SCHOLARSHIP TIMELINE

• Scholarship winners will be announced publicly at the LIA Youth Leadership Conferences.
• In the Fall (Aug-Sept), students will be contacted to provide the necessary information to claim
  their scholarship. Please ensure your application includes accurate contact details, such as a
  personal email and phone number (do not use a school email).
• Funds will be sent directly to the student’s college financial aid office at the start of the Fall 2026 semester
  • Scholarship recipients who have not enrolled in a post-secondary program for the Fall of
    2026 may forfeit the scholarship funds.

REQUIREMENTS

• You must be a graduating high school senior currently enrolled in an LIA class.
• Submit a personal essay as a pdf file.
• Submit a letter of recommendation as a pdf file.
• Submit a cover letter introducing yourself and showcasing your experience with LIA as a pdf.
• Your cumulative GPA is included in the scholarship form submission.
  WHAT YOU WILL NEED
• A letter of recommendation from an adult with whom you have worked (ex: school administrator,
  employer, community representative, teacher, etc). Your letter of recommendation should not be
  written by a relative/family member.
• A cover letter introducing yourself, showcasing your experience with LIA, and stating your plans
  ahead (please include the Institution you plan to attend)
• A personal essay that portrays the “You Belong” theme. Your essay must be a maximum of 2
  pages, double-spaced, using size 12 font with 1”(one inch) margins.
• Your cumulative GPA is included in the scholarship form submission.
  WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PERSONAL ESSAY
• Share your background, heritage, family structure (number of parents and siblings), and how these
  have influenced you. What personal challenges have you overcome?
• Describe your community involvement, including where and how long you served, your role, and
  any work experience during school (position and weekly hours). Mention any additional
  involvement in church, clubs, or other organizations.
• Explain your educational and career goals, and your motivation for pursuing them. Finally, share
  your involvement in Latinos In Action, how it has supported your school and community, and its
  impact on you.

JUDGING CRITERIA

• Please review the LIA Scholarship Rubric and ensure that your scholarship application includes all
  required elements.
  • AI-generated submissions are detectable and will not be considered.

View Competition Guidelines for more details.