Laredo College, in a joint effort with the Government of Mexico, through the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores de México and the Consulado General de Mexico en Laredo, has been providing financial assistance to students attending our college for approximately 17 years via the Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior (IME) Becas Scholarship Program.

IME Becas was created in 2005 and seeks to expand access to educational opportunities for Mexicans residing in the United States and/or students of Mexican origin.

This year, the Mexican Consulate contributed a total of $7,000, and LC matched the funds for qualifying recipients. A total of $14,000 in scholarships will be used for the current year. Approximately 14 qualifying LC students will benefit from this $1,000 scholarship for the 2022 fall semester.

In order to qualify for these funds, the student must have completed the LC general scholarship application, the FAFSA or TAFSA application, provided unofficial high school or college transcripts and/or GED scores, provided the Mexican high school or higher education translation/evaluation if applicable, presented personal verifications such as the student or parent birth certification, matricula consular and/or Mexican passport. Students were required to submit an essay, maintain a minimum 2.5 grade point average and complete 67% of the previous semester's coursework to receive the award. In addition, they will be required to attend one event hosted by the Mexican Consulate during the semester awarded.

To solidify this incredible partnership, a 2022 IME Becas Memorandum of Understanding was signed by LC President Dr. Minita Ramirez and the Consul General de Mexico en Laredo Juan Carlos Mendoza Sanchez. In attendance for this event were LC Board President Lupita Zepeda, LC board members, administrators, faculty and staff.

LC remains at the forefront in providing quality education in the community. While encouraging current and prospective students to persevere in their educational endeavors, the institution seeks the necessary support to provide equal opportunities for our international student body.