In 1969, a small group of Koreans studying in Washington, DC, decided to raise money to help their fellow students who were struggling to pay tuition and expenses. Walter K. Park and a few friends decided to hold a charity concert and ended up raising $325. That money, or rather the determined effort behind raising that money, became the seeds to what would become the Korean American Scholarship Foundation.
The proceeds of that first concert inspired Park and his friends to dream of a future where they could increase their fundraising and give scholarships to all those in need. Blossoming beyond what they could have imagined in those early days, in the past 55 years, the Korean American Scholarship Foundation has awarded $13 million in scholarships to over 8,100 students.
In 1985, KASF decided to help students in all 50 states. In 2018, Dow Kim gave $500,000 to support the organization’s mission. Since 2021, Kia American has partnered with KASF to support the advancement of its educational programs. Today, the scholarship has $6 million in its endowment, and seven Regional Chapters serving students attending educational institutions across the United States.
Application Tips & Advice
We spoke with Michelle Cho, the executive director of KASF, about her advice for applicants. She emphasized the importance of a high-quality application package. She noted that it is very obvious when someone submits the bare minimum, with very little time and effort expended on the application. “Write a great essay and really tell your story. Show the application reviewers that you really want this scholarship.”
Other tips she gave included giving guidelines to people you ask for recommendations, including that they write more than one short paragraph if possible. Most importantly, she advises students to avoid using tools like ChatGPT when writing their essay.
The scholarship gives special attention to underprivileged students. In the past five years, approximately 40% of the recipients were below the poverty line. Other criteria for the scholarship include academic achievement, essay, recommendations, and extracurricular activities.
Here are some FAQs about the Korean American Scholarship Foundation:
How much is the scholarship?
KASF scholarships range from $500 to $5,000, with most scholarships being $2,500.
Is it possible to get a scholarship every year?
Yes, you may apply every year that you are a full-time student.
Who is eligible for the KASF scholarship?
Students with Korean heritage studying in the United States, regardless of citizenship status (including international students), are welcome to apply. Descendents of Korean War veterans are also eligible.
You must be an undergraduate, graduate or high school student enrolled full-time during the scholarship application year.
The minimum GPA is 3.0.
If I plan to matriculate at a school in another state next fall, which scholarship region should I apply to?
Please apply to the region where the school you will be attending is located.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline for the application is June 30, at 12am EST.
When will I be notified about a decision?
You will be notified by a regional director no later than August 15.
For complete information on how to apply, please visit the KASF website.
