May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, which means it's the perfect time to honor and celebrate students who are also Asian and Pacific Islanders within the United States! According to The Postsecondary National Policy Institute, AAPI students make up 8% of the population at public four-year colleges, 6% at private non-profit institutions, and 5% at four-year for-profit schools. Their overall college enrollment has increased 36% since the 2000-01 academic year.
Why May? According to the government's Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month site, "the month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants."
What began as a week-long celebration in the 1970s, the honor was extended to a month under President George H.W. Bush. May became the official designation of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month after President Bush signed it into law in 1992.
In honor of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, Fastweb is celebrating students with Asian-Pacific heritage with the following list of scholarships, all of which celebrate the value of a student's diverse background.
Available to: High School Seniors
Award Amount: $10,000
The SEED Scholar Award is available high school seniors of Asian - Indian heritage. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be planning to enroll as a full - time undergraduate student at a U.S. university in the fall to be eligible for this award.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: Varies
The CCAPW Scholarship is available to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women. You must be a resident of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, or Tulare County, CA to be eligible for this award.
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: $5,000
The Jihoon Rim Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students of Korean American or Korean descent. You must be attending a four – year college in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. to be eligible for this award. A 1,000 – word essay is also required.
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 be pursuing a major in the performing / visual arts, journalism, and / or mass communications and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible 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: $5,000
The AAa/e Scholarship is available to full - time students pursuing a degree in architecture, interior design, engineering, or construction. You must be a student member of the Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation to be eligible for this award.
Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: $1,500 - $3,000
The MAPS Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students majoring in Japanese language, Japanese literature, Asian studies, or illustration and animation. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to be eligible for this award.
Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $3,000
The Hmong American Education Fund Scholarships are available to Hmong - American students seeking specialized educational camps, internships, higher education, graduate school, and professional schools.
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 of the Chinese martial arts for at least five years. You must have a minimum "B" average to be eligible for this award.
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 who are 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 who are of Korean heritage. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award. You must also be attending school in one of the following states: Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, 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 who are of Korean descent. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to be eligible 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 who are 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. You must demonstrate outstanding professional promise and leadership potential to be considered for this award.
Available to: Graduate Students
Award Amount: Full-Tuition
The Schwarzman Scholars Program is open to graduate students. This a fully funded one - year master's degree program in global studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Applicants must be proficient in the English Language and demonstrate extraordinary leadership skills, the ability to anticipate and act on trends and changes in their context, strong intellectual capacity, and exemplary character.
SEED Scholar Award
Deadline: 4/30/24Available to: High School Seniors
Award Amount: $10,000
The SEED Scholar Award is available high school seniors of Asian - Indian heritage. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and be planning to enroll as a full - time undergraduate student at a U.S. university in the fall to be eligible for this award.
CCAPW Scholarship
Deadline: 5/18/24Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: Varies
The CCAPW Scholarship is available to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women. You must be a resident of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, or Tulare County, CA to be eligible for this award.
Jihoon Rim Scholarship
Deadline: 5/31/23Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: $5,000
The Jihoon Rim Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students of Korean American or Korean descent. You must be attending a four – year college in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. to be eligible for this award. A 1,000 – word essay is also required.
Against The Grain Artistic Scholarship
Deadline: 5/31/24Available 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 be pursuing a major in the performing / visual arts, journalism, and / or mass communications and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible 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: 5/31/24Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $5,000
The AAa/e Scholarship is available to full - time students pursuing a degree in architecture, interior design, engineering, or construction. You must be a student member of the Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation to be eligible for this award.
MAPS Scholarship
Deadline: 5/31/24Available to: Undergraduate Students
Award Amount: $1,500 - $3,000
The MAPS Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students majoring in Japanese language, Japanese literature, Asian studies, or illustration and animation. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to be eligible for this award.
Hmong American Education Fund Scholarship
Deadline: 6/7/24Available to: Undergraduate & Graduate Students
Award Amount: $500 - $3,000
The Hmong American Education Fund Scholarships are available to Hmong - American students seeking specialized educational camps, internships, higher education, graduate school, and professional schools.
Helen Gee Chin Scholarship
Deadline: 6/15/24Available 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 of the Chinese martial arts for at least five years. You must have a minimum "B" average to be eligible for this award.
KASF Western Region Scholarship
Deadline: 6/30/24Available 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 who are 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: 6/30/24Available 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 who are of Korean heritage. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award. You must also be attending school in one of the following states: Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia.
KASF Northeastern Region Scholarship
Deadline: 6/30/24Available 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 who are of Korean descent. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need to be eligible 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: 6/30/24Available 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 who are 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: 7/1/24Available 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. You must demonstrate outstanding professional promise and leadership potential to be considered for this award.
Schwarzman Scholars Program
Deadline: 9/12/24Available to: Graduate Students
Award Amount: Full-Tuition
The Schwarzman Scholars Program is open to graduate students. This a fully funded one - year master's degree program in global studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Applicants must be proficient in the English Language and demonstrate extraordinary leadership skills, the ability to anticipate and act on trends and changes in their context, strong intellectual capacity, and exemplary character.
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Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman is the Managing Editor and a writer at Fastweb. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, ...
