LIVING EXPENSES
SCHOLARSHIP
2026-2027
for LES 2026-2027.
Mission and Objectives
The Garcia Family Foundation for Art, Culture, and Education is a US-based charitable foundation (“GFF”). One of GFF’s central missions is to empower promising Brazilian students to access and succeed at universities in the United States.
Under the GFF Living Expenses Scholarship Program (the “GFF LES Program”), GFF concentrates on providing scholarships to assist students in attending universities in the United States. In 2026, as part of the GFF LES Program, GFF will grant twelve (12) student scholarships, in the total amount of Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000) each, for the specific purpose of providing funds to cover part of the living expenses of eligible students while attending universities in the United States during the 2026-2027 academic year (the “Scholarship(s)”).
Eligibility Criteria and Guidelines
- To apply, the person must meet the following requirements:
- The applicant must be a Brazilian citizen;
- When applying for the GFF LES Program, the applicant must have been accepted by or be duly matriculated at a competitive university in the United States for an undergraduate or a graduate in person degree program (i.e. cannot include matriculation in any on-line programs) (hereafter referred to as a “Competitive University Program”);
- The applicant must meet and comply with all the admission requirements of the Competitive University Program if selected as a Scholarship recipient, including (without limitation) student visa requirements; and
- The Competitive University Program shall require the applicant’s school attendance and consequent presence in the United States by the end of Fall 2026
- Students from all fields of study are encouraged to apply.
- Students from low-income backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.
- Previous recipients of the GFF LES Program are encouraged to apply if they meet the criteria set out in these Official Rules.
- The award of the Scholarship under the GFF LES Program may be combined with other scholarships and awards.
- Applications to open: February 26
- Deadline for candidates to submit complete application: April 20
- Finalists to be announced: June 8
- Deadline for finalists to submit complete application: June 30
- Interviews: July 27 to July 29
- Winners to be announced: August 17
All dates are based on New York (Eastern Standard Time).
Following the applicable timeline, Applicants will have to submit all of the following (the “Application Process”):
- Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae or Resume;
- Applicant’s grade transcripts of the last two (2) most recent periods of school attendance (either high school or university, depending on the student’s most recent studies);
- Acceptance letter or proof of enrollment at the Competitive University Program; and
- The following two essays are mandatory for all applicants:
- Beyond your resume, who are you? Tell us about yourself, and how would this scholarship affect your academic life and your ability to study abroad and succeed in your chosen program. (Limit: 400 words)
AND - Identify a quote that resonates with you and has influenced your outlook on life. How does it inspire your actions and future plans? (Limit: 400 words)
- Beyond your resume, who are you? Tell us about yourself, and how would this scholarship affect your academic life and your ability to study abroad and succeed in your chosen program. (Limit: 400 words)
FINALISTS’ SUBMISSIONS: Applicants selected as finalists will be required to submit two (2) additional essays or videos, in accordance with the instructions and deadlines communicated by email. Failure to timely comply with such requirements may result in disqualification. GFF reserves the right to arrange optional online interviews for selected finalists.
AI POLICY: We value your authentic voice. Use of AI to generate essay responses is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.
CHANGES TO APPLICATION SCHEDULE: GFF reserves the right to modify the application schedule at any time. Any changes will be deemed effective upon publication on the GFF website (https://www.garciafamilyfoundation.org/) and GFF’s official social media channels (Instagram: @garciafamilyfoundation and Facebook: Garcia Family Foundation). It is the sole responsibility of applicants to monitor these platforms for updates, and GFF shall not be responsible for any failure to receive notice of such changes.
- The recipients of the Scholarship will be selected by a GFF committee based on the documents submitted by the applicants as part of the Application Process (the “Recipients”).
- All applicants will be responsible for ensuring that they submit a complete and signed application along with all required documents by the application deadline. The GFF will not be responsible for any incomplete or improperly submitted Application Process.
- The GFF LES Program does not discriminate in any way concerning race, color, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability. Demographic information is collected solely for statistical and reporting purposes and does not play any role in the review, evaluation, or selection of scholarship recipients.
