Eligibility Requirements

• Every applicant must be a member of the National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). To join the JACL, please visit https://jacl.org/member/.  JACL membership is open to everyone of any ethnic background. All who meet eligibility criteria are welcomed and encouraged to apply. Note: applicants must hold an Individual or Student/Youth Membership. A Couple/Family membership by a parent will not meet this requirement.

• Applicants must be seniors enrolled in a San Mateo County public or private high school. 

• Applicants will be partially judged on their involvement in the Japanese-American / Asian American community.

• Applicants must be planning to attend a college, university, trade school, business school or any other institution of higher learning within the United States.

Application Requirements: 

• San Mateo Chapter JACL Scholarship Application, available on our website: www.sanmateojacl.org

• A Letter of Recommendation (Note: due to the short deadline for submission, letters of recommendation previously submitted to colleges will also be accepted. Letters of recommendation should be emailed to jaclsanmateo@gmail.com with the student’s name in the Subject Line.)

• Official high school transcript

• Personal Statement (no more than two pages on the topic question)

• Applicants interested in both the local and national scholarship must submit their application by March 31, 2025 to jaclsanmateo@gmail.com.  Please note that interviews for the March 31st application will be held in person or zoom (based on availability) between April 1 - 4.

• Applicants interested solely in the San Mateo JACL Scholarship must submit their application by April 21, 2025 to jaclsanmateo@gmail.com. Interviews will take place in late April.