Included here are grants and fellowships available to students of Asian Studies and students wishing to pursue research or language study in Asia.
Graduate Student Grants and Fellowships
Asia Center Summer Research Grants for Graduate Students
These grants support independent student research over the summer on topics that look at the countries of East, South, and Southeast Asia comparatively or explore the relations among Asian countries. These grants are intended to fully fund the proposed project, subject to a review of the budget.
Grant recipients become Student Associates of the Asia Center and may be asked to participate in some center activities, including presenting their work on a panel or contributing an article based on their research.
IMPORTANT: Projects that involve only one country will not be considered for this particular grant. Asia Center funds for research in China, Korea and South Asia are distributed by the Fairbank Center, the Korea Institute and the South Asia Initiative, respectively. Students applying for funding for any of these countries should apply to the relevant centers and not to the Asia Center.
The Asia Center competition is open to graduate students from all schools at Harvard at all stages of their academic careers. Recipients are required to submit upon their return, a brief report on their work over the summer. There will be separate competitions for M.A., and Ph.D. applicants.
Applicants should mail or submit 1 copy (original) of the following materials by Friday, February 10, 2012 to Jorge Espada, RE: AC Graduate Research Grants, CGIS South Building S118A, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
▫ Standard application form, including budget sheet
▫ Current resume/CV
▫ Current transcript (photocopy is acceptable) or grade report from the registrar
▫ Statement of purpose
▫ Two letters of recommendation (should be mailed directly by recommender to the above address or submitted in a sealed envelope with the other application materials)
Please contact Jorge Espada at jespada@fas.harvard.edu with any questions.
Fairbank Center Graduate Summer Research Grants
The Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies offers grants to support graduate research during the
summer in or relating to China and Taiwan. The competition is open to graduate students from all
schools at Harvard at all stages of their academic careers.
Grants will generally not exceed $3,000. Recipients are required to submit upon their return, a brief
report on their work over the summer.
Applicants should mail or submit 1 copy (original) of the following materials by Friday, February 10,
2012 to Jorge Espada, RE: FC Graduate Summer Research Grants, CGIS South Building S118A,
1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
▫ Standard application form, including budget sheet
▫ Current resume/CV
▫ Current transcript (photocopy is acceptable) or grade report from the registrar
▫ Statement of purpose
▫ Two letters of recommendation (should be mailed directly by recommender to the above
address or submitted in a sealed envelope with the other application materials)
Additional grant information is available at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~fairbank/graduate.html.
Please contact Jorge Espada at jespada@fas.harvard.edu with any questions.
Graduate Summer Language Grants for East, South and Southeast Asian Language Study (Harvard University Asia Center, the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, the Korea Institute, and the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies)
These grants are for students enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program at Harvard in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences or any of its professional schools for study during the summer of an East Asian language (including the Altaic languages), or of one of the languages of South or Southeast Asia. Study should take place at accredited programs outside of the United States, but exceptions may be made when this is not possible.
Priority will be given to advanced study in a primary language, to the study of a secondary language that is necessary for the completion of the degree, or to the study of a secondary language that is necessary for advanced research.
Grants will normally not exceed $6,000. Students are encouraged to budget realistically and, when appropriate, to seek support from other sources, which may be combined with GSLG funds. Students seeking support for the study of South Asian languages should also consult the grant programs offered by the South Asia Initiative. Students should also apply for the Reischauer Institute Summer Language Study Grants for Doctoral Students if appropriate.
Students applying to a Harvard Summer School language program should first explore submitting an application for a tuition waiver from GSAS. Students should consult their academic departments for application procedures and deadlines.
Applicants should mail or submit 1 copy (original) of the following materials by Friday, February 10, 2012 to Jorge Espada, RE: Graduate Summer Language Grants, CGIS South Building S118A, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
▫ Standard application form, including budget sheet
▫ Current resume/CV
▫ Current transcript (photocopy is acceptable) or grade report from the registrar
▫ Statement of purpose
▫ Two recommendations (should be mailed directly by recommender to the above address or submitted in a sealed envelope with the other application materials). One letter should be from an academic advisor; the second should be from a language instructor utilizing the this form.
