Scholarships:
During HACU’s recent 19th Annual Conference, held in Phoenix
on October 15-18, the HACU signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with Laureate International Universities to launch one of the largest
international scholarship funds dedicated to encouraging U.S. Hispanic
student participation in study abroad.
The HACU-Laureate International Scholarship Program was created
to eliminate one of the most substantial barriers preventing Hispanic
students from studying abroad – lack of financial resources.
The program will make available more than $20,000 in scholarships
to students at each U.S. HACU member institution for a total value
exceeding $8 million.
The program will offer one partial tuition scholarship (on average
50% of the tuition cost) to a student from each U.S. HACU member
institution to attend each of Laureate International Universities
Study Abroad Programs in Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Honduras,
Mexico, Panama, Peru, Spain and Switzerland. Thus, as many as 15
students from each national member may receive scholarship awards.
When a student applies to the HACU-Laureate International Scholarship
Program, he/she will at the same time be applying to study abroad
at one of the fifteen Laureate campuses. To qualify, a student
must attend a HACU member institution in the U.S. or Puerto Rico
and possess a minimum 2.7/4.0 GPA. Additionally, most Laureate
universities will require a minimum level of language ability in
Spanish or French.
In addition to the scholarship, a student can ordinarily apply
federal financial aid (Pell Grant, Stafford Loan, and PLUS loan)
toward this study abroad program. Program costs beyond tuition
will include travel and housing, program fees for services provided
in preparing the student to go abroad (academic advising, financial
aid counseling, and pre-departure orientation) and services while
abroad (airport reception, on-site orientation and support). Published
program fees can be found on the International Scholarship Program
website at www.internationalscholarships.net.
While all the Laureate International Universities are accredited
institutions in their own countries and their courses should easily
be able to transfer, in the event that a U.S. transcript is required,
Our Lady of the Lake University (San Antonio, TX) has agreed to
be the School of Record for the Program.
We strongly encourage you to visit the Program website where you
will find more detailed information including costs, subject areas,
and photos. Please pass this information along to the director
of your study abroad programs and promote it to interested faculty
and students.
Visit www.internationalscholarships.net.
HACU Member Advisories are a service of the Hispanic Association of Colleges
and Universities.