of the U.S.;
3. Have completed your first-semester of college at a HACU-member institution;
4. Intend to enroll at a HACU-member institution in the Fall 2024 semester/term of the 2024-2025 academic year.
5. If you are transferring institutions, the institution must also be HACU-member to be eligible to apply; for the most up-to-date listing of HACU-member institutions,Please Click Here.
6. Demonstrate financial need if required by the scholarship sponsor, typically determined by the FAFSA application or State/Institutional Aid application (non-citizen students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA).

 

Current High School Seniors:

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To stay up to date on application openings and deadlines, please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter - @HACUNews.

 

 

Download the HACU Scholarship Flyer (Click Here)

 

Promote the HACU Scholarship Program at your campus:

• Distribute them in high-traffic areas like dorms, libraries, student centers, bulletin boards, and department offices.
• Post information about the scholarship program on your college's financial aid website and social media channels.
• Reach out to student organizations and clubs relevant to the scholarship criteria.
• If possible, send targeted emails about the scholarship to your students who might be eligible.

Scholarships Available

Scholarships Available

Please carefully review each scholarship criteria to determine eligibility.

• Scholarship Application Guide: (Download Here) This guide helps new and returning applicants navigate our HACU Scholarship application system, hacu.awardspring.com.
• The online application will automatically match you to the scholarship(s) for which you are eligible after creating your student profile.
• If you were not matched to a scholarship, then you are not eligible for the current HACU scholarships.

We encourage all students to apply for our scholarships, regardless of immigration status. This includes international students and undocumented students.

PLEASE NOTE: Additional scholarship opportunities may be added throughout the semester/term.

 

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SiteOne Landscape Supply Scholarship

Amount	$1,000
Term or Year	Fall 2024 (2024-25 Academic Year)
Awards Available	5
Renewable	No
Deadline	May 30, 2024
Organization	SiteOne Landscape Supply UN1DOS Associate Resource Group

 

SiteOne Landscape Supply Scholarship applicants must also meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify:

• Must be attending a 2-year or 4-year HACU Member Institution.
• Open to Undergraduate students only (must be classified as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior)
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Open to U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Legally Authorize to Work in the U.S. (SiteOne cannot provide sponsorship)
• Open to students majoring in Landscape Architecture, Construction, Biochemistry, Agrobusiness, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Entomology, Horticulture/Plant Studies, Plant Sciences, Finance, Accounting, General Business Administration, Agriculture, Arborist, Agronomy, Turf, Golf Course Planning/Management, Agronomic Management, Sales Marketing, Human Resources, Information Technology, or Logistics/Supply Chain.

SiteOne Landscape Supply Scholarship specific essay questions:

• In 250 words or less, tell us why you chose your major and how you’re going to apply it in your career?
• At SiteOne Landscape Supply, we’re obsessed with our customers’ success. Give us an example in a past internship or role where you’ve gone above and beyond to help a customer.
• How has your background/culture influenced your education?
• Would you be interested in interning with SiteOne Landscape Supply or in a future career opportunity?

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2024 Diversity in Health Care Scholarship

Amount	$5,000
Term or Year	Fall 2024 (2024-25 Academic Year)
Awards Available	110
Renewable	Yes
Deadline	May 1, 2024
Organization	United Health Foundation

 

Diversity in Health Care Scholarship applicants must meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify:

• Students must be enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year HACU Member.
• Open to student pursuing degrees (associate, bachelor, master, doctorate) that will lead to careers as Clinical Professionals that may include Physician, Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, Nurse, Pharmacist, Dentist, Social Worker, Addiction Counselor, Clinical Psychologist, or related clinical professions. 
• Open to Undergraduate (classified as a sophomore or junior) and Graduate students.
• At the time of application, students must have at least (2) two years of study remaining before their anticipated degree completion date.
• Must be enrolled full-time.
• Minimum GPA of a 3.0 or higher.
• Identifies as Hispanic/ Latino, Black/African American, Native American/ Alaska Native or Asian or is focused on the health of these communities or other underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.

