Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship

The Live Más Scholarship takes its name from Taco Bell's brand ethos, 'Live Más,' a call to embrace an unconventional path and turn curiosity into bold action. The brand's foundation designed the award in that spirit, backing young people who are already chasing what they love. Taco Bell established its foundation in 1992, and it has since awarded more than $230 million in grants and scholarships while reaching more than 11 million young people nationwide. The Live Más Scholarship itself launched in 2015 as a $1 million fund, and past recipients now form an alumni community of more than 3,000 scholars. Instead of grades or test scores, this Taco Bell Foundation award asks for a 30 second to 2 minute video, or a 250 to 500 word written response, about a student's passion and how they plan to use it to create change. Selected applicants receive $5,000, $10,000, or $25,000 toward an accredited two-year, four-year, vocational-technical, or trade program. Anyone age 16 to 26 living in the 50 states or DC can apply, whether or not they have ever worked at Taco Bell, and a separate share of funds is reserved for team members. No transcript, recommendation letter, or GPA is part of the file. The application opens in October and closes January 6, recipients are notified in the spring, and past winners can renew up to three more times through a separate process.

How hard is the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship to win?

Real competition, but not a lottery. The time cost is low enough relative to the award that a qualified student comes out ahead by applying.

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

• More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
• More rivalsA large award draws far more applicants

Where this number comes from: This provider publishes its real applicant and winner counts, so the rate above is the actual published rate from a recent cycle, not a Solyo model. Rates shift a little from cycle to cycle, and nobody can promise a win, but this is as real as scholarship odds get.

Who can apply for the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

• ✓Open to high school sophomores, high school juniors, high school seniors, current college students, and adult learners
• ✓Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents (green card), DACA/Dreamer students, or students on other visas
• ✓Ages 16 to 26

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is January 6, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around January 6 each year. Applications open October. The video is the entire application, so leave a week for filming and uploading before the January close.

Application opens

October 2026

Application due

January 6, 2027

Recipients notified

Spring 2027

Funds sent to the school

For the fall term 2027

Common questions about the Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship

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Lists this award appears on

• No-Essay Scholarships
• Merit Scholarships
• Scholarships With January Deadlines