Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students are often misperceived as a single high-resource group — but the AAPI population is one of the most economically diverse in the United States, with poverty rates among Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, and recent-immigrant communities that rival or exceed national averages. A robust set of grants and scholarships targets AAPI students, especially those from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds within the broader AAPI umbrella.
The largest source of need-based aid for any AAPI student is still the federal financial aid system, accessed through the FAFSA. The programs below stack on top.
Federal grants every AAPI student should apply for first
- Federal Pell Grant — up to $7,580 for 2026–27, need-based.
- FSEOG — $100 to $4,000 per year for Pell-eligible students with the lowest SAIs.
- TEACH Grant — up to $4,000/year for prospective teachers in high-need fields.
- State grants — file your FAFSA early to be considered for your state's need-based programs.
File the FAFSA once and you're considered for all of the above. Some scholarships listed below also accept undocumented and DACA-status students through alternative state aid applications.
Major AAPI-focused scholarship programs
APIA Scholars
APIA Scholars (formerly the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund) is the largest non-profit provider of scholarships to AAPI students in the United States. The flagship APIA Scholarship awards from $2,500 to $20,000 to undergraduates of Asian and/or Pacific Islander heritage. One application also routes students to dozens of named-partner scholarships. APIA Scholars prioritizes:
- Students from underrepresented AAPI ethnic groups (Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, and others)
- Pell-eligible students
- First-generation college students
Apply each year at apiascholars.org.
Asian Pacific Fund (San Francisco)
The Asian Pacific Fund administers more than two dozen named scholarships from California-based community foundations for AAPI students nationally and in the Bay Area. Awards range from $2,500 to $10,000 per year. See asianpacificfund.org/scholarships.
Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
AAJA runs multiple programs for AAPI students entering journalism and media, including the Stanford Chen Internship Grant, the CNN Internship Program, and the Mary Quon Moy Ing Memorial Scholarship. Awards range from a few thousand dollars to fully funded internships at major news organizations. See aaja.org.
OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates Scholarships
OCA administers several scholarships, including the OCA-UPS Foundation Gold Mountain Scholarship for first-generation Asian American or Pacific Islander undergraduates, and the OCA-AXA Achievement Scholarship. See ocanational.org.
Hawai'i Community Foundation
The Hawai'i Community Foundation manages over 200 scholarship funds, many specifically for Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Asian American students with Hawai'i ties. Awards range widely. See hawaiicommunityfoundation.org.
Field-specific and research grants
Association for Asian Studies (AAS)
AAS offers research grants of up to $2,000 through its area councils (China and Inner Asia, Northeast Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia) for graduate students and scholars working on Asian-studies projects. AAS membership is required. See asianstudies.org/grants-awards.
Asian Cultural Council (ACC)
ACC awards fellowships for artists, scholars, and arts professionals in fields including performing arts, visual arts, archaeology, and conservation, supporting research and exchange between Asia and the United States. See asianculturalcouncil.org.
Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP)
SEASREP funds language training, graduate research, and faculty exchange in Southeast Asian Studies for students and faculty at Southeast Asian and partner institutions. See seasrep.org.
AANAPISIs — federal funding for AAPI-serving institutions
The U.S. Department of Education designates colleges with at least 10 percent AAPI enrollment and a low-income service mission as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander–Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). These schools receive federal Title III funds to expand programs for AAPI students, including academic support, transfer counseling, and need-based aid. If you're an AAPI student, attending an AANAPISI can mean access to dedicated support services on top of standard federal aid. See the federal program page at ed.gov/programs/aanapi.
How to apply (recommended order)
- File the FAFSA as early as possible.
- Apply to APIA Scholars — one application unlocks many awards.
- Apply to community foundations in your state (Asian Pacific Fund, Hawai'i Community Foundation, etc.).
- If field-specific (journalism, arts, Asian studies), apply to AAJA, ACC, AAS, or SEASREP.
- Check your state and school — many universities have AAPI student programs and named scholarships.
Common questions
Are all Asian American students eligible for these scholarships? Most programs explicitly include all AAPI ethnic backgrounds, but many prioritize underrepresented subgroups (Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, first-generation, low-income). Read each program's criteria.
What if I'm of mixed heritage? Most major programs (APIA Scholars, Asian Pacific Fund) accept applicants with at least one parent or grandparent of Asian or Pacific Islander descent.
Are DACA or undocumented AAPI students eligible? Federal Pell and most federal grants require U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status. However, many private AAPI scholarships (including APIA Scholars for permanent residents and DACA recipients) and state aid programs are accessible. Confirm eligibility on each program's site.
Are there grants specifically for Pacific Islanders? Yes — the Hawai'i Community Foundation, Pacific Islander Education and Retention programs at many West Coast universities, and the APIA Scholarship's targeted programs for Pacific Islander students. The federal AANAPISI designation also specifically includes Pacific Islanders.
Are there scams targeting AAPI students? Yes. Any "grant kit" or "guaranteed scholarship" service charging a fee is a scam. Legitimate AAPI scholarships, like all federal aid, are free to apply for. Report scams to the FTC.
The AAPI scholarship landscape is broad and well organized. Combine federal aid with one or two major foundation programs (especially APIA Scholars) and any community-foundation funds for your state, and you'll cover most of the available pool.