Hispanic Scholarship Fund Opens to All Races

Applicants of any race or ethnicity can seek awards that now turn on a demonstrated commitment to Hispanic success, beginning January 2027.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Scholarships

Bold vector editorial illustration of an open doorway with warm amber light on a cream wall, with three closed books on the threshold. — The Hispanic Scholarship Fund will open its awards to applicants of any race or ethnicity starting with the January 2027 cycle, under a settlement of a lawsuit brought by the American Alliance for Equal Rights. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Hispanic Scholarship Fund announced Monday that it will open its scholarships to applicants of all races and ethnicities, ending its previous limit to students who identify as Hispanic. The change is part of a settlement of a lawsuit filed last year by the American Alliance for Equal Rights.

Why it matters

The shift changes who can apply for one of the largest private scholarship programs aimed at Hispanic students, starting with the January 2027 cycle. The fund said it had been weighing the change since 2023, the year the Supreme Court banned race-based college admissions.

Eligibility will no longer consider an applicant's race or ethnicity, starting in January 2027. Scholarships will go to students who demonstrate a commitment to the success of Hispanics in the United States.

The players

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

The nation's largest private scholarship provider for Hispanic students, which funds college scholarships across the United States.

American Alliance for Equal Rights

A legal advocacy group that filed the lawsuit alleging the fund discriminated against applicants of other races and ethnicities.

The details

Under the new approach, the fund will select recipients based on demonstrated commitment to the success of Hispanics in the United States rather than on race or ethnicity. The change was adopted as part of a settlement agreement in the lawsuit brought by the American Alliance for Equal Rights, which alleged the fund discriminated against people of other races and ethnicities. The fund's president said the aim is to ensure that allies from more communities support Hispanic Americans. Applicants should expect the new criteria to appear in the application process beginning with the January 2027 start date.

2023: Supreme Court banned race-based college admissions, and the fund began considering the change.
Last year: American Alliance for Equal Rights filed its lawsuit against the fund.
Monday, November 9, 2026: Hispanic Scholarship Fund announced the eligibility change.
January 2027: Race and ethnicity stop being considered for scholarship applicants.

Education Landscape

The change comes after the Supreme Court's 2023 decision barring race-based college admissions, which has pushed many education-linked programs to revisit race-conscious criteria. It marks a notable shift for a scholarship program that had long been defined by Hispanic identity.

Students who previously would have been ineligible based on identity may now apply under the fund's new commitment-based criteria starting in January 2027. Applicants should review the eligibility language when it is published and ask the scholarship provider directly how commitment will be assessed.

The takeaway

Scholarship eligibility is shifting as courts and settlements reshape how race and ethnicity factor into education funding. Applicants interested in the Hispanic Scholarship Fund should check its published criteria before the January 2027 change takes effect.