2025 VKCSF Scholarship Application Guidelines
Thank you for applying for the VKCSF scholarship. Please follow the guidelines carefully to be qualified for a scholarship. Should you have any questions, please check our FAQ page. You can contact us at vkcsfapply@gmail.com
Evaluation Criteria
VKCSF awards scholarships to students who demonstrate the following:
(a) Excellence in academic or vocational training;
(b) Active involvement and leadership in the community, personal essay, references
(c) Financial need (Optional*).
* If there is no financial need, only (a) and (b) will be considered.
Step 1: Eligibility
Anyone who will be enrolled as a full-time student from September 2025 to April 2026, and meets one of the following criteria may apply:
- A resident of Greater Vancouver (Canadian citizen or permanent resident) of Korean heritage, who will be attending an accredited post-secondary institution in the province of British Columbia
- A resident of Greater Vancouver (Canadian citizen or permanent resident) of Korean heritage, who will be attending an accredited post-secondary institution outside of the province of British Columbia, if he or she graduated from a secondary school in the Greater Vancouver area and has a parent/grandparent who resides in the Greater Vancouver area
- An international student of Korean heritage, who will be attending an accredited post-secondary institution in the Greater Vancouver area
- A non-Korean heritage student, who will be attending an accredited post-secondary institution in the province of British Columbia and is pursuing academic studies related to Korea
*The foundation’s priority is to extend the scholarship to as many recipients as possible. Unless under exceptional circumstances with demonstrated significant financial needs, the scholarship may not be awarded to the same recipient more than twice.
Step 2: Required Documents – Part I
Save the following documents as PDF files (exception: photo in JPEG format). Create a folder in your Google Drive and submit them by sharing the folder as instructed in Step 3: Google Drive Folder.
- Resume
- Highlight your education, work experience, extracurricular involvement, awards, and other achievements.
- Essay
- Essay question: Describe a time when you faced a significant challenge in your life. How did you overcome it, and what did you learn from the experience? How will this lesson help you succeed in your future academic or career goals?
- Maximum 500 words: Please show the word count at the bottom of the page.
- Transcript
- Scan your academic transcript(s) and save as a single PDF file. Unofficial transcript(s) in PDF format are acceptable.
- Please note that sealed official transcript(s) are also required. (See Step 4 (h)) Any discrepancy during the verification process may result in disqualification of the application.
- If you are entering the second or subsequent years of post-secondary education in September 2025, we require transcript(s) from all of the post-secondary school years that will be completed by April 2025.
- If you are entering the first year of post-secondary education in September 2025, we require transcript(s) from grade 10 to grade 12 school years.
- You may download a copy from the Ministry of Education’s website.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/support/transcripts-and-certificates
- BCeID is required for the online transcript service. If you do not have a BCeID, apply immediately to prevent any delay.
- Photo:
- Only JPEG format is acceptable.
- Passport style: face should be centered and take up
50% of the height of the photograph (see example provided). - High resolution with a minimum file size of 1 MB
- Photos of scholarship recipients will be published in the
awards ceremony program booklet and other VKCSF announcements.
- School acceptance letter (If applicable):
- Required if you are entering the first year of post-secondary education in September 2025.
- Financial need summary (Optional):
- You may submit your financial need summary for additional consideration.
- Your summary should include the following list:
- Outline the budget (all expenses) for the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Provide all income sources (e.g. jobs, savings, bursary, scholarships and loans).
- Identify your financial shortfall (total expenses – total income sources).
- How do you intend to manage your shortfall?
- If you are not eligible/applying for a student loan(s), explain why.
- Notice of assessment (If submitting financial need summary (f)):
- If you are submitting the financial need summary (f), then you must provide a scanned copy of your and your parent(s)’ 2024 notice of assessment (NOA) from Canada Revenue Agency.
- You may blackout/cover SIN or other confidential information, if preferred. For scholarship winners, we will require SIN later for tax receipts.
- If you do not have a 2024 NOA because you were not required to file an income tax return, then you do not need to include your NOA.
Step 3: Google Drive folder
- Create a Google account if you do not have one. Go to Google Drive.
- Under “My Drive”, create a new folder and name as “VKCSF 2025 Scholarship Application: Your last name, first name”
- In the folder, upload all the files from step 2.
- Rename files as listed in Step 2 with your initial at the end. ie) a) Resume_YourInitial, b) Essay_YourInitial, c) Transcript_YourInitial, etc.
- Share the folder with vkcsfapply@gmail.com and pick “Editor” in the drop-down menu.
- NO CHANGE is allowed after May 31st, 2025. Any change made after the deadline may result in disqualification of the application.
- No separate confirmation email will be sent to you after you upload all the required documents.
- Keep the folder shared with us until the end of August 2025. Once the folder is deleted, VKCSF loses access to your application folder.
Step 4: Required documents – Part II
The following documents are to be sent directly to us.
- Official academic transcript(s):
- Make arrangements to have the official academic transcript(s) sent directly to us either by email or mail.
- Ensure your transcript(s) are ordered prior to the deadline, May 31, 2025.
- Where to: Choose one option from below.
- Email: vkcsfapply@gmail.com
- Mailing address:
VKCSF
c/o Oh Pharmacy
#100 – 504 Cottonwood Avenue Coquitlam, B.C. V3J 2R5
- Letter of Reference form:
- Send the following link to your referee to answer questions directly on the Google form:
https://forms.gle/KxB2bzfgoVREn4PV7
- The questions will include academic and character references.
- Late reference submission may be considered as incomplete application. Please ensure that your referee can submit the completed form before May 31, 2025.
Step 5: Online application form
- Online application form:
- AFTER uploading all the requirements from Step 2, complete the online application form:
https://forms.gle/9Rp2B2iHQhN3PYBV7
Application deadline: May 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Additional Required Documents for Selected Candidates:
All selected candidates will be individually notified by July 15 by email from vkcsfapply@gmail.com. Please check your junk/spam folder regularly. Upon notification, the following items MUST be submitted (via provided online form) in 2 weeks:
(a) Scholarship recipient remarks (maximum 75 words): State how the scholarship will have a positive impact on your life. This will be included in the award ceremony program booklet and published on our website.
(b) Thank you letter to the donor (175 – 250 words): You will receive a scholarship from one of our donors (individuals, companies, or societies). With your sincere appreciation, discuss your future plans (academic, community work and/or career), and explain how this scholarship will help you to achieve your goals.
(c) Video clip for the award presentation (maximum 2 minutes): The video clip will be used for the awards ceremony and our website. Submit the file by sharing the link to your Google Drive. Details will be provided later.
The candidates who fail to submit the required items by the specified deadline will be deemed as having declined the scholarship.
Attendance Requirement
Every scholarship recipient (or a family member) MUST attend the VKCSF Scholarship Awards Ceremony. The event will be held in-person this year (Date: mid August TBD).