Hispanic Scholarship Spotlight: The New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship

The New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship is a great scholarship opportunity for Hispanic and Latino/x high school seniors who live in New Mexico!

100% Tuition Coverage at New Mexico Public Colleges

Here at Lateenz, we’re all about making Hispanic and Latino/x high school students aware of the great educational and career opportunities that are available to them, like internships, summer and academic-year programs, competitions and awards, and, of course . . . scholarships. So, if you’re a Hispanic or Latino/x high school senior who lives in New Mexico, you really need to know about The New Mexico Lottery Scholarship!

New Mexico allocates part of the money that it collects through its state lottery to help its graduating high school seniors attend New Mexico’s public and tribal colleges. And, at least for the next few years, that allocation has been increased to cover up to 100% of tuition for an undergraduate degree for up to seven (7) semesters! According to the New Mexico Higher Education Department Secretary, Stephanie Rodriguez, the increased funding for the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship will let students “invest in their future without having to worry about burdensome debt or choosing between making ends meet and their education.”

Are You Eligible?

You are eligible for this scholarship if you:

are a resident of New Mexico;
graduate from a high school in New Mexico (or meet high school equivalency/home-schooling requirements);
enroll in a public college or university in New Mexico within 16 months of your graduation (you need to sign up for 15 credits for a 4-year college/12 credits for a 2-year community college); and
maintain a 2.6 GPA for each semester you are enrolled.

The scholarship kicks in once you are in the second semester of your first year. (The amount of tuition covered by the scholarship will vary by institution, so you’ll need to contact the institution that you plan to attend to find out). You don’t even need to apply separately for this scholarship; it’s all coordinated at the college/university level.

New Mexico Public Colleges That Qualify for the Scholarship

New Mexico has many public and tribal universities, 4-year colleges, and 2-year community colleges that qualify for the New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship, including:

Private Colleges and Other Expenses

The New Mexico Lottery Scholarship applies only to tuition and for public colleges in New Mexico. But that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you want to attend a private college (either inside or outside New Mexico) or if you need extra money for books and other college-related expenses. There are many other scholarships available that you can apply to private schools and other expenses, including scholarships especially for New Mexico students and for Hispanic and Latino/x students. If you want an easy way to find those, check out the Scholarships database in our Teen Resources section!