FAQs
Why is there a need for these
scholarships?
This
was the question we were asked frequently when we started in 1997. The founding
Board was convinced there was financial need in the Indian community and the
education of Indian American children should be a high priority. Since then, we
have received over 600 applications from 30 States and given out 94
scholarships. The stories we hear from Upakar Scholars year after year is that
the $3,000 per year makes a big difference given the rising cost of tuition and
the economic situation many families find themselves in. We are absolutely convinced that this is
important and necessary to do, now and in the future.
Who is eligible for these
scholarships?
Indian Americans going to an
What makes Upakar unique?
Upakar
is the only Indian American scholarship organization that awards scholarship
for 4 years. They are not loans and can
be awarded for up to 4 years if the student maintains a cumulative 3.3
GPA. Our goal is to help our scholars
make choices based on their individual aspirations, not what can pay off the
student loans the fastest.
Why is Upakar focused only on
helping Indian Americans?
Despite
the fact the Indian community is generally affluent; there are limited
scholarships available exclusively for Indian Americans. We hope to expand these recognition programs
much as other ethnic and interest groups have already done for their own
communities.
When are scholarships awarded?
Applications
are available at http://www.upakar.org in
February and are accepted until the end of April. Scholarship winners are approved at the
Board’s June meeting and the scholarships are awarded in August.
Do the students get the checks
directly?
No,
the checks are mailed directly to the college or university. The check is written to both the student and
the school, so both must endorse the check for it to be cashed. Also, the checks are only issued after Upakar
receives a letter on the school’s letterhead stating that the student will be
attending in the fall.
What changed in 2005?
There
were two major changes that year. The
scholarship was increased to $3,000 per year and requirement for the scholars
to keep in touch with the Board or their mentor every semester was added. This can include a detailed email to the
Board or conversations with their mentor.
What changed in 2009?
In
order to better serve our potential scholars, we have reduced the AGI
requirement to $60,000. We believe this
will help us identify the ideal Upakar scholars. Due to the economic downturn, we had to
reduce the scholarship amount to $2,000.
I want to make a donation. How will my contribution be used?
All expenditures are approved by the Board of Directors. The policy of the Board is 90% of all funds raised will be used for scholarships. The only expenses are for outside vendors & services, events or publicity. Upakar is a 100% volunteer-run organization.
Is there a minimum contribution?
No,
there is no minimum contribution, but we encourage a donation of $100.00 per
year or more from each family. A commitment for four years provides us the
confidence so we can make a four-year commitment for a scholarship. Donations can be made by cash, check or
credit card and can be made annually, monthly or as a one time lump payment.
I would like to volunteer. How can I help?
There
are many ways to help. Host a
fundraiser, assign Upakar to be the charity of choice for an event or tell your
friends about Upakar. There are many,
many ways to help out, contact us at volunteer@upakar.org.
What was
the Upakar Community Ambassador award?
The Ambassador award recognized an Indian American for excellence and
leadership in the field of community service.
It was intended to stimulate interest in the field from young
professionals and to spotlight the unsung heroes in the Indian-American community. The award itself was a one-time grant of
$5000 made to the awardees organization of choice and an expenses-paid
opportunity to be the keynote speaker at Upakar's
annual banquet.