Applications for the Berkeley Chapter Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Scholarship Program are available for high school students entering their freshman year in any accredited institution of higher learning in the Fall 2023.
All 2023 applications must be filled out online (JACL.org) and submitted through National JACL. National JACL will receive each application and forward the application back to the appropriate local JACL chapter for evaluation and awarding of a scholarship at the local chapter level. To apply, please do the following:
Applicants must be planning to attend a college, university, community college, trade school, business school, or any other accredited institution of higher learning in the Fall 2023. Students deferring enrollment will not qualify for the 2023 program.
DUE DATE – March 6, 2023
Applications must be submitted online to National JACL by Monday, March 6, 2023. Berkeley Chapter anticipates awarding multiple local chapter scholarships. Each scholarship may be up to $3,000.
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, community involvement, school activities, work history, letter of recommendation, personal statement, Japanese cultural activities, and a group interview. Special consideration will be given to applicants who are the first in their family to attend college and/or to those who qualify as low income.
JACL MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED
While JACL involvement is not required to apply for this scholarship, every applicant must be a Berkeley JACL member. Please contact the scholarship chair, Ron Tanaka for a membership application. Please submit your completed application and $35.00 membership fee by January 31, 2023. A limited number of memberships are available at no cost to the applicant if the $35.00 fee creates a hardship
SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION & NATIONAL JACL AWARDS PROGRAM
All Berkeley Chapter scholarships will be awarded to recipients at a scholarship awards event scheduled for early May 2023. All recipients are expected to attend this awards event (as guests of the Berkeley JACL) to receive their scholarship. Because of the pandemic, this event was held virtually via zoom in 2022.
By April 3, 2023, Berkeley will forward “outstanding” application(s) for further consideration to the JACL’s National Scholarship and Awards Program for 9 National Scholarships ranging in award amounts from $1,000 to $5,000 per scholarship. Recipients of these national scholarships will be announced in the third quarter 2023.