Career Center

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program

Pick/Laudati Southeast Asia Research Fellowship

Northern Illinois University (NIU) Libraries invites international scholars to come to the library for a two week research opportunity, using library materials in the Southeast Asia Collection. The fellowship aims to assist researchers from countries where Southeast Asia materials are limited or not readily available for research. Generously funded by the Dr. James B. Pick and Dr. Rosalyn Laudati Endowment, this fellowship offers financial support of up to $5,500 to cover international airfare, accommodation, visa fees, health insurance, and a living stipend for two weeks.

NIU will provide a letter of invitation that the fellow may use to apply for a visa to travel to the United States. It is the responsibility of the fellow to obtain the visa, including paying for visa fees in advance. NIU will manage travel arrangements, including booking international flight tickets, arranging ground transportation between Chicago and NIU, and reserving accommodations at the NIU Holmes Student Center for the fellow. NIU Libraries will provide a workspace in the library and research assistance to the fellow.

CIPS Fellowship Program

The Center for Indonesian Policy Studies invites qualified researchers to join our CIPS Fellowship Program. We envision the CIPS Fellowship as the gateway for researchers who are completing their postgraduate theses to conduct their research in Indonesia over a period of six months. Our goal is to make this Fellowship a space of collaboration for exchanging ideas, engaging in lively debates, and expanding each other’s networks.

Mansfield-Luce Asia Scholars Network

The Mansfield-Luce program is to connect scholars of Northeast and Southeast Asia through training, senior mentorships, and networking opportunities, including a twelve-day study trip to Asia. The program also encourages scholars to participate in the U.S. policy-making process and contribute to a better understanding of U.S.-Asia relations.

To apply, please go to the application instruction page and download the application form. You can submit your application via email at applications@mansfieldfdn.org.

Blakemore Freeman Fellowship

The fellowships are awarded to graduating seniors, college graduates, graduate students and young/mid-career professionals who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States, who are already at or near an advanced level in the language and ready to advance to professional fluency.

The grants provide a stipend for living, travel and study expenses and full tuition for programs in East Asia such as:
● Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama, Japan
● International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan
● Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China
● Seoul National University, Sogang University and other language programs in South Korea

In addition to Chinese, Japanese and Korean, Blakemore Freeman Fellowships are also available for advanced language study in:
● Thailand     ● Vietnam     ● Indonesia     ● Cambodia

Open Calls for Funding – Living Through Upheaval Grants Program

UCHRI’s 2024-25 calls for funding are now open. This year’s calls include funding to support innovative, systemwide faculty and graduate student working groups, residential research groups, conferences, engaging humanities, and more. We especially invite proposals that engage with our theme of “Living Through Upheaval.” While the thematic can inform applications to all open calls, four calls directly address this thematic: Historical and Contemporary Leadership in Social Movements; Racial Infrastructures; Conjuring Future(s); and Unexpected Collaborations Beyond the Humanities. Most deadlines are in February each year. Stay tuned for three new calls for funding to open in February.

SEALC-GETSEA Language Tuition Support

With support from the Henry Luce Foundation, The Southeast East Asian Language Council (SEALC) and The Graduate Education and Training in Southeast Asian Studies (GETSEA) consortia award financial assistance to students who incur tuition fees when studying a Southeast Asian language during the academic year at an institution other than their home institution via synchronous distance learning. This award is intended to facilitate cross-institutional collaboration and increase access to Southeast Asian language instruction. Eligibility requires that the course is credit-bearing at a North American institution and that the applicant is a full-time student at a North American institution. Priority will be given to graduate students, but all are encouraged to apply. SEALC and GETSEA encourage applicants to consider attending SEASSI which serves as an excellent resource for summer language instruction. This award is intended to improve access during the academic year so that students can obtain multi-year instruction in a timely manner.

What does the assistance cover?

The award provides partial tuition reimbursement for synchronous distance learning of a SE Asian language at a North American institution.

Application process:

Please email sealc@intl.wisc.edu with any questions you may have.

Fulbright-Hays Funding

Group Projects Abroad Program

The Group Projects Abroad Program accepts applications for FY short-term (short-term seminars, curriculum development teams, and group research or study projects) and long-term projects (advanced overseas intensive language projects).

Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowships

The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program provides opportunities for doctoral candidates to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. The program is designed to deepen research knowledge and increase the study of modern foreign languages, cultural engagement, and area studies not generally included in U.S. curricula.

Luce Scholars Program

The Luce Program provides a year-long internship in an Asian country related to the scholar’s interests. The program is designed to provide an extended period of exposure to an Asian country for highly qualified young Americans who lack extensive knowledge of Asian affairs and who would not gain this knowledge through their normal career trajectories. Any professional field will be considered, except Asian Affairs/Asian Studies. Graduating seniors, recent alumni, graduate students, and junior faculty are encouraged to apply. 2025-2026 grants will open in April.

Rotary Peace Fellowship

Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, the Rotary Peace Centers program develops the capacity of peace and development professionals or practitioners to become experienced and effective catalysts for peace. The fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses.

Asia Internship Program 

The AIP positive impact scholarship is aimed at students of institutions throughout the world to kickstart the restart of global mobility amid the nearing end of the global pandemic. AIP decided to offer a number of institutions the possibility to refer their students, either directly by partnering with us or indirectly by simply advertising our scholarship, for a chance to win a remote internship scholarship with AIP. Email info@internsinasia.com with questions.

Glenn Anthony May Memorial Scholarship

The Glenn Anthony May Memorial Scholarship is intended to honor Professor Glenn Anthony May, a history professor who spent 32 years teaching at the University of Oregon. Prof May had a deep love for the Philippines and authored 5 books on the region. In tribute to his work, this scholarship is intended to provide scholarships to students who are Filipino or of Filipino heritage and/or are pursuing a field of study related to Southeast Asian Studies with a preference for those focused on the Philippines. This scholarship is available to all students, including those living and studying outside of Oregon, who are currently enrolled or have plans to enroll at least half time at any 2- or 4-year public institution or nonprofit private college in the United States. Email Harper Pulsipher, Administrative Assistant for Scholarships (hpulsipher@oregoncf.org), for more information.

Center for Khmer Studies

The Center for Khmer Studies is a non-governmental institution supported by international foundations, educational institutions, scholars, the US Department of Education, and interested individuals and philanthropists from the US, France, and Cambodia. The Center facilitates a range of fellowships, including Senior, Scholar-in-Residence, Dissertation, and Junior Resident Fellowships.

Center for Indonesian Policy Studies

CIPS invites qualified researchers to join our Visiting Research Fellowship Program. The program offers opportunities for both Indonesians and non-Indonesian nationals who are completing their Indonesia-related PhD and post-graduate theses abroad, to conduct field research in Indonesia over a 3-6 month period. CIPS also opens the opportunity for post-doctoral or non-degree fellowships.

If you are interested in the Fellowship Program, please send an e-mail to contact@cips-indonesia.org

Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC)

The USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program seeks to attract outstanding individuals who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). If you want to work on the front lines of some of the most pressing global challenges of our times — poverty, hunger, injustice, disease, environmental degradation, climate change, conflict and violent extremism – the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development provides an opportunity to advance U.S. foreign policy interests and reflect the American people’s compassion and support of human dignity. The Payne Fellowship, which provides up to $96,000 in benefits over two years for graduate school, internships, and professional development activities, is a unique pathway to the USAID Foreign Service.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-Asia)

Scholarships for undergraduate U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. For more information on undergraduate scholarships, click here.

Visiting Research Fellowship: Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS)

The Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) is offering Visiting Research Fellowships. The program offers opportunities for both Indonesians and non-Indonesian nationals who are completing their Indonesia-related PhD and post-graduate theses abroad. The program supports their field research in Indonesia over a 3 (three) to 6 (six)-month period. CIPS also opens this opportunity to post-doctoral or non-degree research. The preferred research areas are in economics, public policy/public management, education, politics, and development studies.

CIPS is a public policy think tank dedicated to providing policy analysis and practical policy recommendations to decision-makers within Indonesia’s legislative and executive branches of government. CIPS focuses its research and policy advocacy on issues concerning education policy reform, food security and agriculture, as well as general issues affecting the livelihood of low-income communities. We have previously cooperated with local governments, the National Development and Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, UNESCO, and many other reputable organizations.

