FBANC Foundation 2025 Scholarship Application Portal

The Foundation of the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California will offer the following scholarships in 2025:   

  • The Raymond L. Ocampo Jr. Family Scholarship.  $15,000. 

  • The Honorable Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Legal Scholarship.  $5,000. 

  • The Charles and Melita Jung Charitable Fund Scholarship.   $5,000.

  • The Honorable Ronald Quidachay Scholarship.  $5,000. 

  • The FBANC/BALIF Pamilya Scholarship. $5,000.

  • The Theodore Borromeo Scholarship.  $4,000.

  • The Ernie and Mila Llorente Scholarship.  $3,000.

  • The Carlos P. Romulo Family Scholarship.  $2,000.

  • The Honorable Eleanor Oducayen Nisperos Women’s Committee Scholarship.  $3,000.

  • The Cesar Alegria Memorial Scholarship. $2,000.

More information on each scholarship can be found at https://fbanc.org/foundation. 

The final names and amounts of scholarships may vary from the above list.  Details on the specific requirements for each scholarships are below.  Scholarships will be awarded at FBANC’s 45th Annual Installation Gala on June 13, 2025, at The Oakland Rotunda.  Recipients are encouraged to attend the Gala.  

The deadline to apply is March 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.  Please direct all inquiries to the FBANC Foundation Scholarship Committee at scholarship@fbanc.org.  The Committee may invite applicants to interview in April 2025.  

The scholarships are generally open to current law students, with two exceptions. First, the Nisperos Scholarship is only open to college students or college graduates applying to law school.  Second, the Alegria Scholarship is open to current law students, and to students admitted to law school but who have not yet begun (AKA 0L students).

Please follow the application instructions below.  Thank you for your interest in the FBANC Foundation’s 2025 Scholarship Program! 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1:  PREPARE AN APPLICATION PACKET

A complete application packet must include the following items:

  1. STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET.  Download this PDF. Fill it out and include in your packet.

  2. BIOGRAPHY AND PHOTOGRAPH.  Biography should be two paragraphs or less.  If you receive a scholarship, the biography and photograph will be featured in the program for the June 2025 FBANC gala. 

  3. CURRENT LAW SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT or ADMIT LETTER FROM LAW SCHOOL, if available/applicable.

  4. RESUME.  Page limit:  one page.

  5. SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY: 

    • Formatting rules:

      • Page limit: three pages

      • Font: 12 pt Times New Roman.  Double-spaced.

    • Essay Prompt.  Your essay must address the following:  

      • Pathways.  The theme for FBANC 45 is “Pathways.”  There are many ways for a Fil-Am lawyer to pursue their career, and the FBANC Foundation aims to support and celebrate all paths people may choose to use their law degree. Please share something impactful that brought you to your current path to law school, and/or the path you plan to pursue after graduating.

      • Involvement.  Discuss your FBANC involvement and list any FBANC events (including dates) you have attended.  If you have not been involved in FBANC or have not attended any FBANC events, please discuss involvement in organizations similar to FBANC.

        • If you’re applying for the FBANC/BALIF Pamilya Scholarship, please also discuss your involvement in BALIF and list any BALIF events (including dates) you have attended. If you have not been involved in BALIF or have not attended BALIF events, please discuss involvement in organizations similar to BALIF.

      • Your why.  Discuss why you are applying for an FBANC scholarship and discuss your achievements.  If you have financial needs you wish to share, you’re welcome to address them.

    • Important note:  

      • Some scholarships have a special theme–e.g., the Ted Borromeo Scholarship is for students interested in employment law.  If you are applying for a scholarship(s) with a special theme, please include information in your essay demonstrating why you are a good fit for that scholarship(s).  Info on the special themes is below.

Applicants will be judged on following criteria:  

  • Qualifications.

  • Commitment to and involvement in the Fil-Am community and/or BALIF community.

  • Essay.  Be sure to respond to the essay prompt, and if applicable, tailor your essay to any special themes applicable to the scholarships you’re seeking.

  • GPA, if available* and applicable to the scholarship sought.**  

    • *Some law schools do not provide students a GPA.

    • ** We do not consider law school GPA for certain scholarships.

STEP 2:  COMPILE YOUR APPLICATION PACKET INTO A SINGLE PDF

Compile all the materials in your application packet as a single PDF.  Put the documents in number order as listed in Step 1.  That is, the first page of the PDF should be item 1 (the student information sheet); item 2 (your biography and photo) should start on page 2 of the PDF; item 3 should come after that; and so on.

Name the PDF according to the following naming convention:  LAST NAME 2025 FBANC APP.pdf.  For example, if your name were Jose Rizal, you would name your PDF “RIZAL 2025 FBANC APP.pdf.”

Your PDF must not be larger than 10 MB in size.  


STEP 3:  SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ONLINE

Fill out this Google Form to submit your application.

The Google Form will prompt you to enter information.  You will upload your application packet PDF in the Form. 

YOU’RE ALL DONE!

Now you wait. We will interview some applicants in April 2025. We will likely decide who will receive scholarships in April 2025.

FBANC FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS AND THEIR THEMES

GENERAL SCHOLARSHIPS  

If you apply for these, your essay should respond to the prompt above.

  • The Raymond L. Ocampo Jr. Family Scholarship.  $15,000.  

    • Available to current law students.

  • The Honorable Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Legal Scholarship.  $5,000.  

    • Available to current law students.

  • The Honorable Ronald Quidachay Scholarship.  $5,000.  

    • Available to current law students.

  • The Honorable Eleanor Oducayen Nisperos Women’s Committee Scholarship.  $3,000.  

    • Available to college students or college graduates who are applying to law school.  

    • Not available to current law students.

SPECIAL THEME SCHOLARSHIPS

The scholarships below have special themes.  If you apply for these, your essay should respond to the prompt above, plus you must explain why you are a good fit for the special theme scholarship(s) you’re applying for.

  • The Charles and Melita Jung Charitable Fund Scholarship.  $5,000

    • Available to current law students.

    • This scholarship is awarded to a law student who has shown a commitment and desire to pursue public interest/public sector law.

  • The FBANC/BALIF Pamilya Scholarship.  $5,000.

    • Available to current law students.

    • This scholarship is awarded to a law school student who has a demonstrated commitment to the Fil-Am and LGBTQI communities.

    • If you apply for this scholarship, make sure to review the instructions above re the essay prompt.

  • The Theodore Borromeo Scholarship.  $4,000.

    • Available to current law students.

    • This scholarship is awarded to a law student in pursuit of any practice perspective in employment and labor law.

  • The Carlos P. Romulo Family Scholarship.  $2,000.

    • Available to current law students.

    • This scholarship is awarded to a law student who has a demonstrated commitment to studying about or practicing law in the fields of International Law, Free Speech, or Human Rights.

  • The Ernie and Mila Llorente Scholarship.  $3,000.

    • Available to current law students.

    • This scholarship is awarded to a Fil-Am student who has demonstrated a dedication to public service in the City and County of San Francisco.

  • The Cesar Alegria Memorial Scholarship. $2,000.

    • Available to current law students.

    • Also available to students admitted for the 2025-2026 law school year, but who have not yet begun law school (AKA this is available to 0L students).

    • This scholarship is awarded to an entering or existing law school student who has shown a commitment to the Fil-Am community, other important social causes, or those most in need.