Scholarships
2026 LAP Student Scholarship
The scholarship opens Friday, September 11, 2026
The Program
The Latinos and Planning Division (LAP) of the American Planning Association (APA) strives to address planning issues affecting Latino communities in the U.S. as well as increase Latinos in the profession. The purpose of the LAP scholarship program is to foster increased interest in the study of urban planning within the Latino student population at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels.
Two scholarships of $1,000 will be awarded to be used for fees, books, or academic materials.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
The application will open Friday Septemeber 11. The link to submit is at the bottom of this announcement. Applicants for the LAP scholarship shall submit all of the following:
- Personal Statement (1–2 pages):
- Tell us why you got into planning and the impact you hope to make
- Resume:
- Highlight your experience and background.
- Transcript or Acceptance Letter:
- Current students: submit an unofficial transcript
- Incoming students: include your acceptance letter to a PAB-accredited planning program
An email verification of application receipt will be sent to the participant by the LAP Scholarship coordinators.
Selection Criteria
The LAP Scholarship Selection Committee will review applications and determine award recipients. Applications will be judged using the following criteria, listed in order of importance:
- The significance of the applicant's personal and background statement;
- Academic achievement and/or service or impacts made in the Latino community or the planning profession.
As part of the selection process and at the sole option of the Committee, the top applicants may be required to participate in a virtual interview with members of the committee.
Award Details
The Committee will meet in October 2026 to select the scholarship recipient. If the selected winner is unable to accept, the award will go to the next top-ranked applicant.
Award recipients are required to provide an emailed acceptance of the award to the Scholarship Coordinator within five (5) calendar days of receiving an award notification message.
With the acceptance of the scholarship, the recipient will be asked to provide their current mailing address, an IRS form W-9, a headshot photo and a 100 word biography to be featured in the next LAP newsletter.
Important Dates
Applications OPEN: Friday, September 11, 2026
Applications CLOSE: Friday, October 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM Central
Recipients will be notified by: Saturday, October 31, 2026
Questions?
Feel free to contact the scholarship coordinators at :
latinosandplanning2@gmail.com
daisyromero1315@gmail.com
Submit the scholarship application at this link: https://forms.gle/mgeVf1tP5tsFgoao9
2025 LAP Student Scholarship
The 2025 LAP Student Scholarship is closed.
Nubia Martinez received the 2025 LAP Student Scholarship.
Nubia Martinez, UCLA
Nubia Martinez (they/them) is an incoming student at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) where they will pursue a Master of Urban and Regional Planning. At UCLA, Nubia aims to explore how transportation planning can help address systemic inequities and how the planning field can be reimagined as a more participatory and community-driven process.
Originally from Escondido, California, Nubia’s experiences with the city’s land use and transportation systems sparked a deep interest in creating more equitable urban environments. They currently reside in Portland, Oregon where they support regional bus rapid transit initiatives and enjoy spending time in nature.