Colfuturo is a non-profit public service institution founded in 1991 to help high-achieving Colombian students pursue post-graduate degrees abroad. Once a student has been accepted to a post-graduate program, the organization provides financing for tuition fees and living expenses on the condition that loan recipients return to Colombia to become leaders in their fields and build a brighter future for the country. 

 

Colfuturo incentivizes students to come home after earning their degrees by forgiving 50% of loan amounts for most master’s students and 25% for master’s in business students who have higher projected incomes. Loan recipients are selected based on prior academic achievement and their chosen post-graduate degrees.

 

Since its founding, Colfuturo has sent more than 5,000 students to some of the best universities in the world. In 2010, it raised extra donations to help 1,000 students afford post-graduate studies in 2011 alone. It hopes to support 2,000 students a year by 2014.

 

Colfuturo’s scholarship program grants a maximum of USD$50,000 per student for a period of two years. However, the organization also offers a number of support services to guarantee students’ success, including academic counseling, job placement services, and english course placement at the universities they attend.

 

In 2006, Colfuturo launched its Semillero Regional scholarship program, targeting students from more remote, lower-income regions and marginalized social groups. The three-year program is designed to help students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue post-graduate degrees. 

 

Kiva loans will be funneled into the Semillero Regional program to help finance often prohibitively expensive application costs. These include exam and application fees, document translation fees, visa expenses and transportation expenses to major cities for interviews and exams.

 

Students posted on Kiva come from state and private universities and are likely the first in their families to access higher education. Loan amounts vary between USD$500 and $3,000, with 18-month repayment terms and 0% interest. Students who do not receive a Semillero Regional scholarship will be permitted to repay on a monthly basis. Scholarship recipients are expected to repay loans in one lump sum the month after they start their graduate degree. Right now, Kiva loans are targeted to students with the best chances of receiving a scholarship.