A wish to be the first to go to college. A long-held dream of becoming a doctor. A hope for a better future. Today’s high school students have many reasons for pursuing higher education and their dreams. But it’s not always easily affordable. At Bank of Hope, we’ve always been committed to supporting education and providing resources to bright future leaders in the communities we serve. Through Hope Scholarship Foundation, our non-profit organization, we’re proud to offer the Hope Scholarship and $2,500 to 60 selected college freshmen to advance their dreams.

“Through this opportunity,
Hope Scholarship can be a ‘small but great hope’
for the selected students to advance their future.”
Kevin Kim
Chairman & CEO
Bank of Hope

Investing in the Future of Our Communities
As one of the leading Asian American Banks, we strive to be good neighbors and support our customers and communities in any way we can. To date, we have distributed more than $2 million in scholarships through the Hope Scholarship Foundation. This is a great opportunity for college freshmen at a 4-year or 2-year institution in financial need who have demonstrated strong academic performance and leadership capabilities. To be considered, applicants will have the opportunity to submit 500 words on a selected essay topic and show us why they are deserving of the award.

“The 2022 Hope Scholarship strengthens
Bank of Hope’s commitment to the communities it serves
by providing scholarships to low-to-moderate income students.
This grant assists students in reducing the cost of a college degree,
enabling them to increase their earnings potential in the future.”
Nancy Tarr
SVP, CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) Compliance Manager
Bank of Hope


2022 HOPE SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION:
Helping Students Achieve Their Dreams

Award Amount:
$2,500 per student

Scholarship Deadline:
Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 5:00 PM (EST)

Winners:
60 students will be selected for financial assistance and will be notified individually.

Each winner is eligible for only one award. Awards are intended for the student only; no provision is made for spouses or dependents. No substitution of the award is permitted. The check will be issued to the university on behalf of the student, either by paper check or wire transfer.

Eligibility Requirements for Youth Apply
To be eligible for the 2022 Hope Scholarship Program, you:

• must currently be a 2022 high school graduate and a college freshman at either a 4-year or 2-year institution
• must have minimum unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or have earned a GED
• must demonstrate financial need and qualify based on income restrictions and limitations
  • Please see Bank of Hope Scholarship Income Restriction for more information
• must be a resident of following counties:
  • California: Alameda County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Santa Clara County, San Diego County
  • New York: Nassau County, New York County, Queens County
  • New Jersey: Bergen County
  • Virginia: Fairfax County
  • Illinois: Cook County
  • Washington: King County, Pierce County, Snohomish County
  • Alabama: Montgomery County
  • Texas: Dallas County, Tarrant County, Harris County
  • Georgia: Gwinnett County
  • Must be a citizen, national or legal permanent resident of the United States. Citizens of the Freely Associated States may apply

FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO APPLY:
Click on the APPLY NOW button when you are ready to submit your application. Please Note: This is a one-time submission, so you cannot go back and edit/save your changes.

Supporting Documents You Will Need:
Be sure to have these documents ready prior to clicking the APPLY NOW button.

• Parent(s)/Guardian(s) 2021 Income Tax Return Form: The applicant must be listed as a dependent. The foundation will use the submitted Form 1040 to verify the AGI listed.
• Recommendation Letter: Must be completed and sent by the recommender directly to hope_scholarship@bankofhope.com. Recommender must clearly indicate who the letter is for by titling the email "Scholarship_Student's First & Last Name" (i.e. "Scholarship_John Doe").
• Transcript: Scan and attach the most recent unofficial/official transcript issued by your school in PDF form.
  *For those who have earned a GED, attach your transcript/certification in the Attachment Page of the application under “Transcripts.”
• Essay: Tell Us More About Yourself -
  • Prepare your essay prior to starting your application process.
  • Your essay will be evaluated on how relevant your answer is to the content of the question, for grammar, and spelling.
  • Select one essay topic below and write approximately 500 words in length and submit it along with your application in PDF form.
    • Topic 1: Explain a personal hardship or catastrophic life event that you have experienced. How did you manage to overcome this obstacle? What did you learn and how did you grow from it?
    • Topic 2: Write a short essay that describes areas in your life where you have demonstrated leadership and the impact it had on yourself and others.

Reach For More with Bank of Hope 
We’re here to support you and your dreams. Don’t miss out on this opportunity for financial assistance. We are accepting applications now through November 30, 2022 for the 2022 Hope Scholarship Foundation. For complete details, eligibility requirements, and to apply, click here to learn more.

*Disclaimer: Due to the large volume of applications received by Bank of Hope, it is not possible to respond to requests regarding the status of applications.