Finding Asian American Scholarships Online
Trying to find scholarships to apply for can be overwhelming. After all, there are more than 1.7 million scholarships awarded each year. The competition can also be fierce, since scholarships are a form of financial aid that doesn’t have to be paid back.
The good news is that when you’re part of a certain segment of the population, you can find specific scholarships created just for you. This includes scholarships created for Asian and Asian American students.
Read on for a sample list of some of the more prominent Asian American scholarships, a rundown of common eligibility requirements, and tips on how to find Asian American scholarships.
Key Points
• Asian American scholarships are financial awards specifically for students of Asian heritage, supporting higher education by reducing tuition costs and promoting diversity in academia.
• Websites like Scholarships.com, Fastweb, and SoFi’s Scholarship Search list scholarships specifically for Asian American students and allow users to filter by demographic.
• Groups like Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) and Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) offer scholarships directly for Asian American students.
• College financial aid offices often have listings for scholarships aimed at minority groups, including Asian American students.
• Asian American students can also apply for grants, federal student loans, and private student loans to help pay for college.
Eligibility Requirements
College scholarships for Asian Americans are created for students who are of Asian heritage. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Asians are “individuals with origins in any of the original peoples of Central or East Asia, Southeast Asia, or South Asia, including, for example, Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese.”
Asian college scholarships exist because Asian and Asian American students, along with other racial and minority groups, are often underrepresented when it comes to college admissions. The Education Data Initiative reports more than 52% of college students are White or Caucasian, with only 7.38% of college students identifying as Asian or Asian American.
Although these scholarships cater to the Asian American community, in some cases, students don’t necessarily have to be born in the U.S. Instead, they may be able to apply for Asian scholarships if they are permanent residents of the U.S., meaning they have a green card and are allowed to live and work permanently in the country.
Before you apply, check the eligibility requirements carefully. Some common eligibility criteria may require you to have a certain GPA, show you’ve demonstrated leadership or personally served the Asian community, live or attend school in a certain geographical area, or need to show financial need, including submitting a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.
How to Find Asian American Scholarships
Finding scholarships for Asian students is easier thanks to a variety of search tools. One place to start accessing Asian scholarships is by using SoFi’s scholarship search tool. This tool allows you to look for and narrow your search for scholarships, fellowship programs, and grants for college by typing in the keywords Asian or Asian American.
SoFi also has a $2,500 scholarship sweepstakes you can enter every single month simply by registering with SoFi.
Other ways to access Asian American scholarships include using Sallie Mae’s Scholarship Search, the Department of Labor’s scholarship database known as CareerOneStop, contacting your college or university’s financial aid office, and talking to your academic advisor.
Scholarships are definitely worth the effort because they’re gifted awards that don’t have to be paid back. This free money for college can potentially decrease the amount of money you may have to borrow through private student loans and federal student loans.
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Scholarships for Asian American Students
While there are many types of scholarships set up to serve underrepresented groups as a whole, as mentioned earlier, there are also some that cater to a specific demographic, including the Asian and Asian American population.
If you’re of Asian heritage, here are 12 scholarship programs and opportunities to consider to help fund your college education:
1. Against the Grain Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
Against the Grain Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship is a merit-based award designed to promote Asian American college seniors and graduate students who have shown leadership, vision, and passion for bettering the lives of people in the Asian American community.
To be eligible for the $1,500 scholarship, to be used toward school tuition and fees, applicants must be at least 25% Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity, a citizen, national, or legal permanent resident in the U.S., and be either a high school senior or full-time college student currently enrolled at an accredited U.S. vocational, junior college, or four-year college/university.
The expected deadline is the end of May 2025.
2. Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Scholars
Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Scholars are need-based scholarships for college and university students who identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. Special attention is given to supporting those students who live at or below the poverty line and are first generation college students.
These awards are open to these undergraduate students attending U.S. accredited colleges or universities. APIA scholarship amounts range from $2,500 one-year awards to $20,000 multi-year awards. The expected deadline for next year is early winter.
3. Asian American Journalists Association
Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) provides many scholarships, fellowships, and grants for budding journalists. Eligibility, criteria, the scholarship amount, and deadlines vary depending on the scholarship.
4. Asian Pacific Fund Scholarships
Asian Pacific Fund Scholarships offer five different scholarships for Asians and Asian Americans. These scholarship programs give financial support to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Each Asian Pacific Fund scholarship is customized to reflect the donor’s personal interests, whether targeted to particular ethnicities, backgrounds, or chosen career paths. Scholarship deadlines and prize amounts vary.
5. Chinese American Medical Society Scholarship
Chinese American Medical Society Scholarship is a need-based scholarship for Chinese American students who are in medical or dental school.
The Chinese American Medical Society (CAMS) awards three to five $5,000 scholarships each year to first, second, and third year medical and dental students. Applicants must be in good standing at an accredited U.S. medical or dental school, as well as being a current or pending student member of the CAMS. This scholarship’s expected deadline is March 2025.
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6. Don H. Liu Scholars Program
Don H. Liu Scholars Program (DHL) is awarded to Asian American first-year law school students. Scholarship winners receive $5,000 a year over the course of their three years of law school for a total of $15,000.
To be eligible, students must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of Asian descent and be enrolled full-time as a first-year law student in a J.D. program at an ABA-accredited and approved law school in the U.S. They also must demonstrate financial need, exceptional academic achievement and leadership, and an intention to practice in the legal private sector after graduation.
Deadline is January 4, 2025.
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7. Japanese American Citizen League
Japanese American Citizen League (JACL) scholarships offer over 30 scholarships to undergraduate, graduate, and law school students nationwide. There are also several scholarships offered through the JACL for those studying in the fields of creative or performing arts.
