Scholarships for Iranian Americans
As part of its greater effort to increase Iranian-American civic participation, the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) has compiled information on US scholarships available specifically to students of Iranian heritage, funded by Iranian-American donors. Full access to higher education is part of the lifeline of any community in the information age and we encourage students to take full advantage of these scholarships.
This is not a comprehensive list. We invite anyone to contact us regarding any other existing scholarships specifically geared towards Iranian-American students.The scholarships listed below are provided by Iranian-American organizations not affiliated with the National Iranian American Council. For more information, please contact the respective organization associated with each scholarship.
Foroutan Scholarship
About: The Foroutan Foundation has established a new scholarship program, the Foroutan Scholarship, available to eligible and qualified students admitted to an accredited university, college, or vocational shcool in California.
Deadline: 5:00 p.m. PDT on MAY 13
Eligibility:
- The recipient shall maintain a full-time academic schedule in each year of the Scholarship at an accredited university, college or vocational school in California
- Must be first generation immigrants to the United States (Strong preference will be given to Iranian applicants)
- U.S. citizen or legal resident
- Minimum of a 3.0 overall GPA from public high school
- Applicants will be first year students in an undergraduate program or transfer students from a community college
Award: $10,000 per year
Website: http://www.foroutanfoundation.org/
Children of Persia
About: The Children of Persian Scholarship Program was established in 1999 with the simple objective of promoting the wellbeing of Iranian children by providing assistance in areas of healthcare, education, and social services. The focus of the scholarship is to assist students with financial need to meet their goal to attend or continue with their higher eductaion.
Deadline: APRIL 18
Eligibility:
- Iranian descent
- Demonstrate financial need
- US citizen or legal permanent resident of US
- Attend an accredited American college or university
- Good academic standing (3.0 GPA or higher) -Complete and submit Application Form, including:
- Two letters of recommendation
- A one page essay
- An official transcript
Award: $1,000 per-semester (total $2,000)
Website: http://www.childrenofpersia.org/doc/COP_Scholarship_Program_2012.pdf
The Iranian-American Scholarship Fund
About: In 1998 the Iranian-American Scholarship fund was created by Iranian-Americans in San Diego, California seeking to create scholarships for students of Iranian heritage. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit, financial need, and a commitment to community service. The Iranian-American Scholarship fund provides scholarships for Undergraduates, Graduates, and International students.
Deadline: Post marked by MAY 18
Eligibility:
- Verifiable Iranian Heritage
- US citizenship or legal permanent residency
- Undergraduate (Sophomore or above) at an accredited university in the US
- 3.5 or above minimum GPA
- Financial need (must apply for FAFSA)
Award: Varies
Website: http://iasfund.org/applications
Momeni Foundation
About: Based in Portland, Oregon, The Momeni Foundation was established in 2001 as a result of the efforts of its President, Moji Momeni. The philanthropic motivation of the Foundation can, according to Moji, be embodied in the following excerpt of Persian verse: "Digaraan kaashtand o maa khordeem; Maa bekaareem o digaraan bokhorand (As others planted for us to harvest; so shall we plant for others to harvest)”
Deadline: Post marked by JUNE 30
1-Scholastic Acheivement Scholarship Available to students graduating from high school
Eligibility:
- Iranian Descent -Citizen or permanent resident of the United States
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 (Scholastic Achievement) or 3.0 (Financial Assistance)
- Must be enrolling or enrolled in an accredited college
Award: $1000 (at least 3)
2-Financial Assistance Scholarship Available to all graduating high school students and current collge students of all levels regardless of citizenship and or country of residency.
Eligibility:
- Iranian Descent
- Copy of document indicating acceptance to college
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00
Award: $500 - $1000 (at least 10)
Website: http://www.momenifoundation.org/
Iranian-American Bar Association
About: The Iranian-American Bar Association, formed in 2000 in the District of Columbia, provides law students with the opportunity to obtain the IABA Scholarship. The IABA scholarship was designed to help advance law students in the Iranian-American community.
