In honor of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month (May 2026), we are highlighting financial aid opportunities for the AAPI community. Navigating the cost of higher education can be a challenge, but these scholarships for Asian American and Pacific Islander students are designed to support your academic journey. From the Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund to specialized grants for various backgrounds, explore our list of 2026 funding opportunities:
Available to: High School Students
Award Amount: $100 - $500
The KSCPP National Essay Contest is open to middle and high school students. To enter, you must read and submit an essay on the book "King Sejong the Great: The Everlasting Light of Korea." Books are provided at no cost.
Available to: High School Seniors & College Students
Award Amount: $1,000
The Against The Grain Artistic Scholarship is available to high school seniors and full-time college students of Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity. You must pursue a major in the performing / visual arts, journalism, and/or mass communications and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to qualify for this award. You must also demonstrate leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $7,000
The AAa/e Scholarship is available to full-time students pursuing a degree in architecture, interior design, engineering, or construction. To be eligible for this award, you must be a student member of the Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation.
Available to: High School Seniors & College Freshmen
Award Amount: $2,000 - $5,000
The "Comics Are LIT!" Scholarship Contest is open to high school seniors, college freshmen, and GED students. To enter, you must read the book The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasuhiko Nishizawa and create a 10 - page comic book spin-off based on one of three select characters. An artist statement of up to 500 - words is also required.
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: $3,000
The Helen Gee Chin Scholarship is available to full-time undergraduate students who have studied one or more Chinese martial arts for at least five years. To be eligible for this award, you must have a minimum "B" average.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Western Region Scholarship is available to high school seniors and undergraduate and graduate students of Korean descent. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and attend school in one of the designated Western states to be eligible for this award.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Eastern Region Scholarship is available to high school seniors and full-time undergraduate and graduate students of Korean heritage. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to qualify for this award. You must also attend school in the following states: Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Northeastern Region Scholarship is available to high school students and full-time undergraduate and graduate students of Korean descent. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to qualify for this award. You must also be attending school in one of the following states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Midwestern Region Scholarship is available to high school students and undergraduate and graduate students of Korean heritage. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and attend school in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin to be eligible for this award.
Available to: Law Students
Award Amount: $3,750
The SAIL Scholarship is available to first-year law students who have a strong interest in and commitment to public service. To be considered for this award, you must demonstrate outstanding professional promise and leadership potential.
Available to: Graduate Students
Award Amount: Full-Tuition
The Schwarzman Scholars Program is open to graduate students. It is a fully funded one-year master's degree program in global studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Applicants must be proficient in English and demonstrate extraordinary leadership skills, the ability to anticipate and act on trends and changes in their context, strong intellectual capacity, and exemplary character. As we celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month this May, we honor a legacy that began with the first Japanese immigrants in 1843 and the monumental contributions of Chinese workers on the transcontinental railroad. Today, that legacy continues through education. AAPI enrollment has increased by 36% since 2000, and students now represent a vital 8% of the population at public four-year colleges. Whether you are applying for the Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund or other regional grants, these financial opportunities are designed to support the student journey. Don't let these deadlines pass—start your applications today and carry the spirit of AAPI heritage into your academic future.
KSCPP National Essay Contest
Deadline: 5/3/26Available to: High School Students
Award Amount: $100 - $500
The KSCPP National Essay Contest is open to middle and high school students. To enter, you must read and submit an essay on the book "King Sejong the Great: The Everlasting Light of Korea." Books are provided at no cost.
Against The Grain Artistic Scholarship
Deadline: 5/31/26Available to: High School Seniors & College Students
Award Amount: $1,000
The Against The Grain Artistic Scholarship is available to high school seniors and full-time college students of Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity. You must pursue a major in the performing / visual arts, journalism, and/or mass communications and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to qualify for this award. You must also demonstrate leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities.
Asian American Architects and Engineers Association Scholarship
Deadline: 5/31/26Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $7,000
The AAa/e Scholarship is available to full-time students pursuing a degree in architecture, interior design, engineering, or construction. To be eligible for this award, you must be a student member of the Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation.
"Comics Are LIT!" Scholarship Contest
Deadline: 6/6/26Available to: High School Seniors & College Freshmen
Award Amount: $2,000 - $5,000
The "Comics Are LIT!" Scholarship Contest is open to high school seniors, college freshmen, and GED students. To enter, you must read the book The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasuhiko Nishizawa and create a 10 - page comic book spin-off based on one of three select characters. An artist statement of up to 500 - words is also required.
Helen Gee Chin Scholarship
Deadline: 6/15/26Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: $3,000
The Helen Gee Chin Scholarship is available to full-time undergraduate students who have studied one or more Chinese martial arts for at least five years. To be eligible for this award, you must have a minimum "B" average.
KASF Western Region Scholarship
Deadline: 6/30/26Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Western Region Scholarship is available to high school seniors and undergraduate and graduate students of Korean descent. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and attend school in one of the designated Western states to be eligible for this award.
KASF Eastern Region Scholarship
Deadline: 6/30/26Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Eastern Region Scholarship is available to high school seniors and full-time undergraduate and graduate students of Korean heritage. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to qualify for this award. You must also attend school in the following states: Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia.
KASF Northeastern Region Scholarship
Deadline: 6/30/26Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Northeastern Region Scholarship is available to high school students and full-time undergraduate and graduate students of Korean descent. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to qualify for this award. You must also be attending school in one of the following states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
KASF Midwestern Region Scholarship
Deadline: 6/30/26Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $5,000
The KASF Midwestern Region Scholarship is available to high school students and undergraduate and graduate students of Korean heritage. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and attend school in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin to be eligible for this award.
SAIL Scholarship
Deadline: 6/30/26Available to: Law Students
Award Amount: $3,750
The SAIL Scholarship is available to first-year law students who have a strong interest in and commitment to public service. To be considered for this award, you must demonstrate outstanding professional promise and leadership potential.
Schwarzman Scholars Program
Deadline: 9/9/26Available to: Graduate Students
Award Amount: Full-Tuition
The Schwarzman Scholars Program is open to graduate students. It is a fully funded one-year master's degree program in global studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Applicants must be proficient in English and demonstrate extraordinary leadership skills, the ability to anticipate and act on trends and changes in their context, strong intellectual capacity, and exemplary character. As we celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month this May, we honor a legacy that began with the first Japanese immigrants in 1843 and the monumental contributions of Chinese workers on the transcontinental railroad. Today, that legacy continues through education. AAPI enrollment has increased by 36% since 2000, and students now represent a vital 8% of the population at public four-year colleges. Whether you are applying for the Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund or other regional grants, these financial opportunities are designed to support the student journey. Don't let these deadlines pass—start your applications today and carry the spirit of AAPI heritage into your academic future.
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Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman covers various topics related to post-secondary education, including trade schools, the military, and college. She details strategies for paying for school, such as scholarships, financial ai...
