Since 1999, the OCA-UPS® Gold Mountain Scholarship has supported first-generation high school students in their pursuit of higher education.

The title of this scholarship program calls back to a time when many immigrants looked upon America as a mountain of golden opportunities for themselves and their families. Awardees of the scholarship seek dreams of higher education, which are not only the dreams of the students but also of their parents and extended family.

This year, first-gen high school students who will be graduating high school and starting college/university in Fall 2026 will be awarded $2,000 each.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship Award: $2,000 (non-renewable)

Please note: If selected as a Gold Mountain Scholar, the award will be sent directly to you via ACH or PayPal (checks are also available) and it will be considered taxable income, meaning you/your family will need to include it in the next tax filing season. Scholars will be asked to complete a W-9 form to receive the award.

Application Deadline: Friday, March 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT.

All applicants will be notified of their status by May.

Eligibility

• Applicants must currently be enrolled as a high school senior and be attending college by Fall 2026.
• Applicants must be first-gen, meaning your parents did not complete a college or university degree.
• Applicants do not need to be a U.S. citizen. DACA students or undocumented students must have a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to be eligible for this scholarship.
• If awarded a scholarship, applicants may be required to submit either a 2025 or 2026 tax return.
• Awarded scholars will be required to submit proof that they’ve been accepted into one or more colleges/universities before receiving the scholarship.
• 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 Bio (in PDF format, 300 words max).
• This should include your background, identity, school, major/minor, work/experience, 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 bio should look like, please refer to our previous scholars page.
• Academic Transcript (in PDF format; unofficial transcripts are also accepted)
  • Your transcript must include the first quarter/semester of your freshman year through at least the first quarter/semester of your senior year, corresponding with your application.
• One (1) Essay Responses (in PDF format, 500 words max each)
  • Essay Prompt: Describe a challenge you’ve had to overcome. What effect did this have on your person and character?
• Two (2) Short Answer Responses (in PDF, 300 words max)
  • Short Answer Prompt 1: Describe your experience as a first-gen Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) student.
  • Short Answer Prompt 2: What are you intending to major/minor in college? Why?
• Experiences (in PDF)
  • 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. For any section you don't have experience in, please upload a short PDF document explaining why you don't have that experience(s).
  • Check online to view an example of what this document should look like.
• Two (2) References
  • References can be anyone who can speak about you and your work 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.
  • Include their name, job title/position, email, phone number, and their relationship to you.
  • Please note we are not asking for letters of recommendation.

Scholarship Amount: $2000

Application Deadline: March 13, 2026