In order to apply for any of these scholarships, applicants must be an active national JACL member and must hold an individual or a student/youth membership. Award amounts and deadlines vary depending on the particular scholarship.
8. The Kimbo Foundation
The Kimbo Foundation offers a scholarship to recognize students, primarily Korean Americans, who show exceptional academic achievement and leadership potential for the Korean community. The organization’s scholarship also takes into account an applicant’s financial need. The Kimbo Foundation scholarship is also open to Black and Hispanic students to promote racial harmony, with a focus on their contribution and ties to the Korean community even though they are not of Korean descent.
In the summer of 2024, the organization awarded 212 students $2,500 each and is open to high school graduates and college students nationwide, including those attending a two-year college. The expected deadline for the next application is June 2025.
9. Korean American Scholarship Foundation
The Korean American Scholarship Foundation awards are for individuals who are of Korean heritage, meaning those with a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent from Korea, or a student who was adopted from Korea. Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student in an undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate program.
These scholarships, which range from $500 to $5,000, are available to those who are attending school in certain states in the South, Northeast, and Eastern parts of the U.S. Deadlines vary.
10. Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund
The Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund helps economically challenged Taiwanese American students to fulfill their dreams of obtaining higher education. The scholarship is open to high school students planning to attend a college or university in the U.S. and first-year college students who plan to continue their education.
This $7,500 scholarship is renewable each year and awarded to 10 recipients. The deadline is April 21, 2025.
11. United States Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce
United States Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) offers scholarships to Asian-American and Pacific Island American high school seniors. Each year, 15-20 high school seniors receive $3,000 to $5,000 for post-secondary education. The USPAACC features scholarships established by Asian American businesses, and some are also sponsored by large corporations such as Hilton, UPS, Apple, and Denny’s restaurants.
12. Upakar Foundation Indian-American Scholarships
Upakar Foundation Indian-American Scholarships provide Indian-American students with the opportunity to pursue their higher education goals. The merit and need-based scholarships include those for students attending community college ($1,000 per year for two years) or a university ($2,500 per year over two or four years).
Applicants have to either have been born or have one parent born in the Republic of India,
be either a U.S. citizen or a U.S. Permanent Resident, and must plan to enroll full-time in an accredited, not-for-profit, four-year university or two-year community college for the fall semester of that upcoming school year.
The expected application period for 2025 is from March 1st through April 30th.
Types of Scholarships Available for Asian Americans
Scholarships generally fall under two categories: need or merit-based, or in some cases, a combination of both. Here’s what distinguishes these two types of scholarships:
Need-Based Scholarships
These scholarships, as the name suggests, are awards based on financial need. Need-based scholarships help students who would otherwise not be able to afford college.
Many institutions and organizations give out these kinds of scholarships, including the government (both federal and individual states), colleges and universities, major corporations, foundations, and organizations.
The application process for need-based scholarships typically doesn’t go far beyond sharing relevant financial information, namely the student’s or their family’s income.
Merit-Based Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships are those awarded based on an applicant’s academic, athletic, artistic, or special-interest achievements. Awards based on merit may also be need-based, but these scholarships primarily focus on a student’s accomplishments and the areas where they excel.
Unlike a need-based scholarship, merit-based ones require more from applicants. For example, a student will be asked for more personal information, such as their academic records. Merit-based prizes will often ask applicants to submit an essay, letters of recommendation, a resume, or may want the student to make a video of themselves or sit for an interview.
5 Tips for Applying for Scholarships
• Give yourself ample time for the application process: To avoid feeling rushed, you’ll want to start sooner rather than later compiling application materials. This can be especially helpful if you have an essay to write, allowing time for editing and revisions.
• Keep track of deadlines: Make a list of what’s due when, and plan to submit as early as possible. This may significantly increase your chances, especially if scholarship committee members read the applications as they come in.
• Read the application directions carefully: You want to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements, otherwise your application will most likely be disqualified.
• Apply for as many scholarships as possible: Competition for scholarships is fierce, so cast a wide net instead of focusing on a handful. Don’t discount the smaller awards either, there may not be as many applicants for those since it’s for a lesser amount.
• Try not to get discouraged: Putting all the effort into applying for a scholarship, only to get a rejection can be a major bummer. Though rejection can be tough, when it comes to scholarships, persistence is key.
The Takeaway
If you’re an Asian American student, there are many scholarships out there for you and there’s no limit to the number you can apply for. When it comes to scholarships for Asians, you can find opportunities online through various scholarship search tools and your college or university financial aid office.
In addition to scholarships, students can pay for college with cash savings, grants, and federal and private student loans.
If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.
FAQ
Are there scholarships for specific Asian ethnic groups?
Yes, being an Asian American means you can come from myriad Asian nations, including India, China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Pacific Islanders, those whose origins are the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia (which includes Native Hawaiians) are also considered Asians. There are certain scholarships offered to Asian Americans who have ancestry linked to a particular country, while others are more inclusive.
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen for Asian American scholarships?
Not always. Depending on the scholarship, people who are permanent residents, meaning they have a green card allowing them to live and work in the U.S., may be eligible to apply. Individuals who are adoptees from an Asian country brought to the U.S. can qualify for some Asian scholarships, as well.
Can I apply for multiple Asian American scholarships?
Yes, you can apply for multiple Asian American scholarships. There’s no limit to how many scholarships you can apply for, and the more the better (every little bit counts!). The only caveat may be that some Asian-centered scholarships may be country, region, or culturally specific, while other Asian American scholarships may be more all-inclusive.
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