Deadline: MARCH 31
Eligibility:
- Be of Iranian descent or committed to the advancement of the Iranian American community and IABA’s mission
- Be enrolled in an accredited law school in the United States
- In the position to accept the scholarship in the school year for which it is being awarded
- Full time student
- Not be receiving full funding from another organization (e.g. members of the armed services)
Award: At least $2000/ yearly
Website: http://www.iaba.us/iaba-scholarship/
The Islamic Scholarship Fund
About: The Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF) is a 501 C (3) non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Dr. Hamid Rezapour. ISF was founded to address the problem that American Muslims are underrepresented in the fields of humanities, social sciences and liberal arts and by providing scholarships for higher education in such fields, we plan to address this shortage.
Scholarships are awarded to Muslim students who have been accepted to top-ranked four-year colleges and universities for undergraduate and post-graduate studies majoring in humanities, liberal arts, social sciences, and law.
Deadline: APRIL 12
Eligibility:
- Practicing Muslim or active member of the Muslim community
- Enrollment at an accredited university in the U.S. by August
- Majoring in an ISF supported major
- Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
- A citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
- An undergraduate (junior/senior) or of graduate standing.
Award: $1000-$10,000
Website: www.islamicscholarshipfund.org or call 650-995-6782
Houtan Foundation
About: In an attempt to express the humanitarian and scholarly spirit of the Iranian culture, the Houtan Foundation (founded by Dr. Mina Houtan) offers a scholarship to students from all origins that have shown high academic performance and an interest in promoting Iran's great culture, heritage, language and civilization. The candidates for the award must demonstrate leadership ability and the desire to make a difference in the societies in which they reside. The Houtan Foundation has a strong interest in each of these students’ achievements throughout the scholarship period and beyond, as the foundation’s goal is to participate in each student’s success.
Deadline: Fall: JUNE 1 / Spring: OCTOBER
Eligibility:
- Applicants should have a working knowledge of Persian and demonstrate an interest in Iranian culture, heritage, and literature
- Must be enrolled/enrolling in an accredited graduate school
- Financial need can be a factor
Award: $2,500 per semester toward graduate school education
Website: http://www.houtan.org/application.asp
The H.A.N.D. Research Foundation
About: The H.A.N.D. Research Foundation, established in 2003, has as its mission the promotion of research and understanding about Iran's economy. The acronym H.A.N.D. was inspired by the Persian proverb of “one hand has no sound” and the names of the founders’ children whom they hope will carry on with philanthropic work throughout their lives. Through H.A.N.D., students are offered the chance to obtain either the Bita Daryabari Scholarship for Women in Economics or the H.A.N.D. Research Foundation Scholarship.
Deadline: APRIL 1
Eligibility:
- Must be of Iranian origin
- Must have gained admission to one of the following PhD economics programs:
Harvard University, University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California-Berkeley, Stanford, University, Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, London School of Economics (LSE), Columbia University, Oxford University
Award: One grant of up to $30,000 per academic year for a first-year PhD student studying economics
Website: http://www.handresearch.org/pages/scholarships_details.php?scid=1679091c5a880faf6fb5e6087eb1b2dc
The Iranian Scholarship Foundation
About: The Iranian Scholarship Foundation (ISF) was founded in 2000 by Mrs. Azadeh Hariri, with the vision of creating an effective scholarship program for Iranian-American students in the United States. Mrs. Hariri’s vision also included a desire to ensure that the second generation of Iranians coming of age in the United States retain their Iranian heritage, while at the same time adjusting competently to American society, by being the best and brightest students, and eventually arriving in skilled, decision-making positions where they can influence not only Iranian Americans, but the greater public’s perception of them.
Selected students will receive scholarships of up to four years or until their date of graduation (whichever comes first). There are currently 36 scholarship recipients who have received a total of $235,000.
