HDF Scholarship Program
The Hispanic Development Fund Scholarship Program has empowered generations of Kansas City’s Hispanic/Latino students to access higher education, pursue their goals, and give back to their community. What began in 1984 with $100 scholarships awarded to 100 students has grown into one of the region’s largest scholarship efforts awarding over $10 million to more than 6,030 students. Today, the program continues to break down financial barriers, support first-generation college students, and cultivate future Latino leaders who are shaping our community and beyond.
The HDF Scholarship application for 2025-2026 closed February 1, 2025. The application window for 2026-2027 will open December 1, 2025 and close February 1, 2026.
HDF Scholarship Eligibility
To qualify for an HDF Scholarship, students must be of Hispanic/Latino Heritage along with the following requirements.
Graduating/have graduated from a Greater Kansas City metropolitan area high school or obtain a general equivalency diploma (GED or HiSET) from a local organization. (The Greater Kansas City metropolitan area is generally defined as Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, in Missouri. Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.)
Accepted or enrolled in a college or university fully accredited by the U.S. Department of Education and working toward an associate, trade/certificate, bachelor, or graduate degree.
Enroll or be enrolled as a full-time student. (A minimum 12 credit hours for undergraduate and 9 credit hours for graduate. Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed for part-time enrollment.)
U.S Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.
Evaluation
Scholarship applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:
Proven academic merit as reflected in GPA and answer to essay question.
Demonstrated need for financial assistance as exhibited by family’s gross income, size of family, and other financial need.
Demonstrated community involvement such as volunteering, extracurriculars, and/or work experience.
Applications are reviewed anonymously by the scholarship review committee.
Named Scholarships
The growth of the HDF Scholarship Program coincides with the increase of individuals, families, businesses, and organizations who have created a Named Scholarship through HDF. These scholarships are funded in memory or in honor of a loved one, to affirm and inspire scholars pursuing a specific career path, to support undocumented students, amongst other reasons.