Scholarships for Asian American Students

A plethora of scholarships are available to Asian American students in the States. In the U.S. you are considered Asian American if your roots trace back to one or more of the 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent like China, Japan, India, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam. Asian Americans are considered a minority and make up around 8% of the total population in the United States. There are around 20 million Asian Americans at present, and their population is projected to increase to around 46 million by 2060.

In 2021, the largest ethnic group among Asian Americans was Asian Indians according to the Census conducted by American Community Survey. The Indians totaled up to around 4.4 million, followed by Chinese Americans who were also around the same number. Filipinos made up 2.9 million of the total population, Vietnamese were around 1.9 million in total, Koreans were 1.4 million, and Japanese were around 742,000 in number. This large number of Asian ethnicities in America has resulted in a lot of the students in post-secondary educational institutions being of Asian descent.

Around 7.4% of the U.S. students who were enrolled in degree-granting institutions were Asians. According to a survey conducted by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 6% of the total undergraduate student population and 6% of the total graduate student population in 2022 were Asian Americans.

Asian Americans have been found to be least likely to receive federal loans. Out of the total students who received loans, Asian Americans made up about 31%. In terms of student loan debt, Asian Americans make up the lowest percentage of the total. However, those who may receive loans may end up in trouble in the future if they are unable to repay them on time. It can lead to a higher financial burden and lower living standards as students after graduation will end up spending a significant amount of their income on loan repayments.

Asian American scholarships can help these groups afford college and complete their education without increasing the debt burden. There are many great scholarships offered specifically to Asian students from all levels including high school, undergraduate, and graduate. Two of the many great examples include the APIA Scholarship Program and the Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship. Pacific Islanders are also defined as Asian Americans by the U.S. Census Bureau and you can find more information on them on our Pacific Islander Scholarships page.

Keep reading below to find out more about scholarship opportunities, where to find them, and how to get them.

Asian Americans face several financial challenges as a minority group. Based on data provided by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), the poverty rate among Asian Americans was 10.1%, whereas among white, non-Hispanic Americans it was 8.1%. Asian Americans had an unemployment rate of 3.3% in 2020, which is lower than the national average of 4.1%. In addition, AAPI individuals who lack a degree earn less than their white American counterparts.

Based on a survey conducted by the ARC, it was found that a majority of AAPI students did not receive adequate information on financial aid options. Moreover, 60% of AAPI students reported that the FAFSA application process was too complex for them. The language for some such students may also be another barrier to accessing the opportunities that may come their way.

How To Apply

Scholaroo provides many Asian American scholarships that can be easily applied to by following the steps below.

The following are the main steps to follow when applying for any scholarship:

1. Check Eligibility

Scholarship websites are the easiest place to find most scholarship opportunities as they list all the available options under one roof. You can also filter them according to those specific to Asian Americans. Some scholarships may be need-based and are awarded on the basis of the financial need of the student, while others may be based on merit. It is important to go through the eligibility requirements thoroughly to make sure you qualify before applying.

2. Understand the Application Requirements
It is important to understand what the scholarship demands, for submitting a strong application.

Scholarship applications may require some or all of the following:

3. Order Scholarships According to Submission Deadlines:

It is important to arrange the scholarships according to the deadlines to make sure that you take advantage of every opportunity. Timing is very important and the earlier you apply the better it is. Time should, especially, be invested in scholarships that require an essay as it takes a lot of time, planning, and effort to write a good one.

4. Proofread:

Some Asian students who are new to the U.S. may not be highly proficient in the English Language and may have some grammatical and structural errors in their writing. Therefore, once you have completed your application and the associated requirements, make sure to go through them all thoroughly at least once. You can also get a friend or someone from family or school to help you proofread.

5. Submit Your Application:

Most applications now require online submissions and may take a few minutes only if you have everything ready to upload. Keep track of the status of your application process and keep in mind that it may take some time to receive an answer. You may put in a follow-up email if you have been waiting to receive a reply for some time.