1- Dr. Ali Jarrahi Merit Scholarship
Deadline: MAY 31
Eligibility:
- Be accepted to a top American university
- GPA of 4.0 or higher
- Have a portfolio of community service
- Be of Iranian descent
- Minimum SAT score of 2300 or ACT 31
Award: $2000
Website: http://theisf.org/scholarships/merit-scholarship-eligibility-requirements/
2- Excellence in Community Service Scholarship
Deadline: MAY 31
Eligibility:
- Enrolled or accepted to a 4 year accredited American University
- GPA of 3.5 or above
- Have a portfolio of community service
- Be of Iranian descent
- Minimum SAT score of 1850 or ACT 27
Award: Varies
Website: http://theisf.org/scholarships/community-service-scholarship-eligibility-requirements/
3- ISF Undergraduate Scholarship
Deadline: MAY 31
Eligibility:
- Be of Iranian Descent
- Be enrolled or accepted at a four-year accredited University in the United States
- Demonstrate Financial need
- Possess and maintain a 3.5 GPA
- Participated in community service and continue to do so
- Have minimum SAT score of 1850 or 27 for ACT (if applying as high school student)
Award: Varies
Website: http://theisf.org/scholarships/isf-undergraduate-scholarship-eligibility-requirements/
Persian Language Program at University of Maryland at University of Maryland
1- Graduate Fellowship & Undergraduate Scholarship(s) for Excellence in Persian Studies
Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute will fund an annual fellowship(s) for graduate students and scholarship(s) for undergraduate students. Awards are expected to be available during the 2012-13 academic years. Please check back at a later date for more information.
2- The Ulrike and Jamshid Amouzegar Endowment
Dr. Amouzegar, a Prime Minister of Iran in the 1970s, has established this crucial award with the express aim of fostering Persian Studies at the academic level. This is an annual academic scholarship at the University of Maryland. The scholarship is being aided by the Center for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland. Through this scholarship, Dr. Amouzegar’s record of service to his country and his well-known personal attachment to the Persian language and Iranian history will inspire those capable and dedicated young men and women who may be interested in being trained in the fields of humanities and social sciences, as they relate to Persian-speaking societies, and will help keep alive the tradition of teaching and research into the Persian and Iranian worlds in the coming decades and generations.
Deadline: DECEMBER 15
Eligibility:
- University of Maryland freshman and sophomores who are seeking double major, major, or minor in Persian Studies
- Must speak, comprehend, read and write the Persian language at an advanced level ((Modern Persian, Dari and Tajiki))
Award: Varies
Website: http://www.ricps.umd.edu/scholarships/index.html Or Contact persianstudies@umd.edu
3- The Amirsaleh Student Award in Persian Studies (RCPS)
Hossein Amirsaleh is an Iranian-American philanthropist and The Hossein Amirsaleh Student Award was established in 2006.
Deadline: MAY 31
Eligibility: Must be a University of Maryland undergraduate student
Award: Varies
Website: http://www.ricps.umd.edu/scholarships/index.html Or contact persianstudies@umd.edu
4-University of Maryland Undergraduate Persian Flagship Program Scholarship
The Undergraduate Persian Flagship at the University of Maryland was created in 2008, offering students an opportunity to become proficient in Persian culture and language. The program is offered to students of any major, including Persian studies, and encourages students to combine language study with another major. There are also options for scholarship funding for overseas study.
Deadline: Varies (please check site)
Eligibility:
- Must file for FAFSA
- Undergraduate at University of Maryland
Award: Reimbursement for tuition spent on courses taught in Persian at University of Maryland
Website: http://www.languages.umd.edu/persian/flagship/undergraduate/index.html
The Iranian Alumni Association Scholarship Emdowment Fund at the University of California, Davis
About: The Iranian Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment Fund (IAASEF) was established in 1996 by the Iranian Alumni Association, a chapter of the ‘Cal Aggie Alumni Association.' Over the past six years, UC Davis has awarded over twenty scholarships from the IAASEF to Iranian students ranging from $500 to $2,000. This ongoing effort is part of IAA's commitment to help students meet the cost of their education and face the future with increased confidence. In this extraordinary effort the UC Davis community is taking the lead to make a lasting difference for Iranian students and their families.
