The Hispanic Scholarship Fund agreed to open its scholarships to applicants of all races and ethnicities under a settlement, and its 2026 HSF Scholar Program application closed February 15, 2026.
The settlement changes who can apply
For years, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund offered scholarships only to students who identified as having Hispanic heritage. The agreement changes that approach: applicants of all races and ethnicities can apply. The fund said it would assess applicants on whether they demonstrate a commitment to the success of Hispanics in the United States. The change concerns the criteria for receiving the awards, which support students pursuing higher education.¹²³
The change resolves a lawsuit brought by the American Alliance for Equal Rights. In December, the alliance sued in Federal District Court in Washington, D.C., on behalf of a white student and an Asian student. They said they met many of the scholarship’s eligibility requirements but could not qualify because they did not have Hispanic heritage. The alliance said the fund had discriminated against people of other races and ethnicities.¹²³
The lawsuit challenged the heritage restriction
The American Alliance for Equal Rights argued that restricting eligibility violated the Civil Rights Act and several other laws. The group was founded by Edward Blum, who also founded the group that successfully argued before the Supreme Court to ban race-based college admissions. Edward Williams, a lawyer who represented the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, spoke for the organization. The case focused on whether the fund could limit awards to students with Hispanic heritage.¹²³
The group was founded by Edward Blum, who also founded the group that successfully argued before the Supreme Court to ban race-based college admissions.
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Read More →The fund had been considering a change since 2023, the year the Supreme Court banned race-based college admissions. Fidel Vargas, the fund’s president and chief executive, said the organization had contemplated the change for several years. The settlement therefore followed a period in which the fund was already weighing a different approach to its scholarship program, alongside the lawsuit challenging its previous eligibility rules.¹³
A federal judge concluded in September that some claims against the fund were invalid and that other claims were better left to state courts. After that ruling, the organization agreed to change its program and moved to settle the lawsuit. The agreement changed the scholarship criteria while resolving the dispute; the judge’s conclusions addressed the claims in the case, rather than determining that every allegation was valid.¹
The fund offers scholarships and mentorship
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund provides financial aid ranging from $500 to $5,000 and offers mentorship opportunities. Its HSF Scholar Program listing says the fund selects 10,000 students as HSF Scholars every year from a broad pool of applicants. Those selected may also be eligible for a scholarship, which is awarded directly to students. The fund says it awards more than $30 million in scholarships annually.¹²³
The HSF Scholar Program profile became available January 5, 2026, and the application status is closed. The application window ended on the date stated in the lede, so applicants cannot submit for that cycle now. The program listing provides the cycle dates and current status, while the settlement describes the fund’s change to how it assesses applicants’ race, ethnicity and commitment to Hispanic success.¹²³
Applicants can check the program’s listed requirements
The program’s eligibility listing says applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent legal residents or have DACA status. It sets a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent, for high school students. College and graduate students need at least a 2.5 GPA on the same scale or equivalent. These thresholds give prospective applicants specific requirements to check when assessing whether they fit the listed program criteria.¹²
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Read More →The program listing also says the HSF Scholar Program is open to students of all races who identify as having Hispanic heritage. That description sits alongside the fund’s settlement announcement that it would consider applicants without regard to race or ethnicity and instead assess commitment to Hispanic success. With the application status closed, applicants can use the listed citizenship or residency and GPA requirements to assess eligibility for the program.¹²³
College and graduate students need at least a 2.5 GPA on the same scale or equivalent.
Check eligibility before applying
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund now accepts applicants of all races and ethnicities, but the 2026 cycle is closed. If you are a U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA holder, you can plan for the next cycle, which opens in January 2027. High school students need a 3.0 GPA, while college and graduate students need a 2.5 GPA. The fund selects 10,000 scholars annually and awards between $500 and $5,000 each, so meeting these thresholds matters.¹²³
The shift away from race-based criteria follows the 2023 Supreme Court ban on race-based college admissions. At Harvard, Hispanic enrollment fell from 16 percent to about 11 percent, while some schools saw slight increases in Black enrollment. This suggests that scholarships and admissions are becoming more competitive for underrepresented groups. If you are applying, focus on demonstrating commitment to Hispanic success, as the fund now weighs that instead of ethnicity.¹
Sources
Written by Career Ahead AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify key facts. Report errors to support@careeraheadonline.com
