{"id":104659,"date":"2026-06-25T15:18:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T09:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.seminarsonly.com?p=5013"},"modified":"2026-06-25T17:13:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T11:43:59","slug":"pedro-zamora-young-leaders-scholarship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seminarsonly.com\/news\/pedro-zamora-young-leaders-scholarship\/","title":{"rendered":"Pedro Zamora Young Leaders scholarship: $5,000 for young changemakers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By the Scholarship editorial desk  ·  Last updated 25 June 2026  ·  Verified against official program sources  ·  4 min read<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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Quick answer<\/div>\n
The Pedro Zamora Young Leaders scholarship awards $5,000 to young activists committed to fighting HIV\/AIDS or advancing health, racial, and social justice. It is open to high school seniors and first-year, sophomore, and junior college students aged 27 and younger at a U.S. community college or four-year university. Applicants do not need to have HIV\/AIDS or be LGBTQ+. About 25 awards are made each year.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
On this page<\/span>Eligibility and award<\/a>  |  Deadlines<\/a>  |  How to apply<\/a>  |  Documents<\/a>  |  Selection and renewal<\/a>  |  Official link<\/a>  |  Trust notes<\/a><\/div>\n

Core eligibility and award details<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Key detail<\/th>\nWhat to know<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Award<\/td>\n$5,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Awards per year<\/td>\nAbout 25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Run by<\/td>\nNational AIDS Memorial<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eligibility<\/td>\nHS seniors and college first-years, sophomores, juniors, age 27 or younger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Schools<\/td>\nU.S. community college or four-year university<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Focus<\/td>\nHIV\/AIDS, health, racial, or social justice work<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Deadlines and timeline<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Stage<\/th>\nWhen<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Application opens<\/td>\nAnnounced annually (spring)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deadline<\/td>\nPer current cycle (confirm on site)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Judging<\/td>\nAfter deadline by a review panel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Recipients announced<\/td>\nFollowing the review<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

How to apply, step by step<\/h2>\n
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  1. Confirm you are 27 or younger and a current HS senior or college first-year, sophomore, or junior.<\/li>\n
  2. Identify your health or social justice work, which need not involve HIV\/AIDS.<\/li>\n
  3. Open the application on the National AIDS Memorial site (Kaleidoscope portal).<\/li>\n
  4. Write the personal statement in your own voice, since reviewers value authenticity over AI text.<\/li>\n
  5. Secure and submit at least two letters of recommendation before the deadline.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Required documents<\/h2>\n