Graduate Funding

Asian Studies provides funding for graduate students to help support conference attendance, research, tuition, and language study in or about Asia. We hold competitions for summer and academic year funding each year made possible by endowment funds, grants from private sources, and funds from the US Department of Education. Most scholarships applications except for conference funding are due Feb. 15, 2024, except for conference funding which is evaluated three times a year (September 29, December 9 and April 3).

 Fellowships & Tuition Remission | FLAS | Language Study | Research | Conference Funding

FELLOWSHIPS & TUITION REMISSION

ASC has several funding opportunities that are directed to tuition and stipends for graduate students. Unless noted, these applications will be due Feb. 15, 2024. To apply for these funding opportunities students will need to:

  • Complete an application form on PittFund$Me. You can access PittFund$Me through your my.pitt.edu portal. Use the dashboard to search for the scholarship you wish to apply to.
  • Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university attended
  • Submit a current CV
  • Submit a statement of purpose no more than 2000 words that explains your research interests.
  • Secure three letters of recommendation

China and Chinese Studies Tuition Remission Scholarship: full or partial tuition

This grant pays the full tuition for either one semester of one academic year for students studying China or Chinese Studies, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Chinese diaspora. Any graduate student may apply. Preference for students with strong language proficiency and a commitment to China and Chinese Studies. Students must either be or commit to becoming an Asian Studies certificate student.

Mitsubishi Graduate Fellowship in Japanese Studies: full tuition and stipend

The Mitsubishi Graduate Fellowship in Japanese Studies is open to full-time graduate students in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh with a focus on Japan. Preference is for students with strong Japanese language skills. Students cannot hold a Mitsubishi fellowship concurrently with any other fellowship. Students must either be or commit to becoming an Asian Studies certificate student.

Mitsubishi Graduate Tuition Remission Scholarship: up to $10,000 toward tuition and fees per year

Mitsubishi Graduate Tuition Remission Scholarship is open to full-time graduate students in programs outside the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences (e.g. Katz Business School, School of Education, School of Law, or School of Information and Computer Science) or part-time graduate students in any program to help defray costs up to $10,000 or up to the cost of tuition. Tuition Remission will only be available up to the cost of tuition. Pitt employees are eligible to apply for funding through this program. Students must have a strong research focus in Japanese Studies. Students must either be or commit to becoming an Asian Studies certificate student.

FLAS

For information about applying for Asian Studies FLAS fellowships, including application requirements please click here. Please note graduate Academic Year FLAS applications are collected by your department, contact your director of graduate studies for information about departmental due dates.

Academic Year Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowships: Full tuition and stipend

The Academic Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship supports students continuing to study Asian languages and cultures after completing their first year of an Asian language. Students are required to take one Asian language course (at the second-year level or above) and one Asian Studies culture course each semester they hold the grant.

Summer Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship: $5,000 tuition remission, $3,500 stipend

Summer Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships support summer intensive language learning in an Asian language. Students at the second-year level or above are required to enroll in a summer language program of at least 6 weeks, with at least 120 language contact hours.

 

LANGUAGE STUDY

The Asian Studies Center has two awards that focus directly on language acquisition. All of these applications are due Feb. 15, 2024. To apply for these funding opportunities students will need to:

  • Complete an application form on PittFund$Me. You can access PittFund$Me through your my.pitt.edu portal. Use the dashboard to search for the scholarship you wish to apply to.
  • Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university attended
  • Submit a current CV
  • Submit a statement of purpose no more than 1500 words that explains your language background and reason for language acquisition.
  • Secure two letters of recommendation

Chinese Summer Language Study: $5000

Funds participation in Chinese summer language programs. Students must have completed 1 year of college-level Chinese, and preference is for students who have completed 2 years. Preference is also for students who are participating in an organized program of study abroad.

Japanese Summer Language Study: $5000, plus $1000 for travel expenses if studying in Japan

Funds Japanese summer intensive language study at an approved summer language program. Preference is given to students who have completed at least one year of college Japanese. Students planning on attending the SEALS program at Pitt are not eligible for this award. For information about SEALS funding visit the SEALS website (https://www.deall.pitt.edu/resources/seals)

 

RESEARCH

ASC has several funding opportunities that are directed to tuition and stipends for graduate students. All these applications will be due Feb. 15, 2024. To apply for these funding opportunities students will need to:

  • Complete an application form on PittFund$Me. You can access PittFund$Me through your my.pitt.edu portal. Then use the dashboard to search for the scholarship you wish to apply to.
  • Submit unofficial transcripts from each college or university attended
  • Submit a current CV
  • Submit a statement of purpose no more than 2000 words that explains your research interests.
  • Secure three letters of recommendation
  • Submit a detailed budget for your research project. Budget templates can be found here (budget template attachment)

Evelyn and Thomas Rawski Graduate Student Research Grant: up to $10,000

Funds graduate student research about China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or the Chinese diaspora. Rawski grants are intended to support research projects with a specific and public facing outcome in mind. Proposals should make it clear what the public facing output is. Some suggestions include, journal articles, conference papers, translations, or book publications. Strong preference is for advanced Ph.D. students, although all graduate students are eligible to apply.

