Chinese American high school seniors and college underclassmen in the Dunwoody area can apply for up to $10,000 in scholarship money through a program run by two local organizations, with an Oct. 31 deadline.
The National Association of Chinese Americans and the Ko Family Foundation, both based in Dunwoody, are accepting applications for their second annual scholarship program, which will distribute $26,000 across six awards, according to the GA Asian Times.
The two top recipients will each receive $10,000 through the Ko Family Foundation Scholarship. Two additional students will receive $2,000 each under the NACA Leadership Scholarship, and two more will be awarded $1,000 each through a separate NACA track.
All tiers share one application. Applicants are automatically considered for all three scholarship levels and do not need to specify which award they are seeking.
Who qualifies
To be eligible, students must be a high school senior who has applied to college or a full-time college freshman or sophomore. They must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with at least one parent of Chinese descent and be a current or past resident of Georgia or Florida.
Academic requirements include a minimum 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. High school seniors also need a minimum SAT score of 1,400 or ACT score of 30. Applicants must demonstrate leadership and active involvement in Chinese American community service or advocacy.
How students are judged
The selection committee evaluates applicants on four criteria: academic excellence, demonstrated leadership, commitment to service and cultural stewardship.
Who runs the program
Patrick Ko, chairman and CEO of FirsTrust Group, Inc. and founder of the Ko Family Foundation, has been a NACA member since 1993 and served as past president and board member. In the program's June 1 press release, Ko said he was "honored to have the opportunity to give back to the community and support the development of the next generation of Chinese American leaders."
NACA chairwoman Lani Wong, a Dunwoody resident who has served the Georgia AAPI community for more than 40 years, said in the same announcement that NACA remains focused on building leaders and serving the Chinese American community through its partnership with Ko's foundation.
The inaugural 2025 scholarships went to six students from schools including The Westminster Schools, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, and Yale University.
How to apply
Students can apply online at naca-atlanta.org or call (678) 770-0107 for more information. The deadline is Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026.
Upcoming
- Oct. 31 — NACA/Ko Family Foundation scholarship application deadline (naca-atlanta.org)
