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.
CAMS Scholarship
Banatao Filipino American Education Fund Scholarships
InspirAsian Scholarship
Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation Scholarship
Matt Fong Asian Americans in Public Finance Scholarship
Eugene and Thora Chin Scholarship Fund
NAPABA Legal Foundation Scholarship
Pinay Aspire Scholarships
Dr. George Goro and Nettie Muramoto Memorial Scholarship
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 .
This award is available for U.S. minority students who are currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program and planning to pursue a career as a professor. Applicants must be residents of South Carolina and must attend one of the following institutions: Clemson University, Medical University of South Carolina, or University of South Carolina at Columbia.
This award is available for U.S. high school seniors and undergraduate students of Native American descent. Applicants must be residents of Dutchess County, New York.
This award is for U.S. students who are pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree. The student must be of Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian descent.
Current college students and recent graduates of Asian American and/or Pacific Islander descent are eligible for this award. Students must have an internship secured for the upcoming summer semester and pursue a career in television or radio.
Asian American and Pacific Islander male students who are current enrolled in college or recent graduates are eligible for this award. Students must have an internship secured for the upcoming summer semester and pursue a career in television broadcasting.
Current college students and recent graduates of Asian American and/or Pacific Islander descent are eligible for this award. Students must have an internship secured for the upcoming summer semester and pursue a career in print or online news.
This scholarship is available for U.S. high school seniors who attend a public or private high school within the northern California or Nevada counties that JETAANC serves. Students must possess a sincere interest in Japan, as demonstrated by one or more years of directed interest.
New Hampshire residents who are minorities will be considered for this award; preference is given to Hispanic students. Students must enroll in undergraduate or certificate programs of study.
U.S. undergraduate students who have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher are eligible for this award. Students must major in hospitality management or hotel/motel management and be part of a traditionally underrepresented group.
This scholarship is available for U.S. students in their junior year of college who are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, or Hispanic or Latino and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students must have a declared major in civil, chemical, or environmental engineering or in one of the environmental sciences (geology, hydrogeology, biology, ecology, public health, or industrial hygiene toxicology).
