The EASC Graduate Fellowships include the Association for Japan-U.S. Community Exchange (ACE) – Nikaido Fellowship.

EASC Graduate Fellowships provide summer stipends, typically between $1,000-$3,000, depending on the proposed course of study. The purpose of the award is to advance understanding of East Asia and/or US-Asia relations. Awards are given based on the quality of the proposed project and budgets submitted with the application. The award may be used for research, language training or area studies, and can also be used for research including Asia in a comparative context or as a case study. Preference is given to applicants who are active in the EASC community.

Application Open Now

We are currently accepting applications for Summer 2024 EASC Graduate Fellowships. The deadline to apply is 5:00pm on Friday, February 2, 2024.

Sample Application
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  • 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 2-3 pages 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 2022.
    • 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.

    • Conduct fieldwork in Japan to interview Japanese scholars and policymakers on how Japan’s foreign policy on the import of hazardous material and export of waste management technology may provide a global solution to transnational hazardous waste management.

    • Research trip to Fukushima to obtain documentary films on the 3.11 earthquake that are only available in the local community and interact with film and media communities in Japan for resources central to dissertation.

    • Conduct research in the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) facility in College Park, Maryland, and at the Hill Library Archive of North Carolina State University in Raleigh to obtain necessary information on radiophoto operations in Japan and seek translation support of Japanese documents in order to complete dissertation on telecommunication networks.

    • Intensive Japanese Language study at UCLA over the summer to gain access to primary sources for dissertation research on the U.S.-Asian interaction in Asian Pop Culture.

    • Conduct research in Japan to produce annotated translations of sections Heian-period law codes and commentaries relevant to ritsuryō state noble-class genealogies.

    • Research trip to Tokyo to study Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s foreign policy including interviews with business leaders, journalists, economists and university professors, and retired policy makers in the Liberal Democratic Party. *This led to a published article in The Diplomat.

  • 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.