The Live Más cycle runs on a predictable annual rhythm: applications historically open around October, close in early January, and winners are announced in April. Exact dates shift from year to year, so always verify the live window directly at tacobellfoundation.org before you start — you do not want to miss by a week. Set a calendar reminder for early autumn. And do not over-invest in production: judges want authenticity, not a film crew. A phone-recorded video that communicates genuine purpose and clear impact consistently outperforms something polished but hollow, and past winners have included trade-school students, community-college enrollees, and first-generation college hopefuls from all income levels.
If you need help getting the GED itself, Taco Bell has you covered through employee benefits — not through the scholarship. Two programs exist, and both are free for eligible employees. The first, Tacos & Tuition, is Taco Bell's primary workforce education benefit, covering everything from ESL and GED level through master's degrees. It was previously administered through Guild Education and migrated to InStride, with Taco Bell paying tuition directly so employees carry no upfront cost. One important caveat: franchise participation is opt-in, not guaranteed — many franchise locations have not enrolled — so confirm with your store management before counting on it.
The second program, GED Works, is a separate employer-funded initiative run in partnership with GED Testing Service and fully sponsored — employees pay nothing. It includes free online study materials for all four GED subjects, unlimited practice tests, unlimited test attempts, a personal GED Adviser who supports you through to completion, and career and college pathway connections afterward. It runs one subject at a time, which suits people working full shifts while studying. This is the same GEDWorks model that Amazon Career Choice uses — different employer, same official GED Testing Service program.
Program | Funds the GED? | Funds college / trade? | Who is eligible? |
|---|
Live Más Scholarship | No | Yes ($5,000–$25,000) | Public, ages 16–26 |
Tacos & Tuition | Yes (GED in catalog) | Yes, up to master's | Employees at participating locations |
GED Works | Yes (prep + test attempts) | No | Taco Bell employees |
Earning your GED is the move that makes everything else on this page possible. According to BLS data, adults without a high school credential face higher unemployment and noticeably lower median weekly earnings than those who finish — a gap that compounds over a career. GED graduates earn on the order of several thousand dollars a year more than adults without the credential, so the test pays for itself many times over. Once you earn your GED, three doors open immediately: you become eligible to apply for the Live Más Scholarship, you qualify for federal Pell Grants worth up to $7,395 per year, and you meet entry requirements for trade programs, community colleges, apprenticeships, and vocational schools. Nearly all U.S. colleges and employers accept the GED on equal terms with a high school diploma — a full equivalency, not a lesser credential, as our guide on colleges that accept the GED explains.
The GED covers four subjects — Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning Through Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies — and you sit one subject at a time, so a failed section does not erase progress on the others. Stack a Pell Grant with a Live Más award and a GED graduate could enter post-secondary education with most of their first year funded. That is the exact pathway the Taco Bell Foundation built this program to support — and if you want to start with how to get your GED, the steps are simpler than most people expect.
