Who qualifies as a minority?
Black / African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic / Latino Americans (including Portuguese), and Asian / Pacific Americans. The latter group includes those with ancestry in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Pacific islands, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Proof of minority status is required.
Minority does not necessarily mean a specific race or ethnic background. A minority group is characterized by a distinct characteristic that makes up less than half of a total population. Different minority groups can include people who speak a different language, or are of a different nationality, religion, culture, or lifestyle. For example, for its scholarship program, the Hispanic College Fund requires that an eligible applicant be of Hispanic heritage. Another example includes the American Indian Education Foundation, which awards scholarships to students of Native American or Alaskan Native descent. Women are considered a minority as well. Various scholarships are reserved specifically for women. The Association for Women in Science provides various scholarships to women who are studying undergraduate or graduate careers in the sciences. Such programs give women additional opportunities to receive scholarships for which only they are eligible. Another common misconception is the
