Scholarships

The 2022 CYC scholarship application process is now closed. Please check back next April for the 2023 scholarship information.

Siu Family Charitable Fund Scholarship

The Siu Family Charitable Fund Scholarship helps students from low-income immigrant families afford a college education. The dream of being able to pursue a higher education is a life-changing moment with a lifetime impact. Through this scholarship, youth in the community are being offered the opportunity to achieve success and develop their knowledge and passion into becoming the next generation of leaders.

Number of awards: 2
Scholarship amount: $2,000 each

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Immigrant youth or youth of immigrant parents who is the first person in their immediate family to attend college
  • Incoming freshman and enrolled full-time at an accredited two-year or four-year college in 2022
  • A citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States
  • Current CYC youth participant
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Residency: San Francisco
  • Ethnicity: Asian Pacific Islander

Selection Criteria:

  • Immigrant experience(s)
  • Strong family and community support
  • Creativity and resourcefulness
  • Personal strengths including maturity, motivation and potential to succeed
  • Financial need
  • Civic engagement and community service experience
  • Leadership qualities

Make a Difference Scholarship

The Make a Difference Scholarship recognizes that being accepted into college is a major milestone, but also realizes there are other factors that could also inhibit someone from receiving a higher education to pursue their ambitions. The Make a Difference Scholarship’s goal is to ease the financial constraints of higher education with a four year scholarship so one can fully concentrate on their potential in life.

Number of awards: 6
Scholarship amount: $5,000 each
Award period: To be renewed annually for 4 years ($1,250 each year)

Eligibility Criteria:

  • First generation immigrant or first in family to attend college
  • A citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States
  • Accepted and committed to a University of California for 2022
  • 3.0 GPA to renew scholarship every year
  • Maintain full course load during the academic year
  • Current CYC youth participant
  • Residency: San Francisco Ethnicity: Chinese

Selection Criteria:

  • Financial needs
  • Personal story
  • Character traits
  • Potential to succeed
  • Financial need

Eddy Zheng Scholarship

Eddy Zheng has a lifelong commitment in serving the children, youth, and families in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Eddy immigrated to the United States from China with his family when he was 12 years old. “Like many immigrant youth before and after me, I did not have a choice on whether or not I wanted to come to the U.S.,” he says. “I know firsthand the difficulties, barriers and frustrations the young people in our community are going through, and what can happen when they can’t get the help and support they need to succeed.” Eddy’s mission is to use his experiences to inspire and motivate young people to invest in their education, raise awareness about the detrimental impact that the Prison Industrial Complex has on the Asian and Pacific Islander population, and building racial solidarity among people of color.

Eddy is the President & Founder of New Breath Foundation, and works to mobilize resources to support Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) harmed by violence and the unjust immigration and criminal justice systems. A 2019-21 Rosenberg Foundation Leading Edge Fellow and a 2015-17 Open Society Foundation Soros Justice Fellow, he served as Co-Director of the Asian Prisoner Support Committee and co-founded the first ever ethnic studies program in San Quentin State Prison – ROOTS.

Number of awards: 2
Scholarship amount: $1,000 each

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Current or former CYC youth
  • Minimum GPA: 2.0 or GED
  • Financial need
  • Residency: San Francisco

Selection Criteria:

  • Demonstrates understanding or desire to understand how culture, history and identity play an important role in building racial solidarity.
    • Culture: historical practices/traditions
    • History: significant past events such as those affecting a nation(s), institutions, or groups of people and their effects on society; immigrant experience(s)
    • Identity: the discovery of oneself; their unique personality, character, and values
  • Personal strengths including maturity, motivation and potential to succeed
  • Demonstrates strong desire to share their scholarship experience with other youth through social media or video

Jessie Cheng Charitable Foundation Scholarship

Jessie Cheng immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong and resided in Honolulu for over thirty years before her passing in 2013. Having gone through hardships while growing up in Shanghai, Jessie was convinced that education was the key to a fulfilling life. At that same time, she also believed that it was important for students to gain real life experiences through participating in community projects and programs.

Today, the Cheng family continues to encourage and support students who are committed to community service through the Jessie Cheng Charitable Foundation scholarship fund managed by Claudine Cheng.

Number of awards: 2
Scholarship amount: $1,000 each

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Participates in community service and/or civic engagement programs
  • Demonstrates outstanding leadership
  • GPA: 3.0 minimum
  • Current CYC youth participant
  • Residency: San Francisco
  • Ethnicity: Asian Pacific Islander

Selection Criteria:

  • Civic engagement and/or community service experience
  • Leadership qualities
  • Creativity and resourcefulness
  • Personal strengths including maturity, motivation and potential to succeed
  • Financial need

Anita Fong Memorial Scholarship

Anita Fong was a fierce advocate and mentor for Asian Pacific Islander women. This scholarship honors her achievements and dedication to helping others. It is to be awarded to a female high school senior who expresses interest in the healthcare industry and demonstrates Anita’s spirit of community service. The Anita Fong Memorial Scholarship is managed by the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown and its President Richard Swart and Past President Vanita Louie.

Number of awards: 1
Scholarship amount: $1,229

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Current CYC youth participant & high school senior who identify as female
  • Health care industry interest
  • Participates in community service and/or civic engagement
  • Residency: San Francisco
  • Ethnicity: Asian Pacific Islander

Selection Criteria:

  • Life dream
  • Desired impact on community and society
  • Character traits

Vincent Fong Impossible Dream Scholarship

Vincent Fong is Anita Fong’s older brother, who emigrated from Hong Kong when he was 10 years old, along with his parents and Anita. He attended UC Berkeley where he earned his Bachelor in Engineering, an MBA, and a law degree (JD). After such a diverse education, Vince decided the best way to find some synergy in his education and personal interest in optimization and minimization (operations research) would be in the field of taxation.

Inspired by his sister’s giving spirit, Vincent established the Vincent Fong Impossible Dream Scholarship to encourage young people to broaden their opportunities and erase financial barriers that prevent them from achieving their academic dreams.

Number of awards: 1
Scholarship amount: $1,000

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Current CYC youth and high school senior
  • Residency: San Francisco
  • Ethnicity: Asian Pacific Islander

Selection Criteria:

  • Life dream
  • Desired impact on the community and society
  • Character traits

James and Karen Lee Scholarship

The James and Karen Lee Scholarship hopes to help a student from a low-income immigrant family with a bit of college education expenses so that they can better focus on their education. As a low-income immigrant student, James worked part time throughout his school years from elementary school through UC Berkeley to pay for his own education. James hopes this scholarship can make it a easier for the deserving candidate to better achieve education success and therefore life success.

Number of awards: 1
Scholarship amount: $1,000

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Current CYC youth participant & high school senior
  • Residency: San Francisco
  • Ethnicity: Asian Pacific Islander

Selection Criteria:

  • Immigrant experience(s)
  • Leadership qualities with a track record of handling responsibilities
  • Financial need
  • Personal strengths including maturity, motivation and potential to succeed through hard work

Financial Hardship Scholarship

This scholarship is given to those expecting to go to college and are facing financial hardships. The hardship could potentially impact their decision to pursue a higher education. This scholarship is meant to ease the financial burden.

Number of awards: 5
Scholarship amount: $1,000 each

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Accepted or enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year college
  • A citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States
  • Ethnicity: Asian Pacific Islander
  • Residency: San Francisco

Selection Criteria:

  • Financial need
  • Personal story