Applications are currently closed. Please check back later.
The Weatherhead East Asian Institute offers funding for research, language acquisition, unpaid internships, and dissertation write-up during the summer and academic year to selected Columbia students committed to professional and academic engagement with East and Southeast Asia. Eligibility varies depending on the particular funding opportunity, so please review the application materials carefully before applying.
WEAI Funding Opportunities
- Undergraduate Fellowships
Summer and Academic Year Funding for Undergraduate Students - M.A. Fellowships
Summer and Academic Year Funding for MA and Professional School Students - PhD Fellowships
Summer and Academic Year Funding for PhD Students
Application Deadlines
The application for all WEAI Summer 2020 and Academic Year 2020-2021 fellowships are closed. The deadline for completed applications AND reference submissions is TBD.
Other Sources of Funding for East Asian Studies
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship
The FLAS application is separate from the WEAI’s internal fellowships application. Students must apply through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to be considered for summer or academic year FLAS.
The deadline for FLAS applications is TBD.
Access the application here: https://fellowships-apply.gsas.columbia.edu/apply/
As part of the Columbia University East Asia National Resource Center, the Institute also makes a number of summer FLAS awards available to eligible CUNY students each year. Click here to access a document with more information about this opportunity.
Fellowship Information Sessions:
Wednesday, February 12th, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 PM
Thursday, February 13th, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 PM
Both sessions will take place in International Affairs Building Room 918.
How to Apply for WEAI Fellowships
Students may submit an online fellowship application at http://weai.smapply.io. All online fellowship applications require the following:
- Application Form
- Project Proposal
- CV
- Official Columbia University Transcript
- Letters of Recommendation*
- Additional Fellowship Specific-Materials (If Applicable)
*Please note 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 fellowships require one letter of recommendation.
Application Guidelines
- Application for multiple grants and fellowships are allowed.
- Fellowship and grant recipients must be current Columbia University students during the term of the funded project. Students graduating in May 2020 are not eligible.
- One set of Columbia transcripts and reference letters may be submitted for application to multiple grants and fellowships (Exception: Applications for FLAS, as they are submitted separately, must include a complete set of application materials).
- 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.
- Application materials will not be returned.
- Only application materials requested for each fellowship and grant will be reviewed.
- Application materials received after the deadline will not be considered.
- A committee of Weatherhead East Asian Institute faculty members makes all fellowship and grant determinations.
- Fellowship and grant awards will be announced as soon as possible, no later than the end of April following the application deadline.
- Students who receive an award will be required to submit a one to two page summary of their supported project activities by the end of the grant period.
- Grantees agree to comply with Columbia University’s policies on human subject research, if applicable. Information can be found here.
- Grantees must report to the Weatherhead East Asian Institute any additional funds, such as another grant 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.
