JACL National Scholarship Program
Scholarship Sponsored by Japanese American Citizens League
Overview
Since 1946, the JACL National Scholarship and Awards Program has supported students pursuing higher education. The program currently presents more than 30 distinct awards and, each year, distributes in excess of $70,000 in scholarships to eligible applicants nationwide. All awards are one-time payments.
Who the scholarships serve
Scholarships are available to incoming freshmen, continuing undergraduates, graduate and law students, applicants in the creative and performing arts, and students with demonstrated financial need.
Local chapter scholarships
In addition to these national awards, many individual JACL chapters run their own local scholarship programs.
Eligibility
- Membership: Every applicant must be a current, active National JACL member. Membership is open to people of any ethnic background, and all who meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply. Note: applicants must hold either an Individual or a Student/Youth membership. A parent’s Couple/Family membership does not satisfy this requirement.
- Enrollment: Candidates must plan to enroll full-time at an accredited college, university, trade school, business school, or other U.S.-based institution of higher learning at the undergraduate or graduate level in the Fall of 2026. Students who defer their enrollment are not eligible for the 2026 scholarship cycle.
- Categories and application limits: Applicants may submit an application in only one scholarship category. The sole exception is that an applicant may also apply for financial-aid–based awards in addition to another category. If a candidate is selected for more than one award, only the larger award will be granted.