Nmsu Private Scholarships

Need, academic performance, interest, and background are just some factors that determine whether NMSU students are awarded private or external scholarships. We have listed some private scholarships that students might be interested in below, along with the application deadlines. Remember that NMSU is not the source of funding for these awards but rather public and private entities. 

Recommended Nmsu Private Scholarships

1. Financial Aid for New Students

Your academic credentials submitted with your New Mexico State University application may make you eligible for an institutional scholarship. View our current scholarship opportunities and eligibility requirements in the table below. Scholarships and discounts offered by the school are not available to online students.

Grade point averages shall be recognized as they appear in student transcripts without rounding up or down.

2. Grants for Returning Students

The Continuing Students Scholarship Renewal page provides information for current and former New Mexico State University students on how to renew their scholarships.

Foreign Students at New Mexico State University 

Scholarship renewal information and student eligibility are on the NMSU Global Scholarships page.

3. Funding for Scholarships in a Black-Serving Program

An endowed fund known as the Black Programs Endowed Fund was created to benefit black students at New Mexico State University. This endowment is applied for through the Scholar Dollar$ app. 

For students who meet the following requirements: 

• Full-time students only, please.
• The required minimum GP A average is 3.
• Must have official FASFA results showing financial need.
• To qualify, You must be actively involved in a campus club or group.

Black, non-Hispanic, or African American students, as indicated in NMSU’s student information system, will be given priority. Students who have participated in community service, either on or off campus, will also be given consideration.

4. Funding Through The Scholar Dollar$

New Mexico State University students can access the scholarship application and database Scholar Dollar$ online. NMSU students should visit the Scholar Dollar$ website every year to submit their applications. This database is used for all New Mexico State University and some external scholarships. Scholar Dollar$ is open to all accepted students in the New Mexico State University system.

To finish this application, you will need your AGGIE username and password. When filling out this and any scholarship application, please pay close attention to detail and use correct spelling and language. Ensure you set aside at least two hours to answer all the questions on the Scholar Dollar application. Or, if you are just halfway through, save your progress and return to it later. If you have a résumé, keep it handy if you need to quickly add details like awards, volunteer work, positions held in leadership (such as an officer in a group), previous employment, interests, etc. Make an effort to respond to each question completely.

To find people who fit a given profile, the database looks for keywords such as “leader,” “volunteer,” “veteran,” “single parent,” “band member,” and so on. Your information will be added to a pool of candidates for a scholarship for which eligibility requirements include this distinction or experience. Take your time with this process, or you can miss out on a scholarship opportunity.

Each academic year, Scholar Dollars ends on March 1.

Proceed to Scholarships Right Now to Apply.nmsu.edu.

5. Student Leadership Award Endowed in Honor of Dr. Daniel Villanueva

Tucumcari, New Mexico native Dr. Daniel D. Villanueva, endowed a scholarship for student leaders to be awarded annually. Villanueva received a football scholarship to New Mexico State University, where he played for the 1959 Sun Bowl champions. In addition, he oversaw the student publication Round-Up as its editor. After eight years as a placekicker for the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys, New Mexico State alumnus Villanueva was just getting started in broadcasting.

Los Angeles-based private equity investment firm Bastion Capital Fund had Villanueva as its chairman. In 2015, we lost Dr. Villanueva. Take a look at: 

1983, the endowment was set up to recognize outstanding NMSU students of Hispanic heritage. Undergraduate students must either be New Mexicans or El Paso County, Texas residents to be eligible for University of New Mexico admission. Additionally, students must be enrolled full-time at the NMSU Las Cruces Campus and have completed at least one semester at the Las Cruces location.

 6. Scholarship Fund for Hispanic Professionals

New Mexico State University’s Hispanic Faculty/Staff Caucus (HFSC) developed a scholarship fund to benefit deserving Hispanic students. A grade point average of 3.0 or above is required. Additionally, students must be enrolled full-time at the NMSU Las Cruces Campus and have completed at least one semester at the Las Cruces location.

7. Prize in Honor of Dr. Narcisa Zarate

Former Assistant Director of Chicano Programs and philanthropist Dr. Narcisa Zárate endowed a scholarship in her honour. Dr. Zárate has devoted much time and energy to supporting students and promoting the interests of disadvantaged, first-generation, and Hispanic students in pursuing higher education.

The Zárate scholarship does not cover living expenses. Students must either currently live in New Mexico or be native New Mexicans. Hispanic kids are also given priority. Students in New Mexico who have exhausted their Lottery scholarship and financial assistance opportunities can benefit greatly from the Zárate Scholarship. This award is open to both current undergraduates and recent graduates. Typically, this scholarship is given out in the spring of each year. Additionally, students must be enrolled full-time at the NMSU Las Cruces Campus and have completed at least one semester at the Las Cruces location.

