Funding Opportunities for Master's Students

All summer funding is only open to continuing students (not incoming students or students graduating in May).

 

Weatherhead MA Training Grants

Provide support for master's students for summer projects related to East or Southeast Asia that develop academic and/or professional expertise. Examples of eligible projects include research, language study, or a secured, uncompensated internship. 

Provides up to $3,000 in support of research or internships in East Asia. Priority is given to projects that develop academic and/or professional expertise that crosses traditional disciplinary, geographic, or temporal boundaries, and/or combines regional and functional expertise. Examples of projects for submission would include, but are not limited to, research trips, unpaid internships, and summer acquisition of a second language. Priority is also given to applicants committed to making East Asia a part of their long-term career.

  • Eligibility:
    • M.A. students in GSAS and all professional schools
  • Students seeking funding for an unpaid internship may apply for the grant even if they have not yet secured an internship; however, any grant offer would be contingent upon confirmation of the internship. If arrangements with a potential organization are at an advanced stage at the time of the application deadline, students are encouraged to provide relevant documentation (email correspondence, letter from the potential host organization, etc.) with the rest of their application materials.
  • Average of six awards per summer.
  • Selection criteria include:
    • Academic excellence
    • Demonstrated commitment to East Asia, and to incorporating it in one’s long-term academic or professional career goals

Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF)

Provides partial support, travel, and/or cost of living to graduate students to pursue summer research, language study, or a secured, uncompensated internship in or related to East or Southeast Asia.

Provides partial support, travel and/or cost of living to graduate students (amount varies between $1,000 and $3,000) to conduct summer research or to serve in an internship in East or Southeast Asia. Priority will be given to students for research or secured internships in Southeast Asia and to students who wish to use their research or internship to expand their expertise beyond their main country of interest. Projects focused on politics, economy, business, international and public affairs, law, society, and media in modern Southeast Asia or East Asia (excluding Japan) are eligible.

  • Eligibility:
    • All GSAS, Teachers College, and professional school (Business, Journalism, Law, Public Health, Medical, Social Work, SOA, SIPA) students
  • Students seeking an internship may apply for the grant even if they have not yet secured an internship; however, any grant offer would be contingent upon confirmation of the internship.
  • Projects dealing with Japan are not eligible.
  • Average of seven awards per summer.
  • Selection criteria include:
    • Academic excellence
    • Demonstrated commitment to Southeast or East Asia, and to incorporating it in one’s long-term academic or professional career goals

Application Requirements

Students may submit an online fellowship application at weai.smapply.io/. 

Required application materials: 

  • Application form 
  • Project proposal (1-2 pages for all summer grants, 3-4 pages for dissertation write-up grants)
  • CV
  • Detailed project budget
  • Official Columbia University transcript
  • Letter of recommendation from a Columbia/Barnard faculty member or instructor *unless otherwise stated
  • If your project is an internship, a letter from the host organization confirming your internship (can be submitted after application)
  • If your project is language acquisition, a letter from the program confirming your acceptance (can be submitted after application)  
  • Additional fellowship-specific materials (if applicable) **

* The Weatherhead Ph.D. Training Grant and EALAC Summer Grant do not require letters of recommendation. Dissertation Write-Up Grants require two letters of recommendation. All other grants (including all Undergraduate and Master's grants) require one letter of recommendation.

** Recipients of any of the above awards must report to the Weatherhead East Asian Institute any additional funds, such as another grant, that they receive in support of the same activities. The total amount of funding received for the project must not exceed the limits dictated by the student's school. Should a student receive multiple sources of funding for the same project, the WEAI will adjust or withdraw the amount granted to the student so as to remain below the cap dictated by the student's school.