Tips For Applying

Around 6% of students enrolled in public pre–K–12 schools are Asians. This percentage is increasing with time. With scholarships, these high school students can become more independent and pay for school-related expenses themselves. They can also save the money they win for their future college expenses so they do not have to take many loans.

High School Junior Scholarships

High juniors are mostly dependent on their parents to cover their school-related expenses. Scholarships can also help take care of the early high school finances. Junior year is actually the best time to start looking for scholarships and applying for them. The more scholarships high school juniors are able to get, the more they will be able to collect for their future post-secondary education.

1. Hyatt Hotels Fund for Minority Lodging Management Students
2. NERC College/Graduate Scholarship

High School Senior Scholarships

Some high school seniors have casual and part-time jobs that they take up to cover their personal and school-related expenses. Some save the money they earn for future college education. Scholarships can also help high school students to cover their present expenses and to pay for their college education independently without much help from their parents or loans.

1. Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship
2. LPA Scholarship
3. BLM² Scholarship

Scholarships for College Freshmen

A college freshman is a student in the very first year of their undergraduate degree. Many new college students need help to cope with the new expenses that come with a college degree like tuition and fees, room and board, books, transportation, and other supplies. It may become overwhelming and many students end up taking loans to cover all their expenses increasing the overall debt burden of the country. The average student debt in America is currently around $28,950 per student. Asian Americans are least likely to take loans compared to other groups in America but there still are many Asian students who require loans or another form of aid to manage expenses.

Scholarships are actually a great way to cover some of the college expenses. They do not require repayments and help ease the financial burden to a great extent without the student getting into debt.

1. LAGRANT Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships
2. ACS Scholars Program

Scholarships for College Sophomores

Sophomore students are second-year college students. Many students at this level have part-time jobs that help them cover their college-related expenses. However, tuition costs are quite high and it is hard to cover the full cost of college just with part-time job earnings. Scholarships can help pay off a significant chunk of tuition, room and board, or other related expenses. Some scholarships are even full-rise scholarships that may cover the full cost of tuition for a year. You can also check if the scholarships you are applying for are renewable for the following years.

1. Chairish Design Your Future Scholarship
2. Minority Natural Resource Scholarship

Scholarships for College Junior

Third-year undergraduates are referred to as college juniors. They are close to completing their education and earning a degree but many students are unable to reach to this year due to high college costs. The following scholarships can help take off some of the financial burden so you can continue your education and move on to the last year of college successfully.

1. ACS Scholars Program
2. API-JCU Diversity Scholarship

Scholarships for College Senior

Undergraduate students enrolled in the fourth and last year of their college are college seniors. It takes a lot of effort and money to reach this final year and only around 60% of the total enrolments in colleges become graduates.

There may be various reasons for dropping out of college but the most common reason is financial issues. Many organizations, therefore, work especially towards helping students earn a degree successfully by supporting them financially through scholarships and grants. Following are two of the best scholarships for Asian American College Seniors.

1. Student Excellence in Archaeology Scholarships
2. Foundation Education Award Scholarship

A graduate degree is generally of around two years which makes it less expensive than a four-year undergraduate. Scholarships below can help graduate students pay for college tuition easily.

1. PRSA Georgia Multicultural PRism Scholarship
2. Diversity in Hospitality Scholarship
3. Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counselors Doctorate
4. Jacobs Holly A. Cornell Scholarship

The William K. Schubert Minority Nursing Scholarship is funded by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and is for students enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a prelicensure registered nurse program. This is only available to students from underrepresented minority groups and winners of the scholarship can earn around $2,750 per academic year.

The Center for American Progress (CAP) reports that in recent years Asian American women have achieved a higher level of educational attainment than other women and are often doing as well as their male counterparts. CAP records College graduation rates for white and Asian American women were 45.8% and 49.4%, respectively. Despite their high achievements in education, Asian American women make disproportionately less money than their male and non-Hispanic white counterparts. Some groups of women, like single mothers, face more financial hardships and may find it hard to complete their education due to greater financial constraints.

