Asian Minority Scholarships
According to BusinessWeek, tuition fees at colleges and universities across the country outpaced inflation yet again by as much as 6.5 percent for public institutions and 4.4 percent for private colleges. As a result, students and their parents are increasingly turning to financial aid packages and scholarships to help them meet their college budgets. Asian-American students can take advantage of a number of scholarship programs.
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Organizational Scholarships
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Ethnic and/or racial associations and organizations frequently offer scholarships to students of particular backgrounds. For example, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Foundation offers eight scholarships worth $1,000 each to college students of Chinese descent. The Japanese American Citizens League offers over thirty scholarships to high school or college students. Eligibility varies by organization; some require only that an applicant be of a particular ethnic heritage, while others have other restrictions such as membership or residency.
Organizations whose membership represent all Asian-American communities also offer a number of scholarships, including APIASF (Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund), the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Asian Pacific Fund, which focuses on the Asian-American community in California's Bay Area.
Professional Association Scholarships
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Many Asian-American professional organizations also provide scholarships to Asian-American students who wish to pursue careers in specific fields. Examples include scholarships from the Philippine Nurses Association of America, the Asian-American Journalists Association, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, Asian Women in Business, and the Asian American Architects/Engineers Association.
University Scholarships
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Many universities offer scholarships through their financial aid departments specifically for Asian-American students. These scholarships are usually endowed by individuals, families, foundations, or companies and vary in amount, duration, GPA minimums, and other restrictions. For example, Boston University offers a generous Asian-American Scholarship to a BU junior who---among other requirements---demonstrates a commitment to the advancement of the Asian-American community. Students interested in learning more about college-based scholarships should contact the college's financial aid office.
Foundation/Corporate Scholarships
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Even institutions that do not have a direct connection to the Asian-American community but whose mission or business operations target them nonetheless often offer scholarships to Asian-American students, among others. The Gates Millennium Scholars program targets disadvantaged minority students from the Asian and Pacific Islander American, African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic-American communities who demonstrate community and leadership skills as well as an outstanding academic record. The Verizon Foundation partners with the National Association of Asian-American Professionals to offer the annual NAAAP/Verizon Foundation Leadership Scholarship.
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