Scholarship Specific Essay (250-500-word essay): 

• What is your personal motivation for applying to the Diversity in Health Care Scholarship?

Renewable:

Scholarships may be renewed annually for up to 4 years (maximum $20,000) as long as the student maintains eligibility requirements or until the student has completed their intended degree, whichever comes first.

Benefits for Scholarship Recipient:

• All scholarship recipients will be invited to attend Webinars with HACU partners to learn about current career opportunities in their field.
• All scholarship recipients will be invited to apply for HACU National Internship Program with corporate and federal partners. 
• Sophomores and Juniors will be invited to attend the Emerging Leaders' Summits.

Requirements for Scholarship Recipient:

• (25) Twenty-five Juniors are required to attend the ¡Adelante! Leadership Institute at HACU's 38th Annual Conference from November 1-3, 2024, in Aurora, Colorado (SAVE THE DATE). Expenses (travel, hotel lodging, and registration) are included as a scholarship benefit.
• (60) Sixty Sophomores are required to attend the ¡Adelante! Leadership Institute at HACU's 39th Annual Conference November 2025 in Aurora, Colorado. Expenses (travel, hotel lodging, and registration) are included as a scholarship benefit.

Please Note: If you are a current, 2023 Diversity in Health Care Scholars, you cannot apply for the 2024 Diversity in Health Scholarship Program application. You will receive instructions for our annual Diversity in Health Scholarship Renewal Process and Form.

Download Diversity in Health Care Scholarship Flyer

 

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Café Bustelo El Café Del Futuro Scholarship

Amount	$5,000
Term or Year	2024-25 Academic Year
Awards Available	25
Renewable	No
Deadline	June 30, 2024
Organization	Café Bustelo®

 

Café Bustelo El Café Del Futuro Scholarship applicants must meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify:

• Open to ALL majors
• Must be attending a 4-year HACU Member institution
• Open to Undergraduate and Graduate students
• Must be enrolled Full-time
• Must be of Hispanic or Latinx descent? (Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture/origin).

Scholarship Specific Essay: 

• Describe how your Latino heritage, family and the community in which you grew up have impacted your desire and motivation to obtain a college degree. Additionally, describe what you intend to accomplish with your degree and how you will give back to your community.

Download the Café Bustelo Scholarship Flyer

 

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Coca Cola First Generation Scholarship Program

Amount	$5,000
Term or Year	2024-25 Academic Year
Awards Available	5
Renewable	No
Deadline	May 1, 2024
Organization	The Coca Cola Foundation

 

Coca Cola First Generation Scholarship applicants must meet the following criteria to qualify:

• Must be a graduating High School Senior in 2023-2024 academic year.
• Must be attending a high school at a HACU-Member Hispanic-Serving School Districts (HSSDs) or a high school senior who participated in a HACU Student Program during the 2023-2024 academic year. 
• Have a minimum high school grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• Must be majoring in Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Math, or Business Administration.
• Plans to enroll full-time as an incoming First-Year Freshman at a HACU-Member Institution during the 2024-2025 academic school year.
• Must be a First-Generation college student (defined as a student whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not complete a four-year bachelor’s degree from a university in the U.S.).
• Must be of Hispanic or Latinx descent (Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin).
• Must demonstrate financial need. Scholarship finalists will be required to submit a copy of their Student Aid Index (SAI) as listed on their FAFSA Submission Summary or Financial Award Letter for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Coca Cola First Generation Scholarship Flyer

 

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Kia America Accelerate the Good Scholarship Program

Amount	$10,000-$15,000
Term or Year	2024-25 Academic Year
Awards Available	17
Renewable	No
Deadline	May 1, 2024
Organization	Kia America, Inc

 

Kia America Accelerate the Good Scholarship applicants must meet the following criteria to qualify:

• Must be attending a 2-year or 4-year HACU Member institution.
• Open to Undergraduate and Graduate students
• Must be Enrolled Full-time.
• Minimum undergraduate or graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Must be majoring in Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Math, or Business Administration.
• Must demonstrate financial need. Scholarship finalists will be required to submit a copy of their Student Aid Index (SAI) as listed on their FAFSA Submission Summary and their Financial Award Letter for the 2024-2025 academic year to demonstrate financial need. 

