Empowering Future Leaders: Announcing the 2024 KRC Scholarship for Asian American and Pacific Islander Students

Apply today to the 2024 KRC Scholarship Awards for Asian American and Pacific Islander students!

At the Korean Resource Center (KRC), we believe in the power of education to transform lives and empower communities. KRC was founded in 1983 with four founding principles (Live Right, Know Your Roots, Live Strong, Live Together).

This is why we are excited to announce the 2024 KRC Scholarship for Asian American and Pacific Islander students, aimed at empowering and supporting Korean and/or Asian American/Pacific Islander youth in their academic pursuits.

APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED: APRIL 20TH 2024

Objectives:

Empower low income and/or undocumented Korean/Asian American students by

  • Financially supporting the candidate’s college education;

  • Providing an opportunity for the students to think about social contributions as a young Korean/Asian American community member;

  • Providing an opportunity for the student to learn about Korean/Asian American history and heritage in relation to Korean/Asian American identity;

  • Providing an opportunity to participate in KRC’s activities and events.


Awards:

KRC will offer three (3) scholarship awards of $2000 each. A special category has been set aside for Undocumented students only. Preference will be given to low income and other underrepresented students.

  1. Jung Bong Puri Scholarship: Puri (뿌리) means the “root”. We place value in cultural diversity, and knowing one’s roots is the starting point. This category is specifically for those who identify as Korean Americans.

  2. Jung Bong Hongik Scholarship: Hongik (홍익인간) refers to the founding spirit of Korea (고조선, Gojoseon kingdom), and it means “ to widely benefit humankind”

  3. Dream Scholarship: KRC has been fiercely working to protect the dreams of Undocumented youth. The Dream Scholarship Award is exclusively designated for undocumented students.


Eligibility:

  • Asian American and Pacific Islander identifying

  • Demonstrated financial need

  • Currently enrolled at a college or university in the U.S as a part-time (6 or more units) or full-time degree seeking student, or will be enrolled in Fall of 2024.

  • Graduate students are NOT eligible

  • International students are eligible

    • Should live in the US for at least 2 years and is planning to stay in the US after the study

  • Must join the award ceremony (at least via video-conference or parent attending on behalf of the awardee) on May 18th, 2024

  • Automatic disqualification of any candidate who does not supply all the requisite materials or follow directions by stated guidelines

  • Re-application of a previous awardee is not allowed


How to Apply

We accept online applications only. You may apply at this link.  Applicants will need to prepare specific documents (see below), and fill out the online application form. Applications and all supporting documents including recommendation letters must be submitted by April 20th, 2024.

Late or incomplete applications will NOT be accepted.


Please prepare for the following materials before filling out the application form:

Email & phone number (required). Permanent email (e.g., @gmail.com) is preferred to school emails (e.g., @ucla.edu).

  • [REQUIRED] 2 letters of recommendation: please ask that recommendation letters be sent directly to scholarship@krcla.org.  It is recommended to have at least one reference who is familiar with the applicant’s social/extra-curricular contributions. Include in the subject line of the reference letter: applicant's name.

    • Please be sure that we receive the letters by April 20th.  It is recommended to ask them for the letter before completing the online application so that the letters arrive on time.

  • [REQUIRED] Tuition statement

  • [REQUIRED] Breakdown with a clear explanation on the applicant’s financial situation:

      • Upcoming year’s expected tuition

      • Upcoming year’s expected living cost

      • Additional financial aid

      • Expected loans (Private & Institutional)

      • EFC (Expected Financial Contribution)

  • [REQUIRED] List of awards / extra curricular activities.

  • [REQUIRED] List of any other grants / scholarship / financial aids / loans.

  • [REQUIRED] Proof of college acceptance (Prospective college students only)

  • [REQUIRED] Eligibility (for Dream Scholarship applicants)

  • [OPTIONAL] GPA and transcripts (photocopy accepted)


Essay Topics

[REQUIRED] 1 Main Essay and 1 Short Essay

Essay Topic #1 (Community contribution) 500-800 words (or 350-550 words in Korean)

  • For 41 years, KRC has been empowering communities by providing service, education, cultural organization, and advocacy as exemplified by the mottos "Live Right", "Know Your Roots", "Live in Strength", and "Live in Harmony". Which motto (or mottos) can you relate to and why? Please explicitly state the motto(s) in the essay or in the title.

Essay Topic #2 (Financial hardship and challenges) 2-4 paragraphs

  • Describe your personal financial situation and the current challenges that you face.

Note: The essays can be in English or Korean. If submitting an essay in Korean language, if possible, please include an English translation to assist us with the review process. However, the English translation is optional and will not impact your application.

All applications require signing into a Google account. We do not collect the account information, and it can be any account (not just the applicant’s own).

For more information on the application process or to answer any questions, please contact scholarship@krcla.org.

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2023 KRC Scholarship Award Announcement: Apply Today!