Graduate Scholarships & Fellowships

In addition to the opportunities below, check out the recent Announcements section.

Opportunities Specifically for UH Students:

University of Hawai‘i Indo-Pacific Affairs Internship Program

The Indo-Pacific Affairs Internship Program provides $4,000 stipends to support undergraduate and graduate students at UH Mānoa pursuing internships related to Indo-Pacific affairs. Since many internships are unpaid, these stipends increase the accessibility of these opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds. These stipends are made possible by Congressional funding.

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships are federally funded academic scholarships designed to provide support and funding to undergraduate and graduate students studying languages and cultures. UH Mānoa offers FLAS Fellowships in the following areas:

Graduate Degree Fellowship, East-West Center

The East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship provides master’s and doctoral funding for graduate students from Asia, the Pacific, and the United States to participate in educational, cultural, residential community building, and leadership development programs at the East-West Center while pursuing graduate study at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Undertaking degree studies at UHM through an East-West Center fellowship is not merely about receiving a financial aid scholarship. Since the basic purpose of the East-West Center is to build a sense of Asia-Pacific community and prepare for future leadership roles, EWC graduate student fellows live together and interact with each other in both intellectual and social activities. They are, from the very outset, an identifiable group committed to the notion of building an Asia-Pacific community. Through team-building activities, leadership development projects and internships, learning about the Asia Pacific region, cultural exchange, educational enrichment gatherings, community service and service learning projects, EWC graduate degree fellows establish friendships and lifelong ties to a network of people committed to positive change in the Asia Pacific region. The graduate degree fellowship covers the cost of general tuition and fees for UHM graduate programs, books, housing in an East-West Center dormitory, and partial funding toward meals, health insurance, and incidental expenses. Funding for field study and conference presentations is offered on a competitive basis during the fellow’s period of study. Priority in the student selection process is given to applicants with a demonstrated commitment to the Asia Pacific region.

Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP), East-West Center

The Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) provides support for Master’s degree study in ADB-JSP approved fields of study at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and for participation in the educational, residential, and leadership development programs at the East-West Center. The ADB–JSP scholarship was established in April 1988 with financing from the Government of Japan to strengthen human resource capacity in Asian Development Bank developing member countries. It aims to provide an opportunity for well-qualified citizens of ADB’s developing member countries to undertake graduate studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Region. After completing their studies, scholars are expected to return to their home countries to apply and share their new knowledge and skills to promote socioeconomic development.

US South Pacific Scholarship Program, East-West Center

The US South Pacific Scholarship Program (USSP) authorized by the US Congress and funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State, is a competitive, merit-based scholarship program that provides opportunities for Master’s and Bachelor’s degree study at the University of Hawai‘i in fields that are directly relevant to the development needs of Pacific island countries.  It will also enable the recipients to obtain a broader understanding of the United States.  The scholarship program will include a mentoring component with a possible follow-on summer internship, and readily accessible opportunities for participation in host family and volunteer service programs.  Candidates from the following countries, who meet specific selection criteria, are eligible for the program: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.  The US South Pacific Scholarship Program is administered by the East-West Center on behalf of its funder, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Obuchi Student Scholarship, East-West Center

Obuchi Student Scholarships are part of the East-West Center’s Graduate Degree Fellowship program and support students from Okinawa for master’s or doctoral degree study at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in fields deemed beneficial to Okinawan development needs. These scholarships are offered through a joint partnership of the United States and Japanese governments, specifically through the East-West Center and the Okinawa Prefectural Government. The program’s mission is to help Okinawa develop and strengthen its human resources in order to take a proactive role in Asia Pacific intellectual, research, and business activities. Priority in the student selection process is given to those studying in fields of benefit to Okinawan development.

Project Governance Graduate Fellowship, East-West Center

The PROJECT Governance Graduate Fellowship program (ProGov Fellowship) is designed to support promising young leaders from Pacific Island countries to earn a one-year professional degree at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in the fields of finance, information systems, or law. The ProGov Fellowship is an important piece of the larger PROJECT Governance initiative. ProGov Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in PROJECT Governance activities and contribute to creating a stronger Blue Pacific, both during and after their professional studies at the University of Hawai’i.

