Hispanic women have a number of opportunities to fund their education.
Hispanic women in Florida have a number of funding opportunities as they look for ways to pay for their college education. Students should look to a variety of sources, including the Florida Department of Education, national Hispanic organizations and interest-based groups that offer scholarships to specific groups of women.
Florida Student Grant Programs
Graduating high school students are eligible for several grants from the Florida Department of Education.
The Florida Department of Education offers several grants to Florida residents who plan to attend school in-state. The Jose Marti Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund is a need-based funding source targeting Florida's Hispanic students. An eligible applicant must have a natural parent who was born in a Hispanic country. She also must earn an unweighted GPA of 3.0 by her seventh semester in high school. Priority is given to graduating high school seniors.
The department offers several other funding opportunities for which Hispanic female students could qualify. The First Generation Matching Grant Program helps students with substantial financial need who are first-generation college students. This means that neither of the eligible students' parents will have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher. Students regularly supported by only one parent who has not earned a college degree are also eligible.
A popular option for Florida students is the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship, the state's lottery-funded program that pays per credit hour based on a graduating student's GPA. The program is divided into three different awards based on the type of post-secondary institution the student attends and her actual GPA.
National Hispanic Awards
Many national Hispanic organizations sponsor various grants and scholarships that could be available to Hispanic women in Florida.
The Hispanic College Fund grants funding to students based on their intended majors and also offers a scholarship to students of Puerto Rican descent.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's scholarship program gives financial assistance to Latino students who demonstrate need and civic engagement in their community. The organizations gives one-time scholarships in $1,000, $2,500 and $5,000 increments based on the type of institute in which the student is enrolled.
The League of United Latin American Citizens offers a variety of scholarships for students of all levels. The scholarships are given through the organization's National Educational Service Centers and are based on a variety of factors.
The Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards are given out based on region. High school juniors living in Florida would fall under the Miami region and should have a GPA of 3.0.
Though based in California, the Chicano Organizing and Research in Education's "Que Llueva Cafe" scholarship is open to first-year college students of all states.
The National Hispanic Recognition Program, offered through the College Board, recognizes Hispanic students who take the PSAT test in their junior year and earn high scores. Several colleges and universities will offer scholarships based on that achievement.
Interest-based Scholarships
The National Association of Hispanic Nurses offers scholarships to nursing students.
Some scholarships apply to specific groups of women in Florida. The Florida Women's State Golf Association offers funds for college-bound women interested in golf but not qualified to earn an athletic scholarship in the sport. Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA and attend an accredited Florida college or university.
The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation offers annual grants for Christian women who live in several southern states, including Florida. Grants are awarded according to need for undergraduate study, with special interest given to health education. Funds must go toward an accredited institution in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Lousiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee or Virginia.
The National Association of Hispanic Nurses also provides scholarship funds to Hispanic nursing students, though not necessarily women, who "demonstrate promise of future professional contributions to the nursing profession" based on their current academic standing, according to the association's website.
Journalism students should consider scholarships offered by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. The association funds several scholarships based on the specific field of journalism students wish to pursue, including broadcast, print and online media.
Tags: Association Hispanic, Department Education, Florida Department, Florida Department Education, high school