 

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Career Certificate Scholarship Program

Amount	Monetary value = $300 (no funds exchanged)
Term or Year	6-month online program
Awards Available	500
Deadline	Rolling dependent on openings
Organization	Google

 

Google has granted 500 Career Certificate Scholarships for HACU to disperse to its students attending Hispanic Serving Member Institutions. Gain the job-ready skills you need to launch or advance your career with a certificate in Google IT Support, Google IT Automation with Python, Google Data Analytics, Google Project Management or Google UX Design. See below for information about certificates offered through this initiative.

Career Certificate Scholarship Program applicants must also meet the following scholarship criteria to qualify.

• Open to ALL majors
• Must be attending a 2- or 4-year HACU Member institution
• Open to Undergraduate and Graduate students
• Must complete the program within 6 months

Scholarship specific essay question:

Please briefly share how you think the Grow with Google Career Certificate you are interested in will benefit your career and/or professional development goals.

How to Apply:

Fill out the Career Certificate Scholarship Application Form HERE

Your application will be reviewed and upon selection, you will receive an invitation from Coursera learning platform to join and select the certificate you chose. You will receive automated reminders and completion emails from Coursera throughout the program. Please ensure you are reading them for updates and important information.

Application Dates:

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all scholarships are filled. Applicants are placed on a wait list if all spots are occupied. As certificates are completed, students on the wait list will be invited to join.

 

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¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Higher Education Travel Award Program

Award	Travel Award (no funds exchanged)
Term or Year	2024-2025 Academic Year
Awards Available	185
Deadline	April 26, 2024
Organization	Southwest Airlines®

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and Southwest Airlines® have opened applications for the 20th Annual ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Higher Education Travel Award Program. Online applications will be accepted through April 26, 2024.

Through this national initiative, HACU and Southwest Airlines will award roundtrip flights to undergraduate and graduate students across the country. Eligibility requirements include being enrolled at a college/university located at least 200 miles from a student’s home and the submission of required essays. Selected students receive tickets for use to travel between home and college or university.

How to Apply: Click Here to Learn More!

Please Note: The ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Higher Education Travel Award Program requires a different application.

 

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LanguageCert International Student Scholarship

Amount	$5,000
Term or Year	Fall 2024 (2024-25 Academic Year)
Awards Available	5
Renewable	No
Deadline	March 31, 2024 (CLOSED)
Organization	LanguageCert

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for scholarships using the AwardSpring platform?

Navigate to: https://hacu.awardspring.com/

Download the Scholarship Application Guide: (Download Here). This guide walks you through applying for Palo Alto Networks Cyber Scholars Program on AwardSpring. 

I am in need of immediate financial aid (scholarships or emergency grants), where can I apply?

We understand your need for financial support. While we currently don't offer emergency funding, we recommend contacting your financial aid office to explore available scholarships, grants, and emergency assistance programs at your college/university. They can guide you through the specific options and assist you in finding the best solution for your situation.

What other recommendations do you have for Financial Aid support? 

We welcome you to visit our "Financial Aid Tips for College Students - Find the Resources You Need at Your College Campus."

Where can I find information regarding the 2024-2025 Better FAFSA application?

Visit the 2024-25 Better FAFSA Information webpage for information and resources.

What other External Scholarship Resources are there? 

Please visit our Other Scholarship Resources where you'll find external scholarships, internships, fellowships and other student programs tailored to your interests. 

