HDF Scholarship (Beca HDF) Opening Soon
Offered by Hispanic Development Fund
About This Scholarship
The Hispanic Development Fund has been the engine of Latino scholarship support in Kansas City for four decades, awarding more than 6,500 scholarships totaling over $11 million since 1984. The HDF Scholarship (Beca HDF) is its flagship program, open to students from the six-county Kansas City metro - Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties in Missouri, plus Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.
The program casts a wide net by design. High school graduates and GED/HiSET earners from the metro area qualify, and the fund supports associate, trade and certificate, bachelor's, and graduate students alike. U.S. citizenship or residency is not required to apply, which keeps the door open for DACA recipients and undocumented students. Applications are reviewed anonymously on academic merit, financial need, and community involvement, and one application also puts students in the running for HDF's named scholarships created by local families, businesses, and organizations.
Full-time enrollment is expected once the award is in hand - at least 12 credit hours for undergraduates or 9 for graduate students at an accredited U.S. institution. The application window is short and early: it opens December 1, 2026 and closes February 1, 2027 for the 2027-28 academic year, well before many students have their financial aid picture settled, so metro-area families should have transcripts and essays ready before winter break.
Eligibility
- Graduate of a Greater Kansas City metro high school, or earned a GED/HiSET from a local organization, in Cass, Clay, Jackson, or Platte County (MO) or Johnson or Wyandotte County (KS)
- Accepted or enrolled full time at an accredited U.S. college or university (12+ credit hours undergraduate, 9+ graduate)
- Pursuing an associate, trade/certificate, bachelor's, or graduate degree
- U.S. citizenship or residency NOT required - DACA and undocumented students may apply
- Evaluated on academic merit, financial need, and community involvement
How To Apply
- Gather transcripts and financial information before the portal opens December 1, 2026
- Complete the online application linked from hdfkc.org/hdf-scholarship (applications are reviewed anonymously)
- One application automatically considers you for HDF's named scholarships as well
- Submit everything by the February 1, 2027 deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to apply?
No. HDF states that U.S. citizenship or residency is not required, so DACA recipients and undocumented students from the Kansas City metro are eligible.
Can graduate students or GED earners apply?
Yes. The program supports associate, trade/certificate, bachelor's, and graduate students, and students who earned a GED or HiSET from a local Kansas City-area organization qualify alongside high school graduates.
Which counties count as the Greater Kansas City area?
Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.