Asian American female students can fund their studies through a number of scholarships, specifically created for them. Ashton Washington Women of Color Annual Scholarship is one of the best options for Asian women in the state of Mississippi. It awards $1,000 to a woman of color and the amount is directly disbursed to the student’s college for tuition fees. Another great option is the Dr. Irving Pressley McPhail Endowed Scholarship which is for students who are doing manufacturing, engineering, manufacturing engineering technology, or a closely related discipline. It is available to both high school seniors and undergraduates and awards $1,000 to the selected candidate in the U.S. or Canada.

In 2021, around 4.4 million Chinese Americans were reported to be living in America and many comprised of students in high school and college. The following scholarships are available to all students from Asian American backgrounds including Chinese. These can help cover many of the expenses related to school and college for the successful completion of studies.

1. APIA Scholarship Program
2. Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship

Koreans make up close to 2 million of the total population in the States. This is a huge number of people and their education can help make the future of America better. However tertiary educational expenses in America are high and the following scholarships can help Koreans achieve their degree goals and become successful.

1. NERC College/Graduate Scholarship
2. Korean American Scholarship Foundation-Western Regional Chapter

In 2021, there were more than 740,000 Japanese in the States and now their population is more than a million. Many of them are enrolled in colleges and universities across America. The following scholarships can help Japanese students pay for their tertiary education.

1. Against The Grain Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
2. PRSA Georgia Multicultural PRism Scholarship

Filipinos population has risen over time and makes up more than 3 million of the total population in America. They are people from the country of the Philippines which is located in Southeast Asia. The following scholarships are available to all Asians in America and can help the Filipino student population at high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels to successfully complete their education without taking on much debt.

1. LPA Scholarship
2. AALAM/Dow Fund Scholarship

South Asians consist of people from many countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. Indian Americans alone make up around 5 million of the total population at present. Students with other South Asian backgrounds just add to the number and make the total South Asian population quite significant in number. A huge amount of this population are students in high school and post-secondary educational institutes and a lot of them are facing financial issues. Around 16% of all federal loans go to Asian American students. The following scholarships can help these students pay for college without taking the help of loans.

1. Archie Motley Memorial Scholarship for Minority Students
2. CIEF Bachelor & Masters Scholarships in Architecture

The Asian American Coalition for Education is one of the top organizations that allows Asian Americans access to higher education. The Asian American & Pacific Islander Alliances (AAPI) works alongside a number of other organizations to support, strengthen, and elevate the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

The APIA Scholars is another one of the leading organizations in the United States that work for the education of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the country. They provide numerous scholarship opportunities that can help these students complete their education without taking on debt.

The Asian Pacific Islander American Scholar program is one of the most well-known scholarships for AAPI students. The program has awarded more than $150 million in scholarships to more than 7,000 students. Their mission is to make higher education more accessible to AAPI students as well as set them up for future success.

The Asian Pacific Fund is an organization dedicated to strengthening the Asian American (and Pacific Islander) community in the Bay Area. One of the ways that they do this is through a multitude of scholarships sponsored by donors in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Students can also seek financial help from their university’s financial aid office as many offer in-house scholarships and grants to their students who are a minority or from a specific ethnic background.

Grants are financial gifts like scholarships that are usually state-based and do not need to be repaid. There are quite a few minority grants for college that Asian Americans can access.

The William Orr Dingwall Foundation is an organization that was started by a professor at the University of Maryland and gives grants to Korean Americans. It has at least seven new grant opportunities available for the years 2023 to 2024. The Korean Ancestry Grants offer up to a maximum of $12,000 to undergraduate students of Asian ancestry who have a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Asian Americans can also receive the Pell Grant which is available to all students regardless of their ethnic background. It is only available to low-income undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. Students may receive up to $5,550 per academic year that can be used towards their college costs.

You can also inquire about grants from your university’s financial aid office if they have any such options available for Asian American students.