- Travel history is used solely to assess cultural or academic exposure and is not used as an exclusionary criterion.
- Financial and household information is collected solely to assess financial need pursuant to objective, non-discriminatory criteria.
- Only the applicants selected as Recipients will be notified by the GFF.
- The decision of the selected Recipients by GFF is final and not subject to review.
- GFF does not provide feedback on individual applications.
- Once the applicants have been selected to receive the Scholarship, they will have to provide evidence of matriculation to receive the scholarship payment.
- Awards are typically paid directly to the student in two installments, before each academic semester.
To continue being a Recipient of the GFF LES Program for the academic year 2026-2027, the Recipient of the Scholarship must continue to meet the eligibility criteria set forth in Section B above, including (without limitations) remaining enrolled in the Competitive University Program and incurring in living costs associated with it. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Recipient withdrawals, is disqualified, suspended, or expelled from the Competitive University Program for any reason, the GFF may immediately terminate the Scholarship.
- The applicant acknowledges and agrees that the essays, feedback, suggestions, ideas, evaluations, questions, or comments provided in connection with the GFF LES Program to GFF are non-confidential.
- All documents and information submitted by the applicants and Recipients to the GFF LES Program, including the essays, feedback, suggestions, ideas, evaluations, questions, or comments provided in connection with the GFF LES Program to GFF (collectively, the “Applicant’s Material”) will be the property of the GFF, regardless of the applicant being awarded the Scholarship.
- The applicant agrees that GFF will own and possess all rights, title, and interest in and to the Applicant’s Material, and GFF may disclose the Applicant’s Material to its agents, contractors, third parties, or affiliates and their respective licensees, successors, and assigns (together, the “Designees”) for the following purposes:
- Use, access, reproduce, transmit, or distribute, in whole or in part, the Applicant’s Material in connection with the services, programs, and activities executed or sponsored by GFF or its Designees;
- Use, reference, and acknowledge the applicant and/or Recipient’s name and authorship of the Applicant’s Material in connection with the services, programs, and activities executed or sponsored by GFF or its Designees;
- Create a database, classify, research, and evaluate the Applicant’s Material, or transfer the Applicant’s Material, in whole or in part, for such purposes; and
- Delete, remove from its systems, and/or dispose of the Applicant’s Material, at any time.
- Recipient agrees to authorize GFF to use the Recipient’s name, image, and likeness in GFF’s institutional materials, including, but not limited to, any marketing materials, press releases, and social media.
- The GFF takes data privacy and security concerns seriously and all personal information shared by the applicants will be protected. However, upon applying, the applicant agrees that GFF will not be liable for any loss, misuse, unauthorized acquisition, or data related to the said information beyond GFF’s control.
- The Recipient will be responsible for all other costs, liabilities, and obligations relating to their admission, including any taxes that may be due in connection with the award of the Scholarship. Any questions regarding tax implications should be directed to a tax professional.
- Any violation of the terms and conditions mentioned here might result in termination of the Scholarship, in GFF’s reasonable discretion, and the Recipient acknowledges that they will not have any right to appeal or contest a GFF’s decision.
- In the event any provision of these terms and conditions is held void, voidable, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to remain in force and be valid.
By making an application for the GFF LES program and/or accepting the award of the scholarship, the applicant and/or recipient acknowledges and agrees with these official rules and the decisions of GFF in connection with the GFF LES program, and releases GFF and its affiliated companies, as well as the employees, officers, directors, and agents of each of them, from all claims and liability relating to their participation in the GFF LES program, and the acceptance and use/misuse of the scholarship. Each recipient of the scholarships shall assume all liability for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused by their participation in the GFF LES program or use/misuse or redemption of the scholarship. GFF is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the GFF LES program, or in the announcement of the scholarship.
We look forward to congratulating the Recipients of the GFF LES Program for 2026-2027
We wish good luck to all applicants!
Renata and Claudio Garcia | GFF Founders