SAN FRANCISCO — The Japanese American Citizens League has announced that the 2026 National Scholarship and Awards Program is now underway. The JACL annually offers approximately 30 college scholarships to students who are incoming college freshmen, undergraduates and graduates, as well as those specializing in law and the creative/performing arts. There are also financial aid scholarships available for those who demonstrate a need for financial assistance.
Scholarship Program guidelines, instructions and applications have been posted on the JACL website at www.jacl.org and can be accessed by clicking the “Youth” tab on the menu bar.
Freshman applications must be submitted directly by the applicant to National JACL through the online form no later than March 2 at 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time.
The freshman applications will then be disseminated to their respective chapters for review. Chapters will have one month to evaluate their applications and forward the names of the most outstanding applicants to National JACL. It is these applications that shall be forwarded to the National Freshman Scholarship Committee for final selection.
Applications for the nonfreshman scholarship categories (undergraduate, graduate, law, creative/performing arts and financial aid) are also to be sent directly by the applicant to National JACL through the online form no later than April 3, 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time.
All those applying to the National JACL Scholarship Program must be a youth/student or individual member of the JACL; a couple/family membership held by a parent does NOT meet this requirement. Applicants must be enrolled in school in fall 2025 to be eligible for a scholarship. If a student has received two National scholarship awards previously, they are no longer eligible to apply as the limit is two national awards per person.
For more information on the National JACL Scholarship Program, contact Scholarship Program Manager Matthew Weisbly at scholarships@jacl.org.
