JACL National Scholarship Program - Entering Freshman Awards

The Entering Freshman category is one part of JACL's National Scholarship Program, which has run since 1946 and distributes more than $70,000 across 30-plus named scholarships every year. Applicants must hold an individual or student JACL membership and submit a personal statement, one letter of recommendation, transcripts, and a photo. All awards are one-time and amounts vary by named scholarship.

Eligibility

DemographicsRequires an individual or youth/student JACL membership (a family membership under a parent does not qualify); open to applicants of any ethnic background who will start full-time college in fall 2026.

Applying

Amount varies by named scholarship within this category; program-wide total exceeds $70,000 across 30+ awards each year.