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships for East Asia (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences)
The University administers the FLAS graduate fellowships for East Asia. The FLAS is a federal program which supports the study of modern languages and related area courses. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be engaged in the study of an eligible foreign language and related area courses, be preparing for a career in teaching or in public service in which proficiency in the language of application is necessary or highly desirable and be engaged in full-time study during the entire award period. Fellowships are available both for the summer and for the academic year. Eligible East Asian languages are Mandarin (at least two years' prior study), Japanese (at least two years' prior study), Korean, Tibetan, and Vietnamese. Applications for both the summer and academic year FLAS are due by December 20, 2011 for continuing students and December 31, 2011 for incoming students. For application and instructions, go to http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/current_students/graduate_flas.php.
Korea Institute Summer Research Travel Grants (Graduate)
The Korea Institute offers a limited number of travel grants for summer research and/or fieldwork in Korea for graduate students. Proposals from graduate students must relate to their doctoral or masters theses. Typically, the amount of the award is limited to the cost of travel in the research project; additional support for the cost of materials and other ancillary expenses also may be sought, but only in exceptional situations does the amount of the summer research award exceed the actual cost of travel. In the case of graduate students, priority is given to doctoral candidates. Masters degree candidates are welcome to apply (RSEA Program included). Graduate degree candidates in all social sciences or humanities fields are eligible. Graduate students must have at least three years of Korean language training or equivalent proficiency.
Applications are available at the GSAS Fellowships Office website at:
http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/current_students/graduate_summer_standard_application.php
Please follow the “INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS” in the GSAS Graduate Summer Standard 2011-12 Application, as well as, the Korea Institute instructions. Application deadline: February 10, 2012 by 4:00 p.m. in room S233, CGIS South.
Korea Institute Dissertation Completion Fellowships 2012-2013
The Korea Institute at Harvard University is pleased to offer Dissertation Completion Fellowships to Harvard doctoral candidates in the final stages of dissertation writing in any field of Korean Studies in the humanities and social sciences for academic year 2012-13. Applicants must have exhausted all other sources of funding and require one more year in which to complete their research and/or thesis writing. Students applying to the Korea Institute are required to apply for funding elsewhere as well. Applications are available at the GSAS Fellowships Office website at: http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/current_students/dissertation_completion_standard_application.php
Please follow the “INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS” in the GSAS Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowships 2011-12 Standard Application, as well as, the Korea Institute instructions. Application deadline: February 17, 2012 by 4:00 p.m. in room S233, CGIS South.
Korea Institute Supplementary Dissertation Grants--For Academic Year 2012-13
The Korea Institute will provide support to Harvard doctoral candidates (beyond G4, not in finishing year) who are in the dissertation research stage in any field of Korean studies in the humanities or social sciences, when other sources of funding are insufficient. Students must do their primary research in Korean. A limited number of RESEARCH grants of up to $23,000 will be available for the academic year 2012-13. A student may receive this grant only once. Priority is given to students whose work clearly focuses on Korea. Students applying to the Korea Institute for support are required to apply elsewhere as well. . Applications are available at the GSAS Fellowships Office website at: http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/current_students/dissertation_completion_standard_application.php
Please follow the “INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS” in the GSAS Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowships 2011-12 Standard Application, as well as, the Korea Institute instructions. Application deadline: February 17, 2012 by 4:00 p.m. in room S233, CGIS South.
The International Communications Foundation (ICF) Graduate Student
Fellowships in Korean Literature at the Korea Institute for AY12-13, Harvard University
The Korea Institute at Harvard University provides fellowships to support Harvard graduate students whose research focuses on translations of Korean literature. The main purpose of this initiative is to provide funding to students who are no longer eligible to receive funding from GSAS financial aid, to free the students from teaching during the fellowship period in order to focus on their work, and to foster the growth of young scholars working on Korean literature and translation. Funding is provided by the International Communications Foundation (ICF) of Seoul, Korea; the fellowship program is housed and administered by the Korea Institute at Harvard University. Proposals from Harvard doctoral students entering their third or fourth year of study are welcome to apply. Priority will be given to students most strongly committed to Korean literature translation projects, and who have some prior experience in translating Korean literature.
Application deadline: Feb 10, 2012 by 4:00 p.m. in room S233, CGIS South. For more info and the application process see http://korea.fas.harvard.edu/opportunities-korean-studies
Reischauer Institute Supplementary Research/Dissertation Completion Grants for 2012-2013
Provides limited support to Harvard doctoral candidates in the dissertation RESEARCH or COMPLETION stage in any field of Japanese studies in the humanities or social sciences. (Grants up to $28,000 for AY12-13 only. Students may receive a grant in each of these two categories only once.)
Deadline: FEBRUARY 17, 2012 (Fri.)
