Frequently Asked Questions

How many scholarships are available?

There are five scholarships, each worth $2000. 

What are the eligibility requirements for the KPAA scholarships?

You must be graduating from high school in Spring 2009, of Asian descent and planning on attending an accredited college, university, trade or technical school in Fall 2009.  You must live or attend a high school in the Northern California Kaiser Permanente service area and have a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Do I need to be a certain percent of Asian heritage to apply?

No, we are accepting applications for all graduating high school students with any amount of ethnic Asian heritage.

How can I determine if I live in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California service area?

The zip code for your school or home must be listed in our Service Area Directory.  The directory is available at our website,  http://www.KPAAonline.org.

What is a sealed transcript?

A transcript is a copy of the grades you received for each class you've taken since your freshman year in high school.  A sealed transcript must have two things: 1) an embossed stamp from your school and 2) be in a sealed envelope.

My sealed transcripts won’t be completed by the deadline but I have everything else completed for the application packet.  Can I have the sealed transcripts sent in separately?                                      

No.  All items in the application packet must be sent in one envelope and U.S. mail postmarked by February 27, 2009.  Items sent in separate envelopes will be considered incomplete and the entire application will not be considered.

My school won't give me the sealed transcripts and will only send them directly to the Scholarship Committee.   

If your school refuses to provide you with sealed transcripts, you must have an original letter from the school stating they will not provide the sealed transcripts and they will send it separately.  You will be responsible, however, to ensure the transcripts are postmarked by February 27, 2009.  If the transcripts have a later postmark, your entire application will not be considered.

What if I attended more than one high school, do I need a sealed transcript from each school?      

If your current school includes grades from your previous schools, you do not need to get a separate transcript from the previous schools.  If your current school does NOT include grades from your previous schools, then you will need to get a sealed transcript for all classes from your freshman year in high school.  In the ONE packet you send us with your application, you must include the sealed transcripts from each high school you attended.   

I'm currently taking classes at a junior college or university, should I include those transcripts also?

Yes, include your college transcripts.  They must be included in your packet with an embossed seal from the college and in a sealed envelope.

The person writing my reference letter is unable to meet the deadline or would like to send in the reference letter separately.                                                                                                           

The reference letter must be included in the one packet you send to us.  A reference letter cannot be sent separately.

Can I have a relative write my letter of recommendation?

No, an adult who is familiar with your leadership work must write the letter of recommendation.

Where can I download a copy of the scholarship application?

Go to http://www.KPAAonline.org.

Can I send in my application through the Kaiser Permanente inter-office mail system?

We require that all applications have an U.S. mail postmark to ensure the process is fair to everyone and we have proof of the date the application was sent.  Applications sent by Kaiser Permanente inter-office mail will not be considered.

Do I have to major in the health care field to apply for this application?

No.  We are looking for students that demonstrate leadership qualities in either school or community activities.

Do I have to include a stamped, self-addressed postcard?  Can’t you e-mail me to let me know you received my application?                                                                                                           

The postcard is a required item of the application packet and those packets without a postcard will be viewed as incomplete and won’t be considered for the scholarship program.  Due to our administrative process, a postcard is the best way for us to notify you.  You cannot consider the U.S. Postal Service return receipt or receipt from UPS, FedEx or other delivery carrier as a postcard.

Should I include a photo of myself?

To make it a fair and equitable process based on merit, we request you do not sent photos.  Any photos received will be discarded and not given to the Scholarship Review Committee.

When will I know if I’ve been selected to receive the scholarship?

All applicants should check our website, www.KPAAonline.org on March 31st for a list of winners.  The scholarship awards will be presented at the KPAA Asian Heritage Month Awards Banquet in May in Oakland, CA. 

I'm not of Asian descent.  What scholarships are available to me from Kaiser Permanente?

The following Kaiser Permanente employee associations offer scholarships to graduating high school seniors:

Kaiser Permanente African American Professional Association – contact PJ Ballard at PJ.Ballard@kp.org

KP Pride - contact Larry Buchanan at Larry.Buchanan@kp.org

Kaiser Permanente Latino Association - contact Antonio Wong at Antonio.Wong@kp.org

I'm a Kaiser employee, am I eligible for KPAA scholarship?

No, the KPAA Scholarship is only for students graduating from high school in Spring 2009.  You can call the Kaiser Permanente Student Financial Aid Program at toll-free 866-232-2934 regarding scholarships and loans to complete degree and certificate programs in nursing and allied health fields.  You can access more information from Kaiser intranet site at http://xnet.kp.org/pcs/sfap/index.html