Can Undocumented Immigrant students (with or without DACA/TPS) create a scholarship profile to be matched for HACU Scholarships? 

Yes, we welcome all college/university students to create an online scholarship application profile. While some scholarships may have specific citizenship requirements, our application system will match you with scholarships you are eligible for based on your profile.

What additional resources are available for Undocumented Immigrant students?

We invite you to visit our Resources Undocumented Immigrant students (CLICK HERE) to learn more about college funding sources, immigration legal resources, and best practices for identifying or building a supportive community at your campus..

Where can I print an enrollment verification form and financial aid release form?

These forms are accessible online before you submit your application. If you have already submitted your application online, then you can choose these links: verification form, financial aid release form.

May I submit an electronic unofficial transcript and enrollment verification if my school provides them?

Yes, scholarship finalists will have the opportunity to upload a copy of their supporting documents in their AwardSpring dashboard when requested.

What do I do with my financial aid release form?

You file this form with your financial aid office. You do not need to mail this document to HACU.

Are high school students eligible?

GREAT NEWS!!!! Yes, we have a HACU scholarship available to current graduating high school seniors.

Do I have to be Hispanic or Latina/o to apply for a HACU scholarship?

No, HACU scholarships are open to students of all ethnicities and backgrounds! We encourage everyone to apply.

It's important to note that some of our partnered scholarships may have specific eligibility criteria, including ethnicity or race. However, creating a scholarship application profile allows us to match you with a variety of opportunities you might be eligible for.

If I do not attend a HACU member institution, am I eligible for a HACU scholarship?

No, HACU scholarships are currently limited to students enrolled at a HACU-member institution. However, we encourage you to explore other resources that might be a good fit for you!

Here are a few options:

¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Higher Education Travel Award Program: Through this national initiative, HACU and Southwest Airlines will award roundtrip flights to undergraduate and graduate students across the country.

Other Scholarship Resources: We have a page dedicated to other external scholarship opportunities.

How can my school become a member of HACU?

Please refer your school personnel to the HACU-Membership page on our website by clicking here. This page provides information on how your school can join and details about our membership categories, dues and benefits. You can personally deliver a membership information packet to your college or university president.

To request a HACU membership information packet, please email your name and mailing address to our Membership Department at memberinfo@hacu.net.

The scholarship I want to apply for is not on my scholarship selection page, why not?

If you were not matched to a scholarship, then you are not eligible for that award.

Based on the information you enter, the online application will automatically match you to the scholarship(s) for which you are eligible. Please review the specific scholarship criteria.

When will I be notified if I was selected for a HACU scholarship?

Student will  receive an email notification to the email listed in the scholarship application and their scholarship status will be updated on their AwardSpring dashboard. 

How are scholarship funds disbursed, and how can I use my scholarship funds?

If you are awarded a scholarship, we will mail a scholarship check directly to your financial aid office. These funds can be used for any educational expenses.

Will I receive my scholarship funds before the start of the semester?

No, scholarship funds will be disbursed after enrollment verification has been completed. Enrollment Verifications are completed after Census Date. 

Disbursements occur in September/October for the fall semesters or February/March for the spring semesters.

How does a scholarship affect my other student aid?

A scholarship will affect your other student aid because all your student aid added together can’t be more than your cost of attendance at your college or university. So, you’ll need to let your school know if you’ve been awarded a scholarship so that the financial aid office can subtract that amount from your cost of attendance (and from certain other aid, such as loans, that you might have been offered). Then, any amount left can be covered by other financial aid for which you’re eligible. Ask your financial aid office if you have questions.

How does the scholarship award selection process work?

Once you complete your online application and the deadline has passed, your application is sent to the selected scholarship review committee who will review your application.

Once all applications have been reviewed, we will begin selecting finalists and notifying them to submit their supporting documents (unofficial transcripts, enrollment verification form, and/or letter of recommendations).

Once all documents are submitted and reviewed, recipients will be selected and notified.