Qualifications to Apply

Students applying for Jóvenes Adelante scholarships must be in their last year of Preparatoria (high school) in the greater San Miguel de Allende area and demonstrate both excellent grades and serious financial need. A grade average of “9” or very close is required for applying students to be selected for an interview. Exceptions may be made for older students starting or returning to a university program if they meet the academic record and financial needs criteria.

Application Procedure

Applications are available in February and must be completed and submitted before March 31st. Copies of all preparatoria grades through the previous semester must be provided along with the application, and final candidates must provide January–June semester grades, when received in July or August, before a decision to grant a scholarship is made.

The application asks for personal, health, scholarship, work history if any, and family information, including financial assets, income, and information about any special economic demands or situations that may affect the level of financial support the family is able to provide the student. Applicants are asked to write auto-biographies describing themselves and to explain their personal, academic, and career goals. They are asked what Universities, and what programs, they intend to apply to. Applicants with the most clearly-defined goals, who have researched University programs and are knowledgeable and realistic about their reputations and costs, and the prospects of employment in their desired fields, have the best chances of receiving Jóvenes Adelante support. Applications for the 2009-2010 school year are available now. For a copy of the application form, click here.

Interviews

There is a two-interview process. Qualifying applicants are selected from the applications received and scheduled for interviews with teams of two scholarship committee members. Interviewers review the application and autobiography and ask the students questions about themselves, their ambitions, plans, economic situations and family lives. Students are encouraged to ask any questions they may have about the organization, the selection process, and amounts and conditions of financial support. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of maturity, attitude, and how well they can present themselves and articulate what they wish to accomplish in the university and beyond.

For those students selected, second interviews are scheduled in early summer with students in their homes. Different teams of interviewers arrive for a visit with the students and their parents and other family members. The purpose of the second interview is to see the applicants in a different surrounding and to meet the parents and get an idea of their level of support of their children’s university ambitions as well as their financial ability to assist them.

Scholarship Awards

Students are advised in June or July if they have been selected to receive a scholarship. Awards are provisional until final preparatoria grades have been received and the students have been notified that they passed university entrance exams and have been accepted.

Newly selected and continuing scholarship recipients meet the first Sunday of August for what is called the Beca (scholarship) Distribution, although in fact all students over 18 now receive their monthly stipend electronically into their bank accounts (required). Attendance at Beca Distribution events are no longer mandatory for all students but are strongly encouraged; but for new students, especially under the age of 18, it is required for them to meet Jóvenes Adelante officers and members and be introduced to their mentor, to socialize and network with other students, to benefit from an interesting and useful presentation given at every first-Sunday-of-the-month meeting, and to receive their monthly becas in cash until their bank accounts are established.

Scholarship Award Amounts

Awards are based on $1,000US (about $13,400 pesos) yearly, for up to five years (depending on the length of the university program in which students are enrolled). Students receive 11 installments (monthly excepting July), with a larger sum in August and January to help them with tuition and other costs associated with the beginning of the semester. The established dollar amounts of Jóvenes Adelante becas are being reevaluated in the winter of 2009 and may change.

Benefits and Responsibilities of a Jóvenes Adelante Scholarship

Students receiving scholarships must strive to maintain a “9” average in their university classes. Students unable to maintain a “9” will receive counseling from a mentor or officer to explore their difficulty and see if there is a way the organization can help them. Students continuing to fail in maintaining a “9” average may be placed on probation or eventually dropped from the program. But this would not happen before organization officers made genuine efforts to understand the problems the student faces and help them find solutions.

Other responsibilities of students are to open a bank account for receipt of their becas; keep officers informed of the current phones, e-mails, and addresses; meet or communicate with their assigned mentor at least monthly; assist when possible the organization produce business, social and fundraising events; and to participate in an alumni organization helping newer students upon graduation. These and other items are covered in a “Student Contract” all scholarship recipients sign.

The benefits of a Jóvenes Adelante scholarship, other than up to five years of financial assistance, are the full support and encouragement of organization officers and 130 members; a mentor, who reports to the officers, for friendship, guidance and assistance in problem solving; a computer and computer training (not automatic; we are working on this); the opportunity to study English in small classes given by qualified members; special tutors in science, math or other subject as may be needed; a monthly meeting for fun and networking where a brief and entertaining presentation on a useful topic is offered; and a gala annual party thrown by the organization for its students and their families every September.

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