Scholarships

The 2024 USA Scholarship Program is here!

FRI. JULY 12: Application Opens

SUN. SEP 1: Application Deadline

Full-time (12+ credits), undergraduate students of the USA who are descendants from Laos are eligible to apply! This includes ALL ethnicities of Laos, such as Hmong, Mien, Khmu, etc.

Apply now

Award Information

Scholarships totaling $25,000 will be granted to 25 applicants. Awards will be distributed in three tiers:

Gold: $2,000 award for 5 students
Silver: $1,000 award for 10 students
Bronze: $500 award for 10 students

Decisions will be made in early October and applicants will be notified via email. Once notified, winning students must accept their award within two weeks or they will be forfeiting it to runner up applicants. Awards will be distributed in Early November.

Eligibility

US Citizen or Permanent Resident
Descendant from Laos
Full-time (12+ credits) undergraduate at an accredited college/university Fall 2024

Note: Family members of Jai Lao Foundation officers and directors are not eligible to apply.

Application Requirements

Recipients are chosen based on a culmination of merit, financial need, and community involvement.

The application will require you to fill in blanks and upload supplemental documentation, including:

Personal Information
School Information (File Upload: Transcript and Fall 2024 Class Schedule)
Essay (File Upload: 3 Part Essay)

Please do not hesitate to reach us at info@jailao.org with any questions.

Note: If you do not have a google account, you may email us to request alternative submission options.

About the Program

Jai Lao has awarded over $65,000 in scholarships to deserving students across the United States, Canada, and Laos in an effort to encourage and assist students through their educational pursuits.

Our Scholarship Program was established to help the educational endeavors for college students of refugee descent from Laos. According to a 2019 survey completed by the Pew Research Center, only 14% of Laotians aged 25 and older have graduated with a bachelor’s degree, which is 40% below the national average for Asian Americans. There is great need for increased access and support for students of Laotian descent in higher education.

By investing in our youths through the gift of education, we are growing a generation of scholars with great minds and giving hearts. Our recipients are chosen based on merit, need, and community involvement. It is our hope that through this program we can recognize and reward the students who are determined to build a strong cultural foundation to strengthen and illuminate the Lao community.