Evelyn and Thomas Rawski Graduate Student/ Faculty Partnership Grant: up to $6000

Funds Graduate Student and Faculty research partnerships with a specific and public facing outcome in mind. Proposals for this grant should make it clear what the public facing output is, and how the work will be divided between faculty and student partners. Some examples of outputs include, journal article, conference papers, course development, database development, and book publication. Please note: applications for this award do NOT need 3 letters of recommendation or transcripts. Both student and faculty partners need to submit CVs, and the faculty partner will need to submit a letter of support.

Linda Penkower China and Chinese Studies Research Grant: up to $3000

Funds graduate student research about China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or the Chinese diaspora. Penkower grants are meant to help students build their dissertation projects. Strong preference is given to Ph.D. students. Preference is also given to students who have not held China and Chinese Studies research grants in the past.

Japanese Studies Graduate Research Award: $5000

Funds graduate student research about Japan and Japanese Studies. Preference is for students who have not received Japanese Studies Graduate Research awards in the past, for students with at least two years of Japanese language training, and for students who are planning on research in Japan, when possible.

POSCO Academic Year Korean Studies Award: up to $2000

Funds for research in Korean Studies at the graduate level during the academic year. Preference is given to students who are planning on using their research in their Ph.D. dissertation.

POSCO Summer Korean Studies Award: up to $1000

Funds for research in Korean Studies at the graduate level during the academic year. Preference is given to students who are planning on using their research in their Ph.D. dissertation.

South Asian Studies Research Grant: up to $3000 (most grants will be funded at the $1000-$2000 level)

Funds graduate student research about South Asia. South Asian Studies Research Grants are meant to help students build their dissertation projects. Strong preference is given to Ph.D. students. Preference is also given to students who have not held South Asian Studies Research Grants in the past, and to students who are planning on traveling for research to South Asia, when possible.

Dr Mohinder and Saroj Bahl Grant in Indian Studies: up to $500

Funded through a generous donation in the name of Dr. Mohinder Bahl and Mrs. Saroj Bahl, students, faculty, and affiliated researchers may apply for up to $500 to help fund research, travel, or other educational expenses for projects and education that support India, Indian Studies, or people of Indian origin. Strong preference will be given to students, faculty, or researchers with demonstrated financial need.

 

Southeast Asian and the Pacific Studies Research Grant: up to $3000 (most grants will be funded at the $1000-$2000 level)

Funds graduate student research about Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Southeast Asian and the Pacific Studies Research Grants are meant to help students build their dissertation projects. Strong preference is given to Ph.D. students. Preference is also given to students who have not held Southeast Asian and the Pacific Studies Research Grants in the past, and to students who are planning on traveling for research to Southeast Asia or the Pacific, when possible.

 

CONFERENCE FUNDING

There are several options available for ASC certificate students to help defray the cost of presenting at conferences. Applications for conference participation have three funding deadlines to apply for conference funding (September 29, December 9, and April 3), and students may apply for more than one conference at each deadline. To apply for these funding opportunities students will need to:

  • Complete an application form
  • Submit your conference paper abstract
  • Submit proof of conference acceptance/ attendance (this can be an email from the conference)
  • Advisor letter of recommendation submitted to rookkoepsel@pitt.edu

Japanese Studies Conference Participation Grant ($500 for domestic conferences including Mexico and Canada, $1000 for international conferences)

This grant provides partial support to graduate students for the presentation of conference papers focused on Japan. The grant can reimburse travel expenses, conference registration, and other appropriate conference expenses)

China and Chinese Studies Conference Participation Grant ($300 for domestic conferences including Mexico and Canada, $600 for international conferences)

This grant provides partial support to graduate students for the presentation of conference papers focused on China or Chinese Studies. The grant can reimburse travel expenses, conference registration, and other appropriate conference expenses)

Korean Studies Conference Participation Grant ($300 for domestic conferences including Mexico and Canada, $600 for international conferences)

This grant provides partial support to graduate students for the presentation of conference papers focused on Korean Studies. The grant can reimburse travel expenses, conference registration, and other appropriate conference expenses)

South Asia Conference Participation Grant ($300 for domestic conferences including Mexico and Canada, $600 for international conferences)

This grant provides partial support to graduate students for the presentation of conference papers focused on South Asian Studies. The grant can reimburse travel expenses, conference registration, and other appropriate conference expenses)

Southeast Asia and/or Pacific Conference Participation Grant ($300 for domestic conferences including Mexico and Canada, $600 for international conferences)

This grant provides partial support to graduate students for the presentation of conference papers focused on Southeast Asian and/or Pacific Studies. The grant can reimburse travel expenses, conference registration, and other appropriate conference expenses)