Joe and Loanne Chiu Scholarship

for first-generation undergraduate students

First-generation college students face unique barriers in their pursuit of higher education. The Joe and Loanne Chiu Scholarship provides $5,000 to first-generation undergraduate students who are entering their first year of undergrad to help them overcome these challenges and thrive in college.

Scholarship Status: Applications are Open

The deadline to apply is Friday, May 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT

Apply

Scholarship Details

Scholarship Award: $5,000

  • The award will be sent directly to recipients via ACH or PayPal (checks are also available) and it will be considered a taxable income; OCA will send a 1099-NEC form to you at beginning of next year. Scholars will be asked to complete a W-9 form to receive the award.

Scholarship Requirements:

  • Scholarship recipients will be required to complete one report per year during their undergraduate studies providing updates on their academic progress. Reports will be submitted via a form provided by OCA.

Application Deadline: May 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT

All applicants will be notified of their status in July 2026.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be currently enrolled as a high school senior and be an undergraduate college student in Fall 2026. Awarded scholars will be required to submit proof that they’ve been accepted into one or more undergraduate education institutions before receiving the scholarship.

  • Applicants must be first-gen, meaning their parent(s)/guardian(s) did not complete and receive a bachelor’s degree.

  • Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident status in the U.S.

  • Applicants must not be a child or dependent of:

    • an OCA National staff member,

    • an OCA Executive Council member,

    • or an OCA Business Advisory Council member.

Application Requirements

  • Short Biography (in PDF format, 300 words max).

    • Your short biography should adequately introduce yourself to anyone reading it, describing your background, experiences, interests, etc. This info will be used on our website if you are selected to be a scholar. If you’d like to see examples of what this short biography should look like, please refer to the OCA-UPS Gold Mountain scholarship recipients’ short biographies.

  • Academic Transcript (in PDF format; unofficial transcripts are also accepted)

    • Your transcript must include the first quarter or semester of your freshman year of high school through at least the first quarter or semester of your senior year of high school.

  • Experiences (in PDF format)

    • There will be a section in the application form asking you to provide details on three types of experiences you may have:

      • Leadership experience

      • Community Service/Volunteer experience

      • Employment/Work experience

    • For each type of experience, you can list up to three of your most prominent and relevant experiences. It’s okay if you don’t have experiences in all three categories because everyone has different circumstances.

  • One (1) Essay Response (in PDF format, 500 words max)

    • Essay Prompt: Describe the individuals and/or experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today. What did you learn from them, and how have they influenced how you navigate the world today and in the future?

  • Two (2) Short Answer Response (300 words max)

    • Short Answer Prompt 1: As a first-gen student who is about to enter college, what challenges have you faced, or anticipate you’ll face, as you navigate undergrad?

      Short Answer Prompt 2: What are you intending to study (as your major/minor) in college and what are your plans/goals after you graduate?

  • Two (2) References

    • Include their name, job title/position, email, phone number, and their relationship to you.

    • References can be anyone who can speak about you and your experiences on a personal and professional level. We may contact one or both of your references if we determine the need to ask them about you and your application.

    • Please note we are not asking for letters of recommendation.

Application Guide

  1. Review the application form

    • Make sure to look over the application form before you start applying so that you can prepare all of the application materials and answers to each prompt ahead of time. Take note of the application deadline.

    • Make sure you are actually eligible for this scholarship by reviewing the eligibility and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of the scholarship website.

  2. Personal Information

    • Make sure the email address you provide on the application form is one you check regularly and have access to.

    • Make sure you are able to describe your racial and ethnic identities.

    • Write your short bio. Look at previous scholarship recipients’ short bios for inspiration.

    • Find out if your family is affiliated with, or is a member of, an OCA chapter.

  3. Experiences

    • Be prepared to provide details of your volunteer/community service, leadership, and/or work/employment experiences (including family responsibilities, if applicable). It’s okay if you don’t have all three types of experiences because everyone has different life circumstances.

  4. Essays and Short Answers

    • You are required to submit essays and short answer responses. This is a chance for us to learn about you and truly get to know you. Make sure you thoroughly answer the prompts.

  5. Financial Information

    • Be prepared to provide your and/or your family’s total gross income from the most recent tax filing season.

  6. References

    • You will be asked to provide the names and contact information of two references. These references should not be family members. They should be someone who can speak about you personally and professionally. We are not asking for letters of recommendations.

    • Be sure to ask your references for permission before including them as a reference on the application form.

  7. Certification

    • Before submitting your application, be sure to take one last look at your application answers. Check for errors. Make sure everything is accurate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tap on a question to see the answer. If you have a question not covered in the FAQs, contact Kent Tong at kent.tong@ocanational.org.

  • For this scholarship, first-gen means your parent(s)/guardian(s) did not complete and receive a bachelor’s degree.

  • Yes, if they started their undergraduate studies but did not finish and receive an undergraduate degree, you are eligible for this scholarship.

  • Yes. Being a first-gen student means that your parent(s)/guardian(s) did not complete and receive a bachelor’s degree. Your sibling(s) would also be considered first-gen.

  • Unfortunately, this scholarship is only open to students pursuing their undergraduate degree.

  • Although GPA is a consideration, there is no minimum GPA requirement in order to be eligible to apply.

  • No.

  • Successful applicants will have the scholarship deposited directly into their bank account via ACH or PayPal (checks are also available) after completing the form included in the acceptance letter.

  • Scholarship recipients can choose how they use their scholarship funding. However, we suggest it be used towards tuition-specific purposes (i.e. tuition, books, computer, etc).

  • No.

  • Check the bottom of this page for additional scholarships from external organizations: https://www.ocanational.org/scholarships