Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
AASCU’s member AANAPISIs play an important role in providing access to postsecondary education to Asian American and Pacific Islander students. They foster student success through culturally tailored support that improves retention rates and increases degree attainment.
AANAPISIs serve Asian American and Pacific Islander students enrolled in postsecondary education.
AANAPISIs were created under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. The program was expanded under the Higher Education Act amendments of 2008, which outline that public or private nonprofit institutions can apply for federal AANAPISI designation and funding through Title III if the college or university meets specified enrollment and financial requirements. These funds can be used for various purposes, such as developing faculty and improving student support services and academic programs.
To be designated as an AANAPISI, an institution must have:
- AAPI enrollment: At least 10% of undergraduate enrollment must be Asian American and Pacific Islander students.
- Low-income student enrollment: The institution must enroll a high percentage of low-income students.
- Accreditation: The institution must be accredited by a recognized accrediting body.
- Public or Nonprofit status: The institution must be public or nonprofit, meaning it does not distribute its earnings to owners or shareholders.
- Low expenditures: The institution must have low educational and general expenditures, meaning lower resources with which to serve students.
Meet AASCU’s AANAPISI members.
52%
of public four-year AANAPISIs are AASCU members
9%
of member AANAPISIs are also Rural-Serving Institutions (RSIs)
AASCU’s Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions by the numbers
AASCU’s AANAPISIs enroll more than 644,000 undergraduate students.
66%
of all undergraduate students at member AANAPISIs are people of color
55%
of undergraduate students at member AANAPISIs are women
43%
of undergraduate students at member AANAPISIs, on average, receive Pell Grants
Top fields of study:
26%
Social and behavioral sciences and human services
26%
Business and communications
24%
STEM fields
AANAPISI Leadership
43%
of presidents at member AANAPISIs identify as people of color
52%
of presidents at member AANAPISIs identify as women
Career pathways among AASCU’s AANAPISI presidents:
- Faculty/academic: 71%
- Career administrative leader: 24%
- Business executive: 5%
Data Sources
- AASCU analysis of IPEDS data, College Scorecard data, and The American College President Study 2023 Edition from the American Council on Education.
- The data presented on this page reflect AASCU’s institutional members. The institutional map includes AASCU’s institutional and associate member institutions.
- Data reflect institutions that met the eligibility requirements to apply for federal designation and funding as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution in FY24.
- The term “people of color” represents individuals who identified as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and multiracial.
- AASCU employs the framework and methodology developed by the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges to designate our member institutions as rural-serving institutions (RSI). As such, AASCU designates any member institution that has an RSI score above the average score as an RSI.
- President profile data reflect the identities of presidents who completed the American College President Study survey.
- For a complete list of AANAPISIs, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Eligibility Matrices for Titles III and Title V Programs.
AANAPISI Member Spotlight
PROMISING PRACTICE
Translating the University Experience Into Career Readiness
Metropolitan State University (MN)
To ensure the career success of its students, this university has infused a career readiness initiative into all aspects of this university, from coursework and internships to professional connections and leadership.
Learn more.
Promising Practice
Increasing Graduation Rates by Meeting Students’ Basic Needs
California State University, Stanislaus
Mounting evidence of how food, housing, and financial insecurities are impacting student graduation rates spurred this university into action. It created a program that responds to students’ basic needs, resulting in more students completing their degree journeys.
Learn more.Questions about AANAPISIs? Let us know.
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