If you are an immigrant or first generation American, there are scholarships for you. Scholarships for immigrants help remove barriers to higher education and may fund all or part of a college degree.
Some awards are open to all immigrant students regardless of ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status. Others may be for members of a certain ethnic group and heritage such as Filipino Americans or DACA recipients.
To apply for a scholarship, you need to meet the provider’s criteria. To start with, you may qualify as a first generation U.S. citizen or immigrant.
There may also be awards you could apply to if you are a refugee. The Triangle Community Foundation offers up to $16,000 awards. It’s called Achievement Scholarship Fund for Refugees and Immigrants in Wake County. They offer annual awards to refugees and immigrants in Wake County, North Carolina. To be eligible, high school seniors must have a 2.5 GPA. They also must be enrolled as a full time student in an accredited college in NC.
Many providers also grant scholarships to local residents. You may want to look into your community to see what awards they offer. You can search by nationality, state and college major.
Often these scholarships go to people with high financial need. So, you may first need to fill out a FAFSA or, Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Another thing some providers look at are your transcripts. They may set eligibility for people with a specific GPA (E.g. 2.5 or higher). And may want to see if you have a record of giving back to your community.
Why Should You Apply for Scholarships for Immigrants?
About 43.3 million people in the nation are immigrants. Foreign born groups include about 20.7 million naturalized US citizens. There are 22.6 million non citizens, including lawful permanent residents.
Studies show that compared with all Americans, U.S. born children of immigrants are more likely to go to college. As a naturalized citizen or a permanent resident with immigration status, pursuing a college degree may lead to:
Higher employment rates
Increased salary potential
Potential for home ownership
Chances of independence from public service programs
That said, not all immigrants and international students can afford a college degree. Since a scholarship is free money, it may be a useful way to offset tuition and related costs.
List of Scholarships for Immigrants
If you are a proud first generation American or immigrant, a wide range of donors offer scholarships for immigrants. Check out our list of 92 scholarships worth $3M.
The Red Thread Foundation for Women represents former international students, immigrants, and first-generation Americans who have benefitted from the academic and professional support they have received. The fellowship offers a $1000 scholarship award and year-long mentorship support. Learn more and apply today!
Each year, a scholarship is offered to an immigrant, full-time student at an accredited college or university in the State of Michigan. Every person is valued. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression, disability or national origin.
This scholarship is available to U.S. students residing in District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia who plan to attend a public college or university. Applicants must have immigrated to the U.S. since birth, or have two parents who were both immigrants.
The Larry Carp Memorial Scholarship is available for graduating high school seniors in St. Louis who are immigrants or the children of immigrants. Applicants must plan to major in a STEM field and must show evidence of community involvement and service.
U.S. high school seniors of Hispanic descent may apply for this scholarship. Students must be less than 21 years of age at time of application. Applicants must have at least one parent of Hispanic heritage, have a GPA of 2.7 or higher and be under age 21. Click here to learn more and apply today!
The Vipin Agrawal Memorial Scholarship Fund is available to high school seniors who are first generation Americans. Applicants must plan to attend a college or university in California and major in computer science, science, technology, engineering, or medicine. Click to learn more and apply today!
In 2007, family and friends established a memorial scholarship in honor of Jeff Sein Kwan Yang. The scholarship aims to provide financial support to students who are immigrants or children of immigrants in their pursuit of higher education. It is open to students of all ethnic backgrounds who reside in the San Gabriel Valley. Students from low-income or working-class families are especially encouraged to apply. Please click on the application tab to download an application and to examine the eligibility requirements.
Jeff Sein Kwan Yang believed an education broadened a person’s opportunities and possibilities. The Jeff Sein Kwan Yang Scholarship hopes to empower immigrant youths to obtain their dreams and to encourage them to give back to their community.
At the Law Office of Jae Lee, we regularly represent clients in matters related to immigration. As a first-generation immigrant himself, Attorney Jae Lee understands the struggles that many families face and the difficulties they may encounter as they work to establish lives in the United States. Fortunately, there are many opportunities available for immigrants, and by pursuing education and job opportunities, they can not only support themselves and their families, but they can integrate into American society, participate in the community, and live happy, successful lives.
To ensure that immigrants can pursue educational opportunities, our firm has created a scholarship program that provides assistance to first or second generation immigrants from low-income families. We award one student with a scholarship of $1,000 each semester, which may be used to help pay for tuition or other educational expenses, such as books, supplies, or room and board.
At Kopfler & Hermann, we are pleased to continue our annual scholarship for 2023! This $1,000 award will be given to a student who has overcome adversity and emerged stronger.
With over 40 years of legal experience, Kopfler & Hermann law firm has served the Gulf Coast since 1992. As personal injury attorneys, we are committed to serving justice and ensuring injured workers and accident victims receive full compensation for their injuries and damages. Following this mission, the attorneys at Kopfler & Hermann established the Overcoming Adversity Scholarship and are offering it for the fifth year in a row.
Kopfler & Hermann, a personal injury law firm based in Houma, Louisiana, is excited to bring back to announce our annual scholarship for 2024. This $1,000 award will be given to a student who has overcome adversity and emerged stronger. With over 40 years of legal experience, Kopfler & Hermann law firm has served the Gulf Coast since 1992. As personal injury attorneys, we are committed to serving justice and ensuring injured workers and accident victims receive full compensation for their injuries and damages. Following this mission, attorneys Kopfler & Hermann established the Overcoming Adversity Scholarship and offered it for the sixth year!
