2025 KRC Scholarship
Apply today to the 2025 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 2025 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: APRIL 20TH 2025
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.
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.
Jung Bong Hongik Scholarship: Hongik (홍익인간) refers to the founding spirit of Korea (고조선, Gojoseon kingdom), and it means “ to widely benefit humankind”
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 2025.
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) in May, 2025
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, 2025.
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] 1 letter of recommendation: please ask that recommendation letters be sent directly to scholarship@krcla.org. It is recommended to find a 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 at least one week 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 including:
Upcoming year’s expected tuition
Upcoming year’s expected living cost
List all expected grants, scholarship & other financial aid for the upcoming year
Work study or part time work experience
Expected loans (Private & Institutional)
EFC (Expected Financial Contribution)
[REQUIRED] Proof of college acceptance (Prospective college students only)
[OPTIONAL] List of awards / extra curricular activities.
[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). Choose on topic from:
For over 40 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.
What do you see as the most critical challenge(s) of our community or this society? How do we address that challenge?
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.
