Resources

Scholarship & Grants

Ventura County Community Foundation Scholarship

Application Period: Late November to Late January Review eligibility guidelines of each scholarship. Scholarships can range from $500 to $10,000. Application Link: https://vccf.org/scholarships/student-applicants/

Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) Scholars: College scholarship to Asian and Pacific Islander Americans attending ANY accredited US college or university.

Application period: September to January
One-time $2500 to multi-year $20,000 awards
Scholarship for underserved APIA students at poverty line; first generation students; ethnicities that are underrepresented on college campuses. Show community service, leadership, academic achievement;
Be enrolled as undergraduate.
Application link: https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/apia

AANAPISI Scholarship

Requirements like APIA but also enrolled in one of APIA AANAPISI Partner Institutions. See AANAPISI Scholarship FAQs
Application Link: https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/aanapisi

U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC)

USPAACC is a provider of Pan-Asian scholarships, grants and fellowships for Asian-American women and men. This organization began providing funding to Asian-American students in 1989 and is the most established and largest organization representing Asian American businesses in the United States. Apart from the Bruce Lee Scholarship, they only accept applicants of Pan-Asian American heritage. Pan-Asian American refers to having an ethnic background from the following countries: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Application Link to College Scholarships: https://celebrasianconference.com/scholarships

Against the Grain Scholarships

A range of scholarships open to high school seniors, college undergraduates and graduates who demonstrate leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation serving the Asian American community. Since 2011, they have awarded over 55 scholarships applied to tuition and fees.
Application period: February to June
Overview information and list of past winners are on their website ATG Artistic Scholarship, $1000 ATG Groundbreaker Scholarship, $1500 ATG #LiveLikeLyly Scholarship, $1000 ATG Lily Pabilona Emerging Entrepreneur Scholarship , $1000-$5000

Korean Ancestry Grants

Provided by the Dingwall Foundation, Korean Ancestry Grants provide funds up to $10,000 awarded to exceptional students with Asian ancestry with a strong preference for students of Korean ancestry. Funds are for undergraduate study only.
Application deadline: April 1st.
Details and application: Grant FAQs

Korean American Scholarship Foundation (KASF)

KASF offers regional scholarships from $500 to $500 to Korean American students and students from Korea who wish to study in the U.S. (undergraduate, graduate studies). Scholarships are also available for descendants of Korean War American Veterans. Details for the scholarship are available on the website. Scholarships are distributed based on financial need, academic achievement, recommendations, essays, and community service. Applicants must apply for their regional chapter (Western Regional Chapter for those on the West Coast).

Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

JACL’s National Scholarship Program offers 30 scholarships for active National JACL members (membership is open to everyone of any ethnic background). Scholarship categories included Entering Freshman, Undergraduate Awards, Graduate Awards, Law Scholarship, Special awards. Some are specific in terms of areas of study (eye care, civil rights, dentistry, public service), demonstration of need.
Please visit their website when the application starts for descriptions of scholarships and details for application.
Application period: December to March 1.

Asian Pacific Fund for California Residents

Asian Pacific Fund supports the Asian and Pacific Islander Community in the Bay area, but their scholarships extend to students living in other parts of the state. They offer a range of scholarships from donors. If the website indicates that scholarships are currently closed, it is closed for that current year. These scholarships open in the Spring and deadlines range from February to March. Visit the website frequently at the end of the academic year (November-December) and at the start of the new year (January) to see when some of the scholarships open and review scholarship FAQs. Previously awarded scholarships are:

• Banatao Family Filipino American Education Fund, $5,000
  Students must major in engineering, mathematics, CS, environmental or physical sciences (health careers are not eligible); Residency in Los Angeles, Orange or San Diego county
• Chevron Filipino Employee Network Scholarship, $2000-$3000
  Students must be incoming freshman; major in engineering, computer science, physical or environmental science majors; show financial need; Residency in Bay Area, Southern California, or Bakersfield area.
• Shui Kuen and Allen Chin Scholarship, $1000
  Students must be incoming freshman or current full-time undergraduate at four year institution; parent or student must be employed at an Asian-owned or Asian cuisine restaurant; any ethnic heritage; practice community advocacy and social justice work on behalf of Asian American, immigrant, gay and lesbian and/or other progressive causes; demonstrate financial need; no citizenship status required.
• Matt Fong Asian Americans in Public Finance Scholarship, $5000
  Students must be incoming sophomore, junior, or senior at a four-year institution in California; major in accounting, political science, public policy, business administration or related fields; at least $50 Asian heritage; demonstrate financial need; preference for those with a record of community service or volunteer work.
• Hsiao Memorial Social Sciences Scholarship, $1000
  Students must be a graduate student attending US based college or university; pursuing grad degree in social science or economics preferred but not required; research topics preference is on topics that benefit those in social/economic need especially those in the Asian and Asian American communities; preference for Asian heritage but not required; US citizen, resident or foreign national; demonstrate financial need.
• Frederick and Demi Seguritan Scholarship, $5000
  Students must be incoming freshman at a four-year institution; first generation Asian American (immigrant); demonstrate financial need; resident of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Solano county in California; demonstrate outstanding citizenship and community service; interest in business (but not necessarily a business major).

