Southern Regional Chapter Scholarship

The Korean American Scholarship Foundation (KASF) is a non-profit, volunteer-managed organization established to help meet the financial needs of Korean-American students seeking higher education. Specifically, the foundation seeks to:

1. Assist Korean American students in pursuit of academic and personal achievement
2. Encourage community and civic service as an integral part of leadership development
3. Nurture the sense of pride and confidence in Korean cultural heritage and tradition

In addition, pending funds availability, KASF has also provided scholarships to qualified descendants of Korean War American Veterans. The foundation is operated by its volunteer-based Board of Directors and supporters and its operating expenses are funded by income from membership dues and local fundraising activities. In addition to their voluntary work for the KASF, many of our Board of Directors are also scholarship donors.

Our History

Founded in 1969 by a small group of concerned Korean American community leaders in Washington, D.C., KASF began as a local organization with limited focus and funding resources. However, with the dramatic growth of Korean immigrant communities in the U.S. an ever-increasing need for financial aids for Korean American students, KASF became a national organization in 1989. While headquartered in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, KASF has seven regional chapters in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, and Denver (see states that are covered by each regional chapters). While all regional chapters operate under a single KASF bylaws, each chapter operates independently to raise funds, manage educational/cultural programs, and to award scholarships.

Application Criteria

1. Heritage

   Must be of Korean heritage (i.e., have a Korean parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent, or be adopted from Korea).

2. Enrollment

   Will be a full-time student at a school in one of the designated Southern region states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee) during the full 2026-2027 school year.

3. Academics

   Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

4. Financial Need

       Can demonstrate a need for financial assistance.

KWVD Scholarship & Criteria

1. Heritage

   Be a direct descendant of a Korean War Veteran who served in Korea from June 25, 1950–January 31, 1955 (Korean War Era, as designated by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs).

2. Enrollment

   Will be a full-time student at a school in one of the designated Southern region states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee) during the full 2026-2027 school year.

Your category depends on what your status will be during the 2026-2027 school year, as follows:

• High School Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors
• High School Seniors with plans to attend college in 2026-2027 school year
• College Freshmen, Sophomores & Juniors
• College Seniors
• Graduate Students

Additional Information

For international and self-supporting students, please download the Personal Financial Statement form below and upload the completed form in the Financial Documentation section.

Current non-students are eligible if they can provide documentation (acceptance letters, signed commitment letters, or other documents showing commitment to attend) indicating they will be a full-time student in one of the above categories in the 2026-2027 school year.

Students who reside in, or will reside in, the US during the 2026-2027 school year, whether US citizens or foreign nationals, are all welcome to apply.

To begin the online application process, select the appropriate category online. If you have any questions, please write to us at src.scholarship@kasf.org.