Luce Fellowship

Established in 1974, the Luce Scholars Program, funded by the Henry Luce Foundation, provides stipends, language training, and individualized professional placement in Asia for 18 Luce Scholars each year in a variety of fields. The program welcomes applications from college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals, with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, and is especially interested in attracting those who have had limited exposure to the countries, cultures, and people of Asia.  

The Luce Scholar year is a 13-month commitment beginning with the orientation in June through the wrap-up meeting in July of the following year. After a series of virtual sessions that begin in April and a five-day in-person orientation in Asia in late June (all designed to build community and prepare for a year of living and working in Asia), Luce Scholars spend July and August engaged in intensive language training in their respective placement countries. (Language study is a program requirement and is fully funded through the intensive two-month period with additional funds available to each Luce Scholar for continued training throughout the Luce year.) 

Individually tailored professional placements begin in early September and are arranged for each Scholar based on their professional interest, background, and qualifications. These assignments, where Luce Scholars contribute their talents to NGOs, government agencies, private companies, universities, think tanks, and museums, and work alongside Asian colleagues, are the heart of the Luce Scholar experience. In the past, placements have been made 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. See where Luce Scholars were placed last year.

Eligibility: 

The Luce year is experiential, not academic in nature. The selection committee is most interested in knowing if candidates demonstrate potential for leadership and accomplishment.  

  • Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.   
  • 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 we place Luce Scholars are not eligible to apply for the Luce.  
  • Candidates who have spent 18 weeks or more (since beginning college) in only one of the countries where we place Luce Scholars are eligible to apply but will not be placed in the country where they have spent significant time.  

Application deadline: October (check the official website) 

Read more about our application procedures. 

This award does not require institutional endorsement. Applicants submit their applications directly to the Luce Foundation; it is, however, in the best interest of applicants to work through ONSA. This involves support and feedback throughout preparation of the application materials to help students craft the strongest application possible. Contact us for advising approximately 2 months before the national deadline and send us your draft no later than 2 weeks before submitting it. 

 For more information contact %20onsa [at] honors [dot] umass [dot] edu (onsa[at]honors[dot]umass[dot]edu).