8. Awards Named for Jose Garcia

Former New Mexico State University (NMSU) Office of Facilities and Services employee and inspiration for the Jose A. Garcia Scholarship. Jose was a firm believer that intelligent kids should stay in school. More than once, he wished he had the means to help young people afford higher education. Carmen Salinas de Garcia, Mr. Garcia’s widow, established the scholarship. This scholarship does not require an application. This $500 prize is given annually to the applicant in second place in the Hispanic Faculty Staff Caucus scholarship competition.

9. Scholarships Open to International Students

The following lists external scholarship opportunities not provided by New Mexico State University. Chicano Programs does not oversee the scholarship opportunities offered by the link below.

10. Scholarship Funded by the New Mexico Legislature’s Lottery

New Mexico high school graduates and New Mexico GED recipients are encouraged to attend full-time and complete a two-year degree in four semesters or a four-year degree in eight semesters with the help of the New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship.

Scholarship money can be used toward tuition at any state-funded college or university in New Mexico. This scholarship does not consider the need when selecting recipients. Students applying for the New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship are NOT needed to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), though doing so is strongly encouraged.

Criteria for Eligibility:

• To qualify, you must be a legal resident of the United States, have lived in New Mexico for at least one year, and have attended a public secondary school in New Mexico for at least one year.
• A high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) from a New Mexico high school or an equivalent is required.
• Within 16 months of high school graduation or GED completion, enrol full-time (15 credits at UNM) in an undergraduate degree or certificate program at a New Mexico public institution or university.
• Earn a 2.5 or higher semester GPA in at least 15 credits attempted during your first college term.
• A student is only qualified for the New Mexico Legislative Lottery Scholarship if they meet the above criteria. A Scholarship Petition and supporting evidence will be required only in the case of unusual extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control that prevented the student from fulfilling the requirements during their Qualifying Semester.
• Students who fulfilled all requirements during their Qualifying Semester will receive the Legislative Lottery Scholarship for their subsequent semester of enrollment. For the 2023-2024 school year, the scholarship will cover up to $4,252 each semester in tuition costs. However, it will NOT cover required student fees or course fees. Except for expedited majors like Nursing, it does not occur in the summer. 
• To keep receiving this scholarship, you must meet the following criteria: earn a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher; make 15 NEW credit hours in each successive autumn and spring term; repeat courses do NOT count toward this total; and complete at least one course each time. The cumulative average of letter grades (A–F) is called the grade point average (GPA). Credits earned with a CR grade are counted toward graduation requirements but do not factor into GPA calculations. No credit is given for courses taken more than once or for which a student received a grade of “F,” “NC,” “I,” “W,” “WP,” “WF,” “Audit,” or “Repeated.” The definition of a repeated course is one in which the student has already passed with a grade of D- or better or CR.
• The Legislative Lottery Scholarship may be renewed for up to 7 further semesters at UNM or until the recipient graduates with a bachelor’s degree. The New Mexico Scholarship Transfer Transcript can be used to move to or from any state’s public universities.
• Part-time enrollment for up to 14 terms may be granted to students with documented disabilities registered with UNM’s Accessibility Resource Center. Certifications must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office by the end of the third week of each fall and spring semester. The other Lottery prerequisites need to be more balanced.

Consortium Agreement: 

Students may enrol at various public secondary schools in New Mexico and be considered full-time students. The Lottery Scholarship will be amended to cover UNM and the host institution’s tuition balances for the 2022-2023 school year. Consortium Agreement Forms must be submitted to the Student Financial Aid Office by the end of the third week of classes if students want to take courses at more than one school.

Students who initially qualify for the Lottery but whose cumulative GPA drops below 2.5 or who do not finish 15 credits each fall and spring term will be placed on probation and will not get the Lottery for the subsequent time. During the summer semester of the same academic year, students can make up any missed credits or improve their grade point average.

Students who have paid back their scholarship deficits must submit a Scholarship Petition to have their funding restored. Previously ineligible students may reacquire that status provided they can demonstrate that extenuating circumstances prevented them from doing so.

Students can accomplish this by submitting a Scholarship Petition along with a statement of their own outlining the extenuating events. Additional paperwork is required as well. All petitions for reinstatement of scholarships for a given semester must be received by the Friday of the third week of that semester.

A student’s eligibility for the Lottery Scholarship and ability to receive Lottery funds will be terminated unless they are registered full-time by the end of the third week of school.

Students who are otherwise eligible may be granted a temporary suspension to take advantage of opportunities like study abroad, military service, or cooperative education. The Student Financial Aid Office at UNM requires a Petition for Leave of Absence and relevant supporting documentation. Students will be notified via email if further information is needed or a decision has been made.

Tips For Applying for Scholarships Abroad

Applying for an external scholarship requires taking the following simple precautions at all times:

Never let anyone have access to your bank account or other financial data.

Do not pay for any part of the application or the scholarship. No group has the right to force you to make a financial contribution.

Be wary of sites that bombard you with pop-ups and ads constantly.

Install ad-blocking or anti-virus software on your browser to keep your internet activity private.

Be aware of sites that want personal details rather than verified student IDs. Advertisements bombard you on these sites.

Although Financial Aid checks all scholarships before they are posted, they advise students to exercise caution when applying for scholarships online.