The Visiting Research Fellowship program offers the researchers the necessary office space while conducting their research in Jakarta. We are also able to offer administrative assistance for the stay of the researcher and other arrangement of the field research. For more information, please visit the website or email contact@cips-indonesia.org.

The United States-Indonesia Society (USINDO) Programs

For complete information on the educational exchange programs offered by USINDO (including a summer studies program, a masters fellowship, professional fellows, etc), visit the USINDO website linked above.

Boren Awards for Language Study and Research in Southeast Asia

Boren Awards fund U.S. undergraduate and graduate language study and research abroad in world regions critical to U.S. national interests (including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East). Boren Awards promote longer‐term linguistic and cultural immersion overseas, and are available to applicants in most fields of study.

Boren Awards will give preference to applicants planning to study in a number of East & Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Preference is also given to students who are willing to study abroad for longer periods of time, and those who are highly motivated to work in the federal government following graduation.

The Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 for undergraduate students for language‐focused study abroad.
The Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 for graduate students to fund language study, graduate‐level research, and academic internships abroad.

Webinars on aspects of the Boren Awards, including special regional initiatives and components of the application are scheduled throughout the application process. Sign up today here. Additional information on preferred countries, languages, fields of study, and annual deadlines can be found at www.borenawards.org.

Applicants are encouraged to contact their Boren Awards campus representatives, listed in a directory on the website, for institution‐specific guidance. They may also contact Boren Awards staff directly at 1‐800‐618‐NSEP or boren@iie.org.

Princeton in Asia Fellowships

Princeton in Asia offers one to two-year job placements in Asia to new graduates. Fellows work to develop skills and contribute to the work of host organizations in diverse focus areas, including arts and culture, economic development, education, environment, public health and STEM. Princeton in Asia selects Fellows who are committed to furthering the PiA mission of fostering mutual appreciation and cross-cultural understanding between the United States and Asia.

Harnessing Transformative Potentials of Southeast Asian Urbanization
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (online event)
November 13, 2024

(Mis)Reading Thai Politics through a Great Power Lens
ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute (online event)
November 14, 2024

Sarah M. Bekker Burma Essay Prize for 2024
The Burma Studies Foundation
Deadline: August 31, 2024

The Burma Studies Foundation announces the Sarah M. Bekker Burma Essay Prize for 2024. The prize of US$500 is awarded for the best academic essay of no more than 10,000 words, including notes and bibliography, on a subject dealing with Burma/Myanmar. The prize is open to graduate students in any academic field who are currently registered at a university or college. There are no citizenship or residence requirements.

Call for Submissions: Justice in Translation

The Justice in Southeast Asia Lab (JSEALab) is calling for submissions to Justice in Translation, a web publication series that will publish one short-to-medium length translation [up to 10,000 words] from a Southeast Asian language to English each month. This may be a law, a court decision, an essay, a short story, a poem, a protest declaration, etc. — any piece that a given translator would like to share with a broad, English-reading audience including scholars, practitioners, journalists, and others. Translators should provide a short [500-1000 words] introduction to their translation elaborating its context and significance. Accepted and published translations will receive a 100 USD honorarium.

The JSEALab is part of a five-year initiative on Social Justice in Southeast Asia at the University of Wisconsin-Madison generously funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and located in the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the Human Rights Program. A combination of intensive exchange between faculty and graduate students and public-facing events that aims to foster significant collaboration between academics and practitioners, reflecting both the recognition that a growing number of MAs and PhDs in Southeast Asian Studies are choosing to pursue professional careers outside the university and that there is a need for academic work to be directly responsive to ongoing social justice crises in the region.

Send submissions and questions to: jsealab@wisc.edu.

Volunteer Announcement:  Tutors and Learners

Greater University Tutoring Service (GUTS), Foreign Language Learners (FLL) program is designed to help students learn a new language by partnering them up with a native speaker of that language.

We are currently recruiting tutors and learners for our program. Please encourage students to apply to our program as it is a great opportunity for them to improve their speaking and listening skills. Also if you know of any students that are exceptionally skilled in a language, please let them know about our program.

For more information, please email fll.guts@gmail.com.