What is an HSI?

Flickr user Ray Bouknight

• HSI is an abbreviation for Hispanic-Serving Institutions.
• Around 510 institutions currently meet the specific requirements to be designated as HSI.
• Holding the HSI designation qualifies higher ed institutions for receiving substantial federal funding as well as grants from other organizations.

You may have seen the term “HSI” pop up during your college searches. HSI stands for Hispanic-Serving Institution. HSIs dedicate themselves to the higher education of Hispanic and Latino students within the United States of America. But enrollment is not limited to Hispanic students. Students of any ethnicity can enroll in these colleges.

According to a survey published by the United States Census Bureau in 2021, Hispanics make up the largest racial or ethnic minority in the country, comprising about 18.7% of the total population. With the growing Hispanic population in the U.S. and the subsequent increase in Latino enrollment in college, there emerged a need to establish more institutions that would meet the unique needs of this demographic.

The goal of these institutions is to increase the aid, support, and access to quality higher education for students of Hispanic descent—particularly first-generation and low-income students. However, HSIs open their doors to students of all ethnicities.

Definition of HSI

Not every college that admits a large number of Hispanic students can call themselves a Hispanic-Serving Institution. In fact, only 516 are HSI designated. The Higher Education Act defines an HSI as an accredited, degree-granting college that meets very specific requirements.

In order for a higher education institution to qualify as an HSI and receive federal funding from the Department of Education, the school must meet these criteria:

• Be a not-for-profit college/university
• Offer at least a 2-year degree-earning program
• Be an accredited college/university
• Have a minimum 25% Hispanics enrolled as undergraduate, full-time equivalent students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application
• Have a high enrollment percentage of students who are eligible for Pell Grants, which are a type of free federal financial aid awarded to students with high financial need.

When it comes to awarding funding grants to HSI institutions, U.S. Department of Education bases their decisions on the U.S. Census definition of Hispanic. According to the U.S. Census, Hispanic refers to all individuals of South or Central American, Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, or other Spanish origin or culture. This definition stands regardless of race.

Schools with an HSI Designation

The chart below shows the 516 higher educational institutions that currently hold an HSI designation.

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Why The HSI Designation Matters In Higher Education

The HSI designation matters because any institution that meets the HSI requirements is eligible for substantial federal funding as well as grants from several organizations such as the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Receiving this additional funding is very important given the high concentration of students with financial need. Schools make use of these funds to create STEM programs, increase financial support for Hispanic students, and boost job opportunities for Hispanic college graduates. The amount of funding an HSI receives from the Education Department depends on the efforts they make to increase the number of Hispanic students as well as their community outreach programs and student support programs.

The Importance of HSIs in Higher Education

HSIs are credited with educating the majority of Hispanic undergraduates in America. According to a report published by Excelencia In Education, 67% of Hispanic students enrolled in total of 569 HSIs located in the U.S. in 2019-2020. Although these schools represented only 18% of all higher education institutions in the U.S., they enrolled as many as 67% of Hispanic undergrads. This underscores the important role that HSIs play in higher education, especially in educating the majority of Hispanics.

An interesting study showed that Hispanic students enrolled in HSIs report higher graduation rates as compared to the national average. These are some of the highlights from that report:

• Full-time students enrolled at public 4-year Hispanic-Serving Institutions graduate within 6 years at a rate of 74.1%. This is much higher than the federal graduation rate of 42.7%.
• Full-time students enrolled at private 4-year Hispanic-Serving Institutions graduate within 6 years at a rate of 77.9 %. This too is much higher than the 49.1% federal graduation rate.
• Full-time students enrolled at 2-year public Hispanic-Serving Institutions complete within 4 years at a rate of 40.3 %, which is higher than the 25.5% federal 4-year completion rate.

Several studies also show that Hispanic-Serving Institutions tend to have higher retention rates of Hispanic students as compared to non-HSIs. Moreover, like HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), HSIs are known to make significant contributions to STEM fields.

Languages at HSIs

Most HSIs incorporate a wide range of languages in the classroom in a variety of ways. Many schools offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes that are designed to improve students’ English language skills. Others offer Dual Language Learning or Language and Cultural Studies. At these institutions, students are encouraged to continually improve their English language speaking and writing skills throughout their academic journey.

Many HSIs go the extra mile by integrating the use of Spanish alongside English in special Dual Language Classes. These classes make it easier for Spanish-speaking students to understand technical terms and complex concepts while also improving their English language skills.

How Students Benefit By Enrolling In An HSI

Enrolling in a Hispanic-Serving Institution offers students several benefits. A 2020 report published by Edexcelencia.org provides interesting insights into how the integral role HSIs play in the academic success of their students and more importantly in terms of preparing them to enter the workplace. They found that all institutions were consistent in implementing 5 main strategies that aimed to serve their students:

1. Preparing students for the workforce is not limited to career services offices. Instead, this is the goal across campus.
2. All HSIs are exploring innovative ways to expand access to hands-on learning through increased emphasis on experiential learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.
3. Institutions are adapting to ongoing changes in student cohorts as well as changes in terms of workforce requirements.
4. All HSIs are also continually looking for ways to make the transition from school to the workplace easier for their students. One way they are doing this is by working together with local employers to understand the needs of the region.
5. HSIs are using data to continually evolve in all areas including revamping their workforce efforts.

All of these efforts ensure that students of all backgrounds get the maximum benefits from their education.

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