Please see the Reischauer Institute website for more details: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~rijs/fellowships/graduate.html
Reischauer Institute Summer Research Grants for Graduate Students
Supports Harvard graduate students in the humanities or social sciences whose work is focused on Japan. In addition to doctoral candidates, continuing students in Harvard Masters programs will be considered, as will graduating Harvard Masters students who will enter a Harvard PhD program in the following year. Awards are normally for summer research travel from Harvard to Japan, and return. (Grants up to $5,000 for AY11-12 only.)
Deadline: FEBRUARY 10, 2012 (Fri.)
Please see the Reischauer Institute website for more details: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~rijs/fellowships/graduate.html
Reischauer Institute Summer Language Study Grants for Doctoral Students
Supports PhD candidates in the humanities or social sciences for language study, directly related to a doctoral dissertation in Japanese studies, which cannot be conveniently pursued during the academic year. (Grants up to $6,000 for AY11-12 only.) Deadline: FEBRUARY 10, 2012 (Fri.)
Please see the Reischauer Institute website for more details: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~rijs/fellowships/graduate.html
South Asia Initiative Graduate Study Grants
South Asia Initiative Research and Study Grants are available to Harvard graduate students across all disciplines and schools of the University whose masters or doctoral theses are focused on and involve research or field work in South Asia. Eligibility: Grants are available only to students continuing at Harvard the following academic year. For more information and deadlines: http://southasiainitiative.harvard.edu/funding_gradresearchgrants.html.
In addition, graduate students are welcome to participate in SAI’s Summer Internship Program, and embark on an internship with a SAI partnered organization. Find more information here.
For information on the SAI Graduate Student Associate Program, please visit http://southasiainitiative.harvard.edu/funding_gradstudentassociateprogram.html.
South Asia Initiative Graduate Student Associate Program
The South Asia Initiative announces its Graduate Student Associates Program for the academic year 2008-2009. Harvard graduate students are invited to apply for these positions designed to support original and independent research on South Asia towards a Ph.D. or equivalent advanced professional degree. Up to eight such positions are offered for 2008-2009. SAI invites proposals in any discipline or field of South Asian studies and encourages work on all countries and regions of the subcontinent as well as the study of South Asia in larger connective contexts. GSAs are expected to participate in weekly meetings to discuss graduate students’ dissertations in progress and to attend other SAI seminars, workshops and conferences. Each GSA will receive a carrel on the 4th floor of CGIS South Building, a computer, funds for SAI letterhead and business cards, and a research stipend of up to $3,000. Doctoral degree candidates from all Harvard academic departments and professional schools are eligible to apply. Applicants from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences should have completed their General Examinations and commenced research on their dissertation. Applicants from professional schools should be conducting a major research project related to South Asia. Applicants should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, a 1000-word description of the thesis or research project, current transcript of grades, and two letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with the student’s work by May 27, 2008, to Ian Jackson, South Asia Initiative, CGIS S427, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (sainit@fas.harvard.edu).
Please note the information above pertains to the 2008-9 academic year; details of the 2009-10 program will be made available in early 2009, with a specific spring application deadline to follow.
Student Organization Grants
The Asia-related centers at Harvard University offers grants to undergraduates and graduate student organizations for projects involving individual countries or spanning multiple countries in Asia. These grants are offered on a ongoing basis; however organizations are encouraged to apply as early as possible as funds are limited. Please submit an application to Jorge Espada at jespada@fas.harvard.edu.
Funding for Asia Center grants is made possible by the following funds:
Robert M., ’41, & Ellen E. Boyd Memorial Fund; William E. Braden 1941 Travel Fund; Roger A. Brooks Japan Travel Fellowships; Richard M. Cashin Jr. Fund for Asian Studies; Linda Tao & Julian & Simon Cheng Travel and Research Fund; Carlos Cordeiro Asian Initiatives Fund; Dow Nang Fan Travel Grant; Lee Merritt Folger Research Fellowships; Victor and William Fung Fellows Fund; Elise Fay Hawtin Travel and Research Fund; Stephen A. Orlins Fund; William H. Overholt, ’68, Research Fund in Honor of Ezra Vogel; Rokubei Nakajima Undergraduate Travel & Research Fund; William Morgan Palmer Fund for East Asian Studies; Ezra F. Vogel Travel Fund; NCR Corporation Endowment for East Asian Studies; Yellow Leaf Travel & Research Fund; Harvard Asia Center Endowment Fund |
Common Application Process 
