APIASF is now accepting applications for the 2013 – 2014 Scholarship Class!

Minimum Eligibility Criteria

Be of Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity as defined by the U.S. Census
Be a citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States. Citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau are also eligible to apply
Be enrolling in a U.S. accredited college or university in the Fall of 2013. Please read each listing for specific eligibility requirements regarding the academic standing required for each scholarship.
Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted) or have earned a GED
Must apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15

How to Apply: https://secure.apiasf.org/

The APIASF Scholarship Program application must be completed online and submitted electronically once all of the required questions have been answered. You do not have to complete the online application in one sitting. Until you are ready to submit, you may access your application and edit your answers as many times as you like with your login from any computer with internet access. Please read all of the important instructions below as it contains information you need to complete the application process. Mozilla Firefox Recommended.

REGISTER FOR AN ACCOUNT. Your email address will be your user name and you can create your own password. Please note that you can start creating an account on October 1, 2012 when the application is available online.
CHECK YOUR EMAIL. Once you create an account, you will receive an email from applicant@apiasf.org. This email will contain your verification token number to allow you to verify your email and to provide you further access to the application.

Make sure to add applicant@apiasf.org to your address book to ensure that emails from APIASF are delivered to your inbox.
REQUEST A RECOMMENDER. You are required to submit one letter of recommendation from an individual who knows you and is familiar with your community service and leadership activities. A teacher, advisor, work supervisor, community service leader, or any other adult familiar with you could serve as a recommender. Recommendations from relatives will not be accepted.

To request a recommendation go to the Request Recommendation section of your application and input your recommender’s information. You can request a recommendation at any time during the application process. Once you complete this section, your recommender will receive an email from applicant@apiasf.org requesting a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Please contact your recommender to make sure they have received an email from applicant@apiasf.org and that they understand the instructions provided in the email. If your recommender does not receive the email a few hours after you sent the request, contact outreach@apiasf.org or call 877-808-7032 x104.

Remember it is your responsibility to ensure that your recommender submits a letter of recommendation for your application. Make sure to inform your recommender at least 3 full weeks before the deadline that you have selected them to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf and are applying for a scholarship through the APIASF Scholarship Program. Also, tell your recommender to add applicant@apiasf.org to their address book to ensure that emails from APIASF are delivered to their inbox.

Your whole application, including your letter of recommendation, is due January 11, 2013, 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time. It is your responsibility to ensure that your letter of recommendation is submitted on time.

Recommenders should describe the applicant’s community service, leadership skills, financial need, academic accomplishments and future plans. Recommenders should also include how the student and his/her community may benefit, if the student were to receive an APIASF scholarship.

APIASF welcomes and appreciates any additional comments about the applicant that will help the selection committee in the evaluation process. For example, some applicants, due to family economic conditions, must work and will not have much time for service/civic engagement. If this describes the applicant’s situation, please elaborate on why he/she is a deserving student.
SUBMIT AND CERTIFY YOUR APPLICATION. The deadline to submit your application for the APIASF Scholarship is January 11, 2013, 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time. Do not wait until the last minute to complete your application. You may have important questions that you need answered and we will not accept any late applications. To certify your application, you must click “Certify” on the Certification tab (TAB 10) on the online application form. Applications that are not certified will be disqualified from the scholarship process.
ANSWER ADDIITONAL QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS UNDER ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS TAB. Once you submit and certify your application, some of you may be directed to the Additional Scholarships section (Tab 12) to answer any additional questions. If Tab 12 does not appear for you, then you do not need to submit any additional information. Click here to view the list of scholarships offered through the APIASF Scholarship Program.
COMPLETE THE FREE APPLICATION FOR STUDENT AID (FAFSA) ONLNE. Make sure to complete the FAFSA by mid February. Applicants that are selected to the next round will be asked to submit a Student Aid Report (SAR), which is generated by the FAFSA. Please note that your FAFSA is not required in order to certify your online application.
WAIT TO BE NOTIFIED. If you submit your complete application by the deadline, you will be notified in May on the status of your application.
PASSWORDS. APIASF Staff cannot assist you in retrieving your password for your online application. You must click on the “Forgot Your Password” link on the application and follow those instructions in order to receive a new password.