10 Scholarships for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating all of the people who came from, had family from or can trace their ancestry back to the rich and vast regions of Asia and the Pacific Islands. This month recognizes the incredible histories and pride of those people who have come to America from across the Pacific in some way. Special scholarships can be awarded to people based on their ties to the Asian Pacific, but it’s not just because of where they were born. It’s about providing opportunity to those who so often go without it, or who may not know what is available for them without financial aid. We put together a list of scholarships to help bridge the financial gap for families of Asian descent.
1. Study.com Scholarship for Asian American and Pacific Islander Students
The Study.com Scholarship for Asian American and Pacific Islander Students is for an Asian American or Pacific Islander student. Selection will be based on academic history and extracurricular activities.
Due Date: May 1, 2024
Amount: $1,000+
Eligibility: Undergraduate, Graduate
2. Asian Pacific Fund Scholarship
We coordinate several scholarship programs that provide financial support to undergraduate and graduate students. Each program is tailored to reflect the donor’s personal interests, whether targeted to specific ethnicities, career paths, or backgrounds.
Through these programs we partner with donors to give back in ways that are meaningful to them, and help students embark on their dreams.
Due Date: Rolling
Amount: $1,000 - $5,000
Eligibility: Undergraduate, Graduate
Restricted to students studying Accounting, Business/Consumer Services, Computer Science/Data Processing, Engineering/Technology, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Political Science, Physical Sciences
3. AALAM/Dow Fund Scholarship
Since 1997, AALAM has awarded an annual AALAM Scholarship Award to an Asian American law student who demonstrates leadership potential, maturity and responsibility, a commitment to making a contribution to the Asian American community and other indicia of excellence, whether personal, professional or academic. Priority consideration will be given to law students who have secured a public interest position for the summer.
Due Date: May 23, 2023
Amount: $5,000
Eligibility: Graduate, Restricted to Law/Legal Services in Massachusetts
4.Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund
Created in 2014, TASF supports economically challenged students of Taiwanese descent residing in the U.S. in their pursuit of higher education. Through a competitive application process, the funds are applied toward tuition for selected students in their first or second year of college.
Due Date: April 3, 2024
Amount: $7,500+
Eligibility: Undergraduate who is Taiwanese-American
5. OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship
The title of this scholarship program calls back to a time when many Asian immigrants looked upon America as a mountain of golden opportunities for themselves and their families. Awardees of the scholarship seek dreams of higher education, which are not only the dreams of the students but also of their parents and extended family.
Due Date: May 31, 2023
Amount: $2,000 - $2,500
Eligibility: Undergraduate
6. APIQWTC Scholarship
APIQWTC (Asian and Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community) is a fun, welcoming, multi-generational group of Asian & Pacific Islander queer women and transgender people in the Bay Area who are building community together. We are the legacy of API queer activism, stemming from earlier-founded organizations going back to 1987. APIQWTC is a wholly volunteer-based organization that provides opportunities for API queer women and transgender people to socialize, network, build community, engage in inter-generational organizing, and increase community visibility.
Due Date: February 14, 2024
Amount: $2,500+
Eligibility: Enrolled in 2-year college or vocational/technical School
7. Korean-American Scholarship Foundation Western Regional Chapter Scholarships
KASF scholarships (which range from $500 to $5,000) are offered to the qualified Korean American students (including foreign students from Korea). All applicants must be enrolled in a full time program in the U.S during the scholarship application year. If extra funds are available, other students (non Koreans) may qualify for scholarships. Specifically, descendants of American veterans served during the Korean War may qualify for scholarships (applicable to selective regions).
Due Date: June 30, 2023
Amount: Varies
Eligibility: Undergraduate, Graduate
Restricted to students studying in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington
8. Central California Asian Pacific Women Scholarship
Central California Pacific Women prepares and empowers Asian and Pacific Island women from the Central Valley to advocate for gender and social justice by supporting and providing leadership and mentoring opportunities in the Central Valley and beyond.
Due Date: May 14, 2023
Amount: Varies
Eligibility: Undergraduate
9. Prince Kuhio Hawaiian Civic Club Scholarships
At the core of our mission is the vision of our patron, Prince Kuhio, for the upward mobility of the Hawaiian people through education. With this in mind, we make a commitment to fund scholarship recipients for their two or four years of higher education. Applications are open to undergraduate and graduate students. Preference is given to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry and members or member relatives of the Prince Kuhio Hawaiian Civic Club.
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole formed the first Hawaiian civic club in 1918 to stimulate civic efforts and education within the Hawaiian community and promote Hawaiian culture. Preservation and perpetuation of Hawaiian values, culture and education are at the core of the mission and vision of the Prince Kuhio Hawaiian Civic Club. Throughout their generosity, the Prince Jonah Kuhio Hawaiian Civil Club offers scholarships.
Due Date: July 31, 2023
Amount: Varies
Eligibility: Undergraduate, Graduate
10. Pauahi Foundation Public Scholarships
The Pauahi Foundation administers scholarships that have been created by private donors. Many awards may be determined based on merit, while some are restricted for those students who demonstrate a financial need or for students applying from specific geographic regions. Scholarships are available to the general public, including students who are not graduates of Kamehameha Schools.
However, it is the policy of the Pauahi Foundation to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Applicants must be a classified, degree-seeking student, attending an institution in Hawaii or the continental U.S., attending school as a full-time student unless specifically noted in the scholarship listing.
Due Date: December 2, 2023
Amount: Varies
Eligibility: Undergraduates
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