Community Youth Center

Motivating Youth To Succeed

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Scholarships

The 2025 CYC scholarship application process is now open. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 2, 2025.

Siu Family Charitable Fund Scholarship

The Siu Family Charitable Fund Scholarship helps students from low-income, immigrant families afford a college education. Pursuing a higher education can have a lifetime impact—this scholarship offers youth in the community the opportunity to achieve success and develop their knowledge and passion to become the next generation of leaders.

Number of awards: 2
Scholarship amount: $2,500 each

Eligibility Criteria:

  • An immigrant youth or youth of immigrant parents who is the first person in their immediate family to attend college
  • Open to incoming freshman and enrolled full-time at an accredited two-year or four-year college in Fall 2025
  • A citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States
  • Current CYC youth participant
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Resident of San Francisco
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)

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
apply

CYC Cindy Tong Scholarship

The CYC Cindy Tong Scholarship honors the legacy of Cindy Tong, former CYC Director of Development and Communications, who played a vital role in strengthening and sustaining the organization. Cindy was a dedicated leader who embodied the CYC core values, advocating for youth, community, and cultural empowerment.

With a background in journalism, Cindy was passionate about uplifting Chinese Americans and amplifying underrepresented voices. She was deeply involved in the Organization of Chinese Americans and worked with numerous local nonprofits, using her expertise to advocate for social justice and equity.

This scholarship is dedicated to supporting students pursuing studies in journalism or careers in the social sector, continuing Cindy’s legacy of storytelling, advocacy, and community impact. Through this opportunity, we hope to inspire the next generation of changemakers who, like Cindy, are committed to making a difference.

Number of awards: 1
Scholarship amount: $2,500

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Must be a high school senior or current college student planning to pursue or currently studying journalism, communications, media studies, or a career in the social sector (nonprofit work, public service, social justice, or community advocacy).
  • A citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States
  • Current CYC youth participant
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Resident of San Francisco
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)

Selection Criteria:

  • Must have a strong record of volunteerism, leadership, or advocacy work, particularly in supporting underserved communities or uplifting marginalized voices.
  • Preference will be given to students with financial need, as demonstrated through a brief financial statement in the application.
  • Must demonstrate a passion for storytelling, advocacy, or public service, aligning with Cindy Tong’s lifelong dedication to empowering others.

APPLY

Make a Difference Scholarship

The Make a Difference Scholarship recognizes that being accepted into college is a major milestone, but that there are obstacles that could discourage someone from pursuing a higher education and realizing their dreams. The Make a Difference Scholarship eases the financial constraints of higher education with a four-year award so that exceptional youth can fully concentrate on their studies and potential.

Number of awards: 5
Scholarship amount: $6,000 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 2024
  • 3.0 GPA to renew scholarship every year
  • Maintaining full course load during the academic year
  • Current CYC youth participant
  • San Francisco resident
  • Chinese ethnicity

Selection Criteria:

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

Eddy Zheng Scholarship

Eddy Zheng has a lifelong commitment to serve 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 said. “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 to build 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 ROOTS, the first-ever ethnic studies program in San Quentin State Prison.

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

Eligibility Criteria:

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

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
APPLY

Financial Opportunity Scholarship

This scholarship supports youth expecting to go to college who are facing financial hardships that could potentially impact their decision to pursue a higher education.

Number of awards: 7
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
  • San Francisco resident

Selection Criteria:

  • Financial need
  • Personal story
apply