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As with all minority scholarships, it can take quite a bit of digging to find scholarships that are geared towards your specific ethnic background. However, there are many resources for Asian American students who wish to obtain money for college. 

In order to qualify for an Asian American scholarship, you need to come from a certain ethnic background.  

Different scholarships and grants will have varying requirements, but you can qualify for a scholarship if you come from a wide variety of communities, such as Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Korean, Malaysian and many more. 

Check with the specific scholarships you are interested in to see what native background you must have in order to qualify. 

If you are searching for Asian American scholarship and grant opportunities, there are a number of helpful resources to check out. The following guide will direct you to several opportunities, and tell you how to find Asian American scholarships on your own.

Organizations for Asian Americans

 

Your first stop when searching for Asian American scholarships should be organizations that are dedicated to representing your ethnic background. 

For example, the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) works hard to increase representation of Asian Americans in universities across the nation. 

The organization prides itself on having offered financial aid to Asian American students since 1989, and continues to do so to this day. 

For the most part, the scholarship opportunities offered by the USPAACC are valid at any institution of higher learning, which makes these scholarships very attractive. They offer a variety of opportunities to Asian American students that are worth checking out. 

For the 2007 Scholarship list, there are over 15 opportunities available to interested Asian American students. 

For example, the Bruce Lee Scholarship offers up to $5,000 to an Asian American student at least 16 years of age who has a strong character and has had to work to overcome adversity in their life. 

Academics and financial need are also crucial qualifying factors for this award. 

Other scholarships include the PepsiCo Scholarship, the Volvo-for-Life scholarship and many more. All of the USPAACC opportunities are open to eligible high school seniors.

The Asian and Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund also offers outstanding scholarship opportunities to Asian American students. The organization was founded in 2003, and has the financial backing of several major corporations to help assist financially needy Asian American students. 

The organization offers a general APISF scholarship opportunity, as well as the Gates Millenium Scholars program and a few other awards. For more information, check out their website.

Colleges and Universities

 

After researching your options through organizations geared towards Asian American students, it’s time to turn towards your college or university and see what opportunities they offer. 

Speak with a financial aid advisor at your school to find what scholarships are offered specifically for Asian American students. There may be a plethora of opportunities you didn’t even know existed until you ask. 

There may be opportunities geared towards your ethnic background in general, or a scholarship for Asian American students based on the course of study. 

If you are still in high school, you can speak with a school guidance counselor who will be able to direct you to be the best sources for Asian American scholarships. A lot of opportunities are available to high school seniors who are searching for college funds.

Academic Scholarships for Asian American Students

 

There are also opportunities for Asian American students to earn money for college based on the course of study they are pursuing. 

For example, the Asian American Journalists Association offers several scholarships to both high school and undergraduate/graduate students. 

There are a few eligibility criteria students are expected to meet before they can apply for a scholarship from the AAJA, including but not limited to: 

• A demonstrated interest and commitment to the field of journalism
• Academic ability
• Financial need

 

Each scholarship opportunity offered by AAJA may have specific requirements regarding eligibility. Please check the website to learn further details about each scholarship and what it entails. 

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association is another perfect example of an organization that offers scholarships to Asian American students who are pursuing a specific career path. 

The Law Foundation scholarships offered by NAPABA are awarded to needy law students in the Fall. Students must show a commitment to enhancing and helping the Asian American community as future leaders. 

The Anheuser-Busch Company financially backs the awards. 

Since 1995, 53 students have received awards totaling more than $90,000. 

There are several scholarship opportunities offered by NAPABA. These include, but are not limited to the Anheuser-Busch NAPABA Law Foundation presidential scholarship; the NAPABA Law Partners community fellowship program, and the Lim, Ruger and Kim scholarship. 

For more information about opportunities offered by NAPABA, please visit their website for further details.

Other Resources

 

If you would like to find additional scholarships and grants for Asian American students other than the opportunities listed above, you can do a number of things to broaden your search. 

You can enlist the help of a scholarship search engine such as Fastweb.com or Scholarships.com to help you find scholarship opportunities based on the criteria you set when you sign up to use these services. 

Or you can do a general internet search of Asian American scholarship opportunities by using a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. You never know what opportunities might pop up this way. 

While searching for scholarships might seem like a difficult and time consuming task, the more Asian American scholarship you find and apply for, the better your chances of obtaining at least some money for college expenses. 

College is expensive, and every little bit helps! 

Don’t limit your search to scholarships just for your ethnic background, either. While you are applying for scholarship geared towards Asian Americans, you can also apply for general scholarship you are eligible for as well. 

With a little hard work and the above resources, you can find scholarship opportunities that are right for you. Good luck!