*These specifications have been, and will continue to be, subject to change every consecutive year, at the discretion of the UC Davis Undergraduate Scholarship Office
Deadline: MARCH 23
Eligibility:
- UC Davis student
- Iranian descent
- Transfers - 3.25 G.P.A. or above
- Freshman - Minimum GP A of 3.5
- Demonstrate financial need
- U.S. Citizen/Permanent Resident
- Applicant demonstrates leadership qualities (community service, etc)
- Applicant plans to enter UC Davis for Fall 2012 from a high school or community college in California, Oregon, or Washington
Website: http://www.alumni.ucdavis.edu/s/787/NoRtCol.aspx?sid=787&gid=13&pgid=254&cid=970;http://financialaid.ucdavis.edu/scholarships/ucdfunds.html
The Iranian American Society
About: The Iranian American Society (IAS) is a non-profit, non-religious, non-political organization founded in Palos Verdes, California in 1991. The Iranian-American Education Committee seeks to provide scholarships to Iranian American students who exhibit academic excellence and financial need.
Deadline: JUNE 10
Eligibility:
- Enrolled/enrolling at an accredited American University
- 3.0 G.P.A. or higher - Proof of US Citizenship/Permanent Residence
- Drivers License
- Current Bank Statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal Essay
- Tax forms
Award: TBA
Website: http://iascal.org/scholarship/index.htm
The Persian Scholarship Foundation
About: The Persian Scholarship Foundation was founded by Arash Davallou, a UC Berkeley graduate and a member of the Harvard Business School Alumni Association. The PSF aims to recognize academic excellence among students with Iranian heritage studying the US, especially those who take active engagement distributing knowledge about their Persian culture, history, and heritage within the US.
Deadline: Currently Unavailable (please contact info@HarvardPersianAlumni.org for more information)
Eligibility:
- Student enrolled in high school, college, or university in the US
- Publication of an essay in a school’s newspaper or a local national newspaper in which positive achievements of Iran and Iranians (past or present) are portrayed.
Award: $500-$1000
Website: http://www.persianscholarship.org/current_programs.htm
Iranian Relations and Affairs Fellowships
About: The George Washington University will provide a half tuition award to selected graduate students with a demonstrated interest in Iranian affairs or Iranian relations with other countries.
Deadline: Varies (please Contact Dr. Hossein Askari askari@gwu.edu)
Eligibility: The applicant must be an incoming master's or doctoral student in the George Washington University.
Award: The Fellowship provides half tuition for qualified graduate students.
Website: http://www.gwu.edu/~fellows/fellowships/iranian.html
Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi Foundation
About: Founded by Farah Pahlavi, the Foundation is a memorial to her son Alireza Pahlavi, who was a PhD candidate at Harvard University at the time of his unfortunate passing. In keeping with his ongoing spirit, the Foundation will offer future generations of young Iranians the opportunity to attend Harvard University to pursue and/or continue an education in Ancient Iranian Studies at Harvard University. The PARP Foundation staff are in no way involved with the selection of students, courses, and faculty or the granting of scholarships funded by the PARP Fund. In order to apply or receive any funds from the Prince Alireza Pahlavi Fund, an application must be submitted to Harvard University. Student admissions and the granting of financial aid are at the sole discretion of Harvard University based on its policies and procedures.
Deadline: Varies see website
Eligibility:
- Potential applicants to Near Eastern Language and Civilization who are interested in Iranian Studies, should consult the department before applying. http://www.nelc.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k56744&tabgroupid=icb.tabgroup115014
Award: Full Tuition
