By the Scholarship editorial desk · Last updated 25 June 2026 · Verified against official program sources · 4 min read
The Pedro Zamora Young Leaders scholarship, run by the National AIDS Memorial, honours the legacy of the late AIDS educator and activist Pedro Zamora. It supports young people doing health and social justice work in their communities, and it is broader than many assume: your work does not have to be about HIV/AIDS.
Core eligibility and award details
Each recipient receives a $5,000 award. The scholarship is funded with support from Gilead Sciences and other partners, and recipients can also request a campus display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The program deliberately interprets its mission broadly, welcoming applicants working across many areas of health and social justice.
| Key detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Award | $5,000 |
| Awards per year | About 25 |
| Run by | National AIDS Memorial |
| Eligibility | HS seniors and college first-years, sophomores, juniors, age 27 or younger |
| Schools | U.S. community college or four-year university |
| Focus | HIV/AIDS, health, racial, or social justice work |
Since 2009 the program has provided more than $825,000 to over 200 scholars, supported by Gilead Sciences and other partners, and it has expanded outreach to HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, and LGBTQ student communities. The application is hosted on the Kaleidoscope platform, and recipients can request a campus display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Around 25 awards of $5,000 are made each year.
Deadlines and timeline
The scholarship runs an annual cycle, often announced around National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, with the application hosted on the Kaleidoscope platform. Because the exact window shifts each year, check the National AIDS Memorial scholarship page for current dates before preparing your materials, and give your recommenders plenty of notice.
| Stage | When |
|---|---|
| Application opens | Announced annually (spring) |
| Deadline | Per current cycle (confirm on site) |
| Judging | After deadline by a review panel |
| Recipients announced | Following the review |
How to apply, step by step
- Confirm you are 27 or younger and a current HS senior or college first-year, sophomore, or junior.
- Identify your health or social justice work, which need not involve HIV/AIDS.
- Open the application on the National AIDS Memorial site (Kaleidoscope portal).
- Write the personal statement in your own voice, since reviewers value authenticity over AI text.
- Secure and submit at least two letters of recommendation before the deadline.
Required documents
- Online application (Kaleidoscope portal)
- Personal statement addressing the prompt
- At least two letters of recommendation
- Evidence of enrolment and your activism or service work
Selection criteria and renewal conditions
A panel of judges confirms that applicants address the prompts, meet eligibility, and show an active commitment to community justice work and leadership. The program states plainly that AI tools cannot tell your story the way you can, so a genuine, personal statement matters. It is open across identities and causes within health and social justice.
The program explicitly notes that AI tools cannot tell your story the way you can, so write the personal statement in your own voice and ground it in the actual community work you have done. Give your two recommenders plenty of notice, and remember the work does not have to involve HIV/AIDS; any urgent health, racial, or social justice change-making qualifies.
Official source and application link
Always apply through the official source below and confirm current-cycle dates there before you submit.
Visit the Pedro Zamora scholarship page
Supporting trust and usability notes
This is a well-run, partner-funded program with a clear application portal, so it is dependable. Students pursuing health careers should also consider the HCAI scholarship in California and the Tylenol Future Care scholarship. Those focused on community impact and equity can compare the Macy’s Mission Every One scholarship.
