Best Colleges for Hispanic Students

Founded in 1986, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) works to formally recognize campuses committed to higher education access and success within Hispanic communities. Today, the group maintains a membership network of more than 500 colleges and universities designated as Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).

To be an HSI, an institution must have an undergraduate enrollment that is at least 25% Hispanic. These institutions usually offer supportive academic and student life resources developed especially for Latino/a and Hispanic students while also celebrating these cultures. Keep reading to learn about some of the country’s top HSIs and learn about the value of these important institutions.

Attending a Hispanic-serving institution offers many benefits for Hispanic students, ranging from academic support and cultural representation to resources and advocacy. We review three of these benefits below.

HSIs offer dedicated academic support to Hispanic students, such as customized orientations, advising, and translation services for students and their families. This kind of tailored support can be crucial to ensure Latino/a retention in college. In a study conducted by the Postsecondary National Policy Institute, HSIs maintained a substantially higher retention rate of Hispanic students than non-Hispanic-serving institutions did.

HSIs provide a unique culture that advances Hispanic achievement and provides resources specific to this population. HSI students can find plenty of tailored clubs and organizations, Hispanic or bilingual professors, and events celebrating their history and heritage. The best HSIs will also make an effort to recruit and hire Latino/a faculty and staff.

A report by Excelencia in Education details how HSIs focus on integrated workforce preparation, including experiential learning experiences that help Hispanic students gain the tools and skills needed to find a job after graduating. Many also work with local employers to provide internship and networking opportunities.

Many colleges feature a diverse student population and provide services and support for learners from all backgrounds. However, due to their large Hispanic representation, HSIs tend to offer more specialized services, programs, and events to Hispanic and Latino/a students. Prospective students can locate HSIs in HACU’s database.

While many schools feature a predominantly Hispanic population, no schools restrict access to other races and ethnicities. However, in many schools in Puerto Rico, such as the University of Puerto Rico Arecibo, Hispanic students make up 100% of the student population, according to Excelencia in Education, a nonprofit research organization that aims to “accelerate Latino student success in higher education.

Florida International University boasts the largest population of Hispanic learners in the U.S.with more than 32,000 Hispanic students out of 45,400 undergraduate students.