Established in 1974, the Luce Scholars program is a nationally competitive fellowship that offers early-career leaders immersive, professional experiences in Asia. The program aims to forge stronger relationships across geographic borders by creating opportunities for young Americans to deepen their ties and understanding of the countries, cultures, and people of Asia.
In any given year, Luce Scholars are living and working throughout Northeast, Southeast, and South Asia. They are in big cities and small villages, working in such diverse fields as public health, the arts, economic development, environmental science, and many more. The Scholars contribute their talents to NGOs, government agencies, private companies, universities, think tanks, and museums. Past Luce Scholars have been placed in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste.
Candidates must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates may be graduating seniors, recent graduates, or young professionals under the age of 32, OR if older than 32, candidates must have received their bachelor’s degree within the past three years. Candidates who have spent a significant amount of time (18 weeks or more since beginning college) in more than one of the countries where Luce Scholars are placed are not eligible to apply. Candidates who have spent 18 weeks or more (since beginning college) in only one of the countries where Luce Scholars are placed are eligible to apply but will not be placed in the country where they have spent significant time.
Each awardee receives a stipend that is based on a three-tier system taking into account the U.S. Department of State’s Cost-of-Living Index and housing costs for each country. Scholars should be able to live comfortable without recourse to personal savings or other income sources, regardless of where they are placed.
Closed (will open in April 2024)
TBA
