Emil Berikoff Sr. Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association
Scholarship Overview
The Emil Berikoff, Sr. Memorial (EBMS) Scholarship Program awards funds to residents of APICDA communities who are accepted to or enrolled in an accredited college or university for undergraduate or graduate study. The program supports education as a strategy for building stronger local infrastructures and fostering sustainable economic development across the APICDA region. Funding is drawn from the Community Development Quota program to invest in residents’ educational advancement. The scholarship prioritizes return of knowledge and service to the region following completion of studies.
Description: The EBMS Scholarship provides financial support to eligible APICDA community residents pursuing postsecondary degrees, with the goal of strengthening regional capacity and economic development.
- Supports undergraduate and graduate students from APICDA communities
- Funded through the Community Development Quota program
- Emphasizes education that benefits regional development
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet academic and residency criteria to be considered for the EBMS Scholarship. Eligibility requires formal acceptance to or current enrollment at a nationally or regionally accredited college or university. Applicants may be Native or non-Native but must satisfy the program’s residency rules or demonstrate an established relationship to the APICDA region. Additional requirements include demonstrated financial need and submission of a complete application package by published deadlines.
Eligibility: Acceptance or enrollment at an accredited institution and compliance with APICDA residency or previous-resident criteria are required; applicants must also demonstrate financial need.
- Must be accepted or enrolled at an accredited college or university
- Open to Native and non-Native applicants who meet residency criteria
- Financial need and a complete application are required
Residency Rules
Residency is a core component of eligibility for the EBMS Scholarship and defines who may apply. Applicants must be residents of one of the APICDA communities prior to applying: Akutan, Atka, False Pass, Nelson Lagoon, Nikolski, St. George, or Unalaska. Special provisions apply to Unalaska residents and to applicants who no longer live in the region but have prior ties. The Training and Education Committee evaluates previous-resident applications based on specified criteria in order of significance.
Residency: Applicants must be residents of Akutan, Atka, False Pass, Nelson Lagoon, Nikolski, St. George, or Unalaska at the time of application.
Unalaska Residency Requirement: Applicants from Unalaska must have maintained full-time residency for at least five years immediately prior to application and must intend to return to or work for the benefit of the APICDA region after completing their education.
Previous Resident Requirement: Applicants not currently living in an APICDA community must demonstrate a relationship to the region; the Committee considers ties in a prioritized order.
- Length of time the applicant lived in the APICDA region
- Immediate family living in the APICDA region (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, children)
- Applicant’s intent to return to or work for the benefit of the APICDA region after school
- Residency in a specified APICDA community is required
- Unalaska applicants face a five-year full-time residency and return-intent requirement
- Former residents are evaluated on time lived in the region, family ties, and intent to return
Financial Need and Application
The EBMS Scholarship incorporates financial need into its selection criteria to prioritize assistance for applicants with demonstrated economic need. Household income for eligibility is capped at $183,270 for the applicant alone or the applicant and spouse. Applicants must submit a complete application packet including all required documents by the published deadlines to be considered. Incomplete or late submissions may be excluded from review.
Financial Need: Household (applicant, or applicant and spouse) income must not exceed $183,270 to meet the program’s need-based eligibility threshold.
Application: Submit a complete application packet with all required documents by the published deadlines; missing materials can disqualify the application.
- Household income cap: $183,270
- Complete application with required documents is mandatory
- Adhere to published deadlines to ensure consideration