¡Lánzate!/Take Off!
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¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Higher Education Travel Award Program
Online applications will be accepted through June 15, 2025
Through this national initiative, the ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Higher Education Travel Award Program will award roundtrip flights to undergraduate and graduate students across the country. We recognize that long-distance travel is a major barrier for many students pursuing higher education. This program helps make higher education more accessible by supporting students with the greatest need to stay connected to home and school. Eligibility requirements include being enrolled at a college/university located at least 200 miles from a student’s home and the submission of required essays. Eligibility for the program will not be limited by race, ethnicity, or national origin. Selected students receive tickets for use to travel between home and college or university.
A selection committee consisting of national education advocates and community leaders selects recipients to be awarded four roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines for student use when traveling to/from the college/university. The tickets can be used for travel to any of the Southwest Airlines domestic destinations as listed on www.southwest.com.
Apply
The application submission deadline is Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT (Central Time).
Rules and Regulations
Eligibility Criteria:
- Students must be enrolled in a college at least 200 miles from their designated home at time of application.
- Students must be in good academic standing as determined by his or her college.
- Students must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA).
- Students must be 18 years old or older at time of application.
- All federal government regulations related to air travel and Transportation Security Administration rules must be adhered to, including, but not limited to, producing a valid government-issued photo ID for air travel.
- One application per student must be submitted online by the specified deadline of Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT (Central Time). Incomplete applications and applications not submitted online will be disqualified.
- The travel needed must be to and from any of the Southwest Airlines domestic destinations listed here.
- Students will be required to complete and upload an Enrollment Verification Form with their application (the “Required Documentation”). The Enrollment Verification Form must be signed by the college Registrar’s Office and must verify enrollment and grade point average.
- Selected students will be required to complete an IRS Form W-9 with the student’s Social Security Number (SSN) or other Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).
Eligibility for the program will not be limited by race, ethnicity, or national origin.
Essay
Applicants must submit a personal essay that directly responds to the prompts outlined in the application. Essays must be between 300 and 500 words and demonstrate college-level writing and grammar. Applications with essays outside of this word range will be disqualified. Essays should thoughtfully address the applicant’s socio-economic background, including factors such as financial need, first-generation college status, family responsibilities, or educational barriers that have shaped their academic or professional journey.
- Essay for All Applicants: Describe a significant challenge you have faced—or expect to face—in your pursuit of a college degree. How has this challenge been shaped by your financial circumstances, family responsibilities, or educational environment? How do you plan to navigate it, and how might it shape your future?
- Essay for Undergraduate Students: If selected, how would airline e-pass (es) be used to support your academic, personal, or professional growth?
- Essay for Graduate Students: If selected, how would the airline e-pass (es) be used to help meet your academic or professional goals as a graduate student, including conferences, research presentations, and professional development?
Application Checklist
- The application deadline is Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT (Central Time).
- Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Your Enrollment Verification Form must be completed, signed, and ready to upload.
- Please be sure your essays are 300-500 words. Applications not meeting requirements will not be considered. For scholarship essay writing tips, visit https://www.princetonreview.com/collegeadvice/scholarship-essays.
Selection
- A selection committee consisting of national education advocates and community leaders will review all qualified applications and essays.
- While all eligible students are encouraged to apply, the selection committee will give additional consideration to students attending HACU-member institutions, as well as students from underserved backgrounds, including first-generation college students, those with significant financial need, and those from communities with low educational attainment.
- The decision of the selection committee is final.
- The selection committee will determine up to 185 students who will receive 8 (eight) one-way flight e-passes.
Southwest Airlines flight e-passes & Notification:
¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Higher Education Travel Award Program
- Student must travel to/from Southwest Airlines destinations on published service only.
- NOTE: The application will have drop-down menu for students to select Southwest Airlines destinations only.
- The Southwest Airlines flight e-pass is valid for one-way travel on Southwest-operated, published, scheduled service in the United States. The Southwest flight e-pass is not valid on interline or codeshare service. The Southwest Airlines flight e-pass is not valid to/from Puerto Rico or any international destinations.
- Ground transportation, hotel accommodations, and travel expenses are not provided. Recipients are responsible for transportation to and from the designated Southwest Airlines destination.
- The Southwest Airlines flight e-pass will bear the date of issue and the date of expiration. Southwest e-passes will be valid from August 1, 2025 – August 1, 2026. Expiration dates will not be extended, and travel must be completed on or before the expiration date.
- The Southwest Airlines flight e-pass is non-refundable and is not redeemable for cash or credit. The Southwest flight e-pass will not be replaced for any reason, including, without limitation, if lost, stolen, or fraudulently used. The Southwest flight e-pass is non-transferrable and cannot be sold to a third party. Sale, auction, or re-tendering of the Southwest flight e-pass for money or otherwise is strictly prohibited. The Southwest flight e-pass may not be used for promotional purposes unless previously approved by Southwest. Any suspected fraud, misrepresentation, misuse, abuse or violation of the Southwest flight e-pass Rules and Regulations may result in cancellation of the Southwest flight e-pass(es).
- Each individual Southwest Airlines flight e-pass is valid for one-way travel. Two Southwest flight e-passes are required to book roundtrip travel.
- Students must meet all rules of the sponsoring organization.
- All recipients must comply with the Southwest Airlines Contact of Carriage.
Notification
- HACU will send an auto reply e-mail acknowledging receipt of the application.
- No notification will be sent as to whether the application is incomplete or complete.
- By participating, students give permission to HACU to verify enrollment at his or her college.
- HACU will send email communication to selected students by Monday, July 14, 2025, notifying each student of the selection committee awards.
- Each selected student must acknowledge email communication to accept the award and return the completed IRS W-9 form by email by Monday, July 21, 2025. Failure to accept the award and return the completed Form W-9 by July 21, 2025, will result in forfeiture of the travel award.
- Selected students will receive email communication, and the awarded number of flight e-passes from HACU by July 31, 2025.
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Contact Information
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GENERAL
For general questions, please contact:
SAN ANTONIO OFFICE
- (210) 692-3805
- scholarship@hacu.net