SEED Scholar Program

SEED Foundation’s Scholar Program provides college/university scholarships for students of Asian-Indian heritage. Students must be at least 50% Asian-Indian heritage, a graduating U.S. high school senior, enroll in U.S. university, legal resident. Application details and requirements are found on their website.

SUBJECT AREAS

Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL)

CAPAL provides public service scholarships and internships. Some scholarships are regional (enrollment in schools with Midwest Asian American Students Union or in the Midwest states or Washington DC area). For California applicants, public service internships are available.
Application period: opens in November and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis - see soft deadlines for each term
Must be currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students and U.S. citizenship is not required. Visit the website.

Application link: https://www.capal.org/site/2018/09/04/scholarship-internship-program/

Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA)

Offers internships at AAJA headquarters; Leadership Fellowship, Sport Journalism Scholarship ($2000), Chennault Scholarship ($5000) for high school seniors and college students passionate about journalism, Broadcast News Internship ($500-$1000), Chen Internship Grant ($2000, juniors, seniors, grad students in journalism who secured a summer internship), etc.
Applications due dates range: January to May
Application Link: https://www.aaja.org/news-and-resources/scholarships-internships/

Asian Pacific Islander Capitol Association (APICA)

APICA offers summer internships at the State Capitol in Sacramento for a 10-week period. The internship is for current college students, 21 years of age or older at the time of the internship, who are interested in public policy and public service. The program offers a $4,690 stipend, an orientation to state government, mentorship with API Capitol staff, and a meaningful work experience in a legislative office. Application deadline has been extended to March 5, 2023. Application link: Google Form application

South Asian Journalist Association (SAJA)

SAJA offers scholarships (up to $2,000) to help pay for tuition fees and costs in North American colleges and universities. Applicants must be of South Asian descent (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) or interested in covering South Asian and/or the diaspora. Major: Journalism. Application deadline: April 29.

Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)

Offers awards, scholarships, and travel grants for those working on Asian/Pacific Americans or of Asian/Pacific American heritage. Application period: due April 1st of the year.

• APALA scholarship of $1000 (for those who have been accepted in library school)
• APALA travel grant to ALA conference, $500
• APALA literature awards
• Emerging Leaders Sponsorship (up to $1000 for conference expenses)

RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS

UCSF Summer Clinical Research Training

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Department and Epidemiology and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Training Programs offer a summer clinical research training program for 20-40 currently-enrolled underrepresented minority undergraduate students who are planning to attend dental, medical, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy or other health professions schools after graduation, and who have an interest in a career in clinical and translational research. Students will be paired with a UCSF trainee who studying the design of clinical research. The purpose of the program is to introduce and train students to evaluate the medical literature, to design clinical and translational research studies, and to encourage long-term collaborations between UCSF and students. Tuition and book are included if accepted into the program a $2000 stipend is offered.

To learn more about the program, click here: https://epibiostat.ucsf.edu/pre-health-undergraduate-program

The application deadline is March 4, 2024

CSU California Pre-Doctoral Program

Provides an award of $3000 to each scholar to visit UC and doctoral-granting institutions. The purpose is to enable current students to explore and prepare to succeed in doctoral programs in their chosen field of study.
Application period: December to Mid Feb
Required to meet with the California Pre-Doctoral Coordinator on CI campus (Sara Alcala) Qualifications: Junior, Senior, Grad students in CSU; show promise to succeed in graduate school (academic excellence) while experiencing economic or educational disadvantage; show commitment to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level; enrolled on CSU campus
Pre-Doctoral Program template for Plan and Budget, (PDF, xxKB)
Application Directions: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/faculty-staff/predoc/Pages/how-to-apply.aspx

Community Organizations

CSUCI Student Clubs

• Kilusan Pilipino: https://csuci.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/kilusan-pilipino https://www.instagram.com/kilusanpilipino/
• KakePops Club, Student club that promotes Korean pop music and Korean culture: https://csuci.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/k-pop-dance-crew

Local and National

• Ventura County Japanese American Citizen League:
  https://venturacountyjacl.weebly.com/
• Ventura County Chinese American Association: http://www.vccaa.org/ Southern California American
• Korean American Coalition, Los Angeles: https://www.kacla.org/
  Indian Association of Los Angeles: http://www.indiaassociationla.org/about.htm
• A3PCON (Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, a community-based organization that advocates for the rights and needs of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Community: http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/
• Center for Asian Pacific American Women, a national non-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement and enrichment of leadership skills for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women through education, networking, and mentorship: https://apawomen.org/
• Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), national organization that advances social justice and needs of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander families: https://www.empoweredpi.org/

List of organizations according to the state:
https://www.ncapaonline.org/dayofaction/organization-partners/