The founders of Universidad Francisco Marroquín wanted to attract the most brilliant students and those most likely to become future leaders. Since the beginning, student selection has been based solely on academic criteria.

In 1972 a student loan program based on deferred tuition was established, so that qualified students would not be left out. Since its inception this program has helped hundreds.

However, a large sector of the population cannot afford to study at UFM, even with deferred tuition. This is Guatemala’s very poor majority, for whom staying in school and out of the work force is a family sacrifice they cannot afford. For this group, the answer would be a need-based scholarship that covers tuition and living expenses for all the years of undergraduate study.

In 1996 the ITA scholarship program began at UFM’s School of Economic Sciences with two students. Since then 140 full scholarships have been awarded to students enrolled in economics, political science, and law.