Merit & need
Awards are decided by an alumni-led committee on the basis of academic achievement, research contributions, financial need, and community involvement.
Chinese-American Engineers & Scientists Association · Southern California
Scholarships, prizes, and contests with a 60-year legacy.
CESASC has supported hundreds of young scientists, engineers, artists, and writers with annual scholarships and academic awards since 1962. Explore our six programs and meet the awardees who carry the legacy forward.
- Years of impact
- 60+
- Awarded over the past decade
- $400K+
- Past awardees on record
- 154+
- Active programs
- 6
2026 calendar
Mark your calendar.
The 2026 application cycle is now closed. Awardees will be celebrated at our 64th Annual Convention in Arcadia.
Application deadline
Mar 20, 2026
All scholarships, prizes & contests
Awardees announced
Mar 30, 2026
Winners notified by email
Annual Convention
Apr 25, 2026
Hilton Arcadia · Interdisciplinary Talk + Gala
Hilton Arcadia · 123 W Huntington Dr, Arcadia, CA 91007
Six programs · one community
Programs for every stage and every discipline.
From our flagship CESASC Scholarship for college and graduate students to brand-new programs for K-12 and pre-college talent — there is a path for every aspiring student.
01
CESASC Scholarship
Our flagship scholarship — over 50 years and counting.
$1,200 × 10since 1962
Awarded annually since the early 1970s to undergraduate (sophomore+) and graduate students of all majors, including non-STEM disciplines.
Learn more02
Lisa Lu Scholarship
Supporting students in the arts since 2020.
$1,000 × 3since 2020
Endowed by the Lisa Lu Foundation, awarded to students in fine art, film, music, media and other creative fields.
Learn more03
Jonathan H. Jiang Prize
Spotlighting young talents in fundamental science.
$1,500 × 2since 2021
Endowed by the Jonathan H. Jiang Foundation. Awarded to early-career researchers under 26 with first-author publications in math, physics, or chemistry.
Learn more04 New 2026
Ying Zhan GOG Scholarship
Grit • Optimism • Gratitude — new in 2026.
$3,000 x 2since 2026
Endowed by Ying Zhan. Recognizes high school and undergraduate students whose lives embody grit, optimism, and gratitude.
Learn more05
STEAM Essay Contest
K–12 essay contest at the intersection of STEM and the arts.
$1,000 / $500 / $250since 2020
Open to all K–12 students. Multiple prize tiers awarded for elementary, middle, and high school divisions.
Learn more06 New 2026
CESASC AI Challenge
AI for social good — new in 2026.
$1,000 / $500 / $250since 2026
Open to middle and high school students. Build AI solutions that make society better.
Learn moreOur story
A 60-year tradition of mentorship and merit.
Founded in 1962, the Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California (CESASC) is one of the largest and longest-standing Chinese-American professional organizations in the region. Our scholarship foundation has awarded over $400,000 to more than four hundred outstanding students in the past decade alone.
Open to everyone
Our programs welcome students of all backgrounds and majors, including non-STEM disciplines and applicants outside the Chinese-American community.
A lifelong network
Awardees join a community of past recipients, mentors, and scientists — many now leaders in academia, industry, and the arts.
In the moment
Recent ceremonies and celebrations.
A glimpse into our annual convention, where awardees, scholars, and the CESASC family come together each year.
For students
Looking ahead to the 2027 cycle?
Subscribe to CESASC announcements to be the first to know when applications open. Past awardees and reviewers are also welcome to join the alumni network.