Graduate Funding

In order to be eligible for the EASC Graduate Fellowships, applicants must satisfy the following:

• Full-time USC graduate student from any discipline of study
• Domestic or international student
• Must be engaged in the research and study involving East Asia or U.S.-Asia relations

To apply, please complete the online application and upload the following supplemental materials in electronic format:

• Personal Statement: In no more than 1-2 pages (double-spaced) please describe your scholarly or professional ambitions, particularly as they relate to incorporating a specialization on East Asia and East Asian studies into your future plans, and describe the research or program of study you will follow during the award period. Note: If the proposed project is not completed during the original award period, the award must be forfeited.
• Budget Proposal: No more than 1-page in length
• CV/Resume
• Unofficial USC Transcript/STARS Report: Copy and paste your STARS report, accessible through OASIS, into a Word or PDF file. Be sure to include your grades from Fall 2024.
• Two Letters of Recommendation: Recommenders should provide an overview of your academic performance, maturity, and potential. Applicants: Please list your recommenders in your application and they will receive an email from easc@usc.edu with the direct link to upload their letters.

A sample of previously awarded projects is available here.

Proposals for conference travel should be for presentations, not just attendance.

Archival Research – Junyi Lv (PhD, Communications) (2022)

Junyi traveled to Shanxi Province in China to explore archives, museums, historical sites, and interview community members for her research project on coal mining. She met with coal workers, truck drivers, museum curators and library staff for interviews to learn more about the history and industry of coal mining.

Korean Literature & Feminist Research – Hayun Cho (PhD, EALC) (2022)

Hayun visited the Korean Film Archive and National Women’s History Exhibition Hall in Seoul, South Korea as well as met with feminist scholars from various Korean universities to help supplement her dissertation project.

Documentary Filmmaking – Curtis Tamm (PhD, Cinematic Arts) (2021)

EASC Student Feature

Curtis worked on a documentary film on Japanese Buddhist temple bells. His film documented the bell-making process from start to finish and the project culminated in a three-channel video piece with original music and translation.

Language Study – Stephen Schick (PhD, POIR) (2022)

Stephen attended the Princeton in Beijing Summer Chinese Language Program and made significant progress on his research into the political theory of Chinese politician and scholar Wang Huning.

Dissertation Research – Kirsten Seuffert (PhD, EALC) (2023)

EASC Student Feature

Kirsten visited Japan to conduct research in preparation of her thesis defense. Kirsten visited archives gaining access to exhibitions, film journals, and other periodicals. Kirsten visited the Jinbōchō publishing district to purchase popular culture magazines, print materials, and DVDs that archives do not collect. Her research in Japan lead to the publication of her peer-reviewed article “Exploding Girls, Imploding Strategies: Media-Mixed Bodies in Late 1970s to 1980s Japanese Women’s Professional Wrestling,” published in the new issue of Mechademia: Second Arc (Winter 2023).

Field Research – Becky Pham (PhD, Communications) (2023)

EASC Student Feature

Becky visited Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to conduct research on the Hallyu influence on digital culture in Vietnamese youth. She was able to conduct interviews with 22 youth and also gather mixed media sources for her research. Her field research was able to help her finish a journal article manuscript and present it at a symposium.

See more previously awarded projects here➤. 

A final report on the outcome of the proposed project is due at the end of the award period and may be used for EASC publications.