Asian Scholarships

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How to Fund Your College Education with Asian American Scholarships? 

College scholarships for Asian Americans may be a great source of financial aid. Asian American students may use the funds at community college or at an accredited four year college or graduate school. Since you typically don’t have to repay the funds, they make higher education easier to afford.

According to the NCES, there were 16.6 million undergraduate students in the academic year 2018 to 2019. Only 647,000 were of Asian heritage. Many colleges and organizations also see the need for diversification. They offer Asian awards to meet the growing demand. Some are for all minority students. But others offer financial assistance specifically to Asians.

Eligible Asian students may qualify based on ethnicity. But many providers expect you to be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident. You may qualify if you identify with one of these Asian ethnic minority groups:  

  • Chinese
  • Filipino
  • Indian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Pacific Islander
  • Taiwanese
  • Thai
  • Vietnamese

Also, you may need to file a FAFSA to show unmet financial need. You may need a certain GPA to meet eligibility. When filling out your scholarship application, you may also submit these following items:

  • Letters of recommendation
  • List of academic achievements (awards, honors)
  • SAT or ACT test scores
  • Extracurricular activities (leadership, community service)

The William Orr Dingwall Foundation offers the Korean Ancestry Grants. Each grant is worth up to $10,000. It is also open to students already pursuing a four year degree. If you’re a high school senior or college freshmen, check out the Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund. You must be Taiwanese descent and have at least a 3.0 GPA. Each award is worth up to $5,000. 

10 Scholarships for Asian Students You Should Apply for in 2024

Start applying with these 10 scholarships for Asian students below. Try to submit your application before the deadline.  

  1. CAMS Scholarship
  2. Banatao Filipino American Education Fund Scholarships
  3. InspirAsian Scholarship 
  4. Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation Scholarship
  5. Matt Fong Asian Americans in Public Finance Scholarship
  6. Eugene and Thora Chin Scholarship Fund 
  7. NAPABA Legal Foundation Scholarship
  8. Pinay Aspire Scholarships 
  9. Dr. George Goro and Nettie Muramoto Memorial Scholarship
  10. JACL Law Scholarship Program

What Organizations Help Asian Americans Pay for College?

The Asian American community gets support from several nonprofits. Some of them offer annual scholarship opportunities. So even if you miss a deadline, you could apply again next year. 

1. The APIA Scholars, formerly APIASF. They focus on underserved students and the first in their family to go to college. The APIA scholarships range from $2,500 to $20,000 awards.

2. The Asian Pacific Fund. They run about 10 scholarship programs. These could be for graduating high school seniors with one exception. The Hsiao Memorial Social Sciences Scholarship. It is for graduate students. 

3. Korean American Scholarship Foundation. KASF offers $500 to $5,000 awards. To qualify, you must be a full time Korean American student at an accredited college. If so, you may apply to one of 4 regional chapters.

What Asian American Scholarships are Available by Major? 

Scholarships for Asian Americans help college students earn degrees in a variety of majors. There are also plenty of awards for fields in STEM, healthcare, and business. Are you majoring in architecture, construction, or engineering? Check out the Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation. The award offers $5,000 to AAAe members. 

If you are a minority student studying accounting, AICPA has a scholarship worth $3,000 to $5,000. You must be pursuing an undergrad or graduate accounting degree. You also must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be a U.S. citizen. Asian students may also find art awards. The Artistic Scholarship is from Against the Grain. It supports Asian and Pacific Islander students with a $1,000 award. To apply you must be a performing or visual arts major.

Are There Scholarships for First Generation Asian Students?

Yes, there are Asian scholarships for students who are the first in their family to go to college. These tend to be for students who may have immigrant parents. The U.S. Department of Education also offers the Pell grant for those who qualify. 

For example, Sessions College for Professional Design is one source. They offer four First Generation Student Scholarships. Two awards are for graphic design and another two are for web design. Another option is to look into nonprofits like the Asian Pacific Fund. They offer the Frederick and Demi Seguritan Scholarship. It is a $5,000 award for first generation Asians (i.e. immigrants). You also must live in certain California counties. 

List of 2024 Asian American Scholarships

Check out our list of Asian American and Pacific Islander student scholarships worth .

Jimmy A. Young Memorial Education Recognition Award

This scholarship is for U.S. undergraduate students currently enrolled in a respiratory care program. The applicant must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher to be eligible. Preference for this award will be given to minorities.
Award Amount

Total:  $1000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  June 01

LITA/LSSI Minority Scholarship in Library and Information Technology

U.S. and Canadian citizens who will have earned no more than 12 hours towards a Master of Library Science degree by June of the award year are eligible for this award. Students must be members of a principal minority group; attend an ALA-accredited school; and plan to enter the library automation field.
Award Amount

Total:  $2500

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  March 01

Asian and Pacific Islander Queer Sisters Scholarship

This award is available for Asian/Pacific Islander lesbians, bisexual females, and transpeople (both MTF and FTM spectrum). Applicants must be residents of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington state.
Award Amount

Total:  $12000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  January 06

Florida Minority Teacher Education Scholarship Program

This award is available to Florida resident undergraduate students who are enrolled as upper division undergraduates in a state-approved teacher education program at an eligible Florida institution. Students must be of African, American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaskan Native descent, and plan to teach in a Florida public school upon graduation.
Award Amount

Total:  $4000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  January 14

Betty Goah Scholars Program to Advance Diversity

This award is for U.S. undergraduate students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, SAT score of 980 or an ACT score of 21. Applicants must attend Milligan College and must contribute to the diversity of the student body.
Award Amount

Total:  $26890

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  January 01

NSHSS Foundation STEM Scholarship

This award is for U.S. high school seniors who will be attending college in the fall. Applicants must be a member of an underrepresented group, have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and be pursuing a major in a STEM field; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Learn more and apply today!
Award Amount

Total:  $9000

Awards:  9

Deadline

Deadline:  October 15

Minority & Women’s Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics

The Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Graduate Scholarship were developed by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics and the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee. The goal of the enhancement programs is to increase the pool of and opportunities for qualified minority and female candidates in intercollegiate athletics through graduate scholarships. The NCAA awards $10,000 to 13 ethnic minorities and 13 female college graduates who will be entering their initial year of graduate studies. The applicant must be seeking admission or have been accepted into a sports administration or program that will help the applicant obtain a career in intercollegiate athletics, such as athletics administrator, coach, athletic trainer or a career that provides a direct service to intercollegiate athletics.
Award Amount

Total:  $676000

Awards:  26

Deadline

Deadline:  February 04

Cay Drachnik Minorities Fund for Art Therapy

This scholarship is available for U.S. students who are members of an ethnic minority group. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and acceptance or enrollment in an American Art Therapy Association (AATA) approved art therapy program.
Award Amount

Total:  $500

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  May 01

Florida Library Association Minority Scholarship Fund

This award is available for minority students who are currently attending FSU or USF. Applicants must be enrolled as a graduate student in a program of library science.
Award Amount

Total:  $2000

Awards:  1

Deadline

Deadline:  March 04

UW-Eau Claire Diversity Achievement Scholarship

Graduating high school seniors who are minorities or economically disadvantage are eligible for this award. Students must rank in the top 25% of their graduating class and have an ACT/SAT of 25/1150 or higher.
Award Amount

Total:  $18000

Awards:  3

Deadline

Deadline:  February 01