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 .

RDW Group, Inc. Minority Scholarship for Communications

This scholarship is open to Rhode Island students who are studying communications at the undergraduate or graduate level. Students must be from a minority group.
Award Amount

Total: $2000

Awards: 2

Deadline

Deadline: April 19

Mary Moy Quan Ing Memorial Scholarship

This award is available for U.S. and international high school seniors who are pursuing a career in journalism. Students must have a sensitivity to Asian American and Pacific Islander issues.
Award Amount

Total: $2000

Awards: 1

Deadline

Deadline: April 21

AAJA Vincent Chin Scholarship

This award is available for U.S. and international undergraduate college students who are pursuing a career in journalism. Students must have a sensitivity to Asian American and Pacific Islander issues.
Award Amount

Total: $500

Awards: 1

Deadline

Deadline: April 21

CIC/Anna Chennault Scholarship

U.S. graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students who demonstrate commitment to the field of journalism and/or sensitivity to Asian American and Pacific Islander issues are eligible to apply for this award.
Award Amount

Total: $5000

Awards: 1

Deadline

Deadline: April 21

Upakar Scholarship

This award is available for U.S. citizens and legal residents who were born in India or have a parent/grandparent who was born in India. The applicant must be a current high school senior with a grade point average of 3.6 or higher, and his/her annual family income must be less than $75,000.
Award Amount

Total: $6500

Awards: 6

Deadline

Deadline: April 30

Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship

This award is available to Kansas undergraduate minority students who are planning to enroll at a Kansas college or university. Students must demonstrate financial need and must be identified as members of any of the following ethnic/racial groups: African American, American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian or Pacific Islander; or Hispanic. Awarding priority is given to eligible renewals and freshmen students.
Award Amount

Total: $7400

Awards: 222

Deadline

Deadline: May 01

Page Education Foundation Grant Program

This award is available for minority undergraduate students with financial need who are residents of Minnesota and attending a college or university in Minnesota. Students who accept financial aid from the foundation are required to return to their communities and perform annual service-to-children projects with younger children of color.
Award Amount

Total: $1750

Awards: 560

Deadline

Deadline: May 01

Elizabeth Darguste Academic Excellence Scholarship

This scholarship is available for U.S. female, minority high school seniors who are currently attending a high school in the Bronx or Manhattan. Students must have a cumulative, weighted grade point average of 80 or higher (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale).
Award Amount

Total: $500

Awards: 2

Deadline

Deadline: May 01

Legal Opportunity Scholarship

This award is for racially and ethnically diverse students entering their first year of law school. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States, have a 2.5 grade point average, and demonstrate financial need. Click here to learn more and apply today!
Award Amount

Total: $15000

Awards: 20

Deadline

Deadline: May 01

Kaplan Leadership Program

This award is available for U.S. students in the New York area who are members of an underserved or underrepresented population and enrolled in or planning to enroll in an associate’s degree program with the intention of transferring to a bachelor’s program immediately upon completion of associate’s degree. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, enroll full time, and receive federal or state financial aid.
Award Amount

Total: $43000

Awards: 7

Deadline

Deadline: May 06