Student Affiliate Program, East-West Center

The East-West Center Student Affiliate Program was established to expand opportunities for involvement in the programs of the East-West Center.  The East-West Center Student Affiliate Program gives externally funded (e.g., Fulbright or other scholarships, graduate assistantships, etc.) or self-funded graduate students at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa the opportunity to participate in the Center’s educational programs and leadership development opportunities, and to live in its international residence halls. The Student Affiliate Program provides an opportunity for these individuals to be part of the EWC community, along with participants from across the U.S. and more than 50 countries, and has proven for many to be instrumental in helping to establish lasting relations that extend into future careers or other endeavors.

Ah Kin (Buck) Yee Graduate Fellowship, East-West Center

The Ah Kin (Buck) Yee Graduate Fellowship provides UH Mānoa graduate students with financial assistance to pursue degrees in China-related studies. Recipients must be full-time graduate students or have been accepted for full-time graduate study in any field of Chinese studies. Past recipients include students from the departments of Art History, Asian Studies, Chinese Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology and Theater.. The fellowship is open to U.S. and international students, who apply via the University of Hawaii’s Student Scholarships website (login required). Finalists are typically notified by the end of the spring semester, with the fellowship covering the period from August to May of the next academic year. The average fellowship amount is $5,000 for the year, which is disbursed to the student by the university. For more information about the nomination process, contact your graduate department at the University of Hawai‘i. In accordance with the terms of the endowment, fellowship recipients must also fulfill the requirements of the EWC degree fellows program by participating in the Center’s educational, cultural and residential community.

External Opportunities

Hawaii Asia-Pacific Affairs Leadership (APAL) Program, Pacific Forum

Since 2013, the Hawaii Asia-Pacific Affairs Leadership (APAL) Program at Pacific Forum has provided university students and young professionals the opportunity to learn about Asia-Pacific affairs and think critically about Hawaii’s role in the region. Participants develop a local and international peer network that will serve them in the future. The program is supported by a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation. APAL Scholars gain exclusive access to Pacific Forum’s international network of senior foreign policy experts, emerging next-generation scholars and practitioners, and local community leaders and professionals. Throughout the nine-month program they are invited to Pacific Forum conferences and events in Honolulu that are normally reserved for experts, practitioners, and donors. They also undertake a guided research project, allowing them to explore Hawaii’s connection to the region and speak directly with stakeholders and decisionmakers working on these issues. Additionally, APAL Scholars are given the opportunity to attend a Pacific Forum conference in Asia. Participants meet 1-2 times a month from October to June for roundtable discussions focused on key regional issues. Additional opportunities such as volunteering, site visits, and partner events are also part of the APAL experience.

Lloyd and Lilian Vasey Fellowship, Pacific Forum

The Vasey Fellowship at Pacific Forum affords promising scholars from outside the US the opportunity to serve as researchers at the Pacific Forum and to develop hands-on expertise on US-Asia policy issues and gain an appreciation of Indo-Pacific economic and security affairs and policymaking challenges.

James A. Kelly Korea Fellowship, Pacific Forum

The James A. Kelly Korean Studies Fellowship at Pacific Forum promotes academic study, research, and professional career paths focused on Korean Peninsula studies. The overall objective of the fellowship is to promote stronger US-ROK, US-DPRK, and inter-Korean relations through a variety of Pacific Forum programs. The fellowship makes a deliberate effort to encourage the study of Korean economic and security issues, with particular focus on raising awareness among the next generation of scholars and officials in the US, ROK, and worldwide about the vital role the Korean Peninsula plays in regional and international affairs. Kelly Fellows will develop their knowledge of Korean Peninsula issues through participation in the Pacific Forum’s Young Leaders program, research under the guidance of Pacific Forum senior staff, and the continuing series of US-ROK and broader tri-/multilateral forums.

WSD-Handa Fellowship, Pacific Forum

The WSD-Handa Fellowship at Pacific Forum offers resident and non-resident fellowships, in addition to hosting a number of in-person and virtual gatherings designed to enhance emerging leaders’ understanding of complex regional issues and facilitate their meaningful engagement with established policymakers, global leaders, and their peers. By providing promising next-generation voices with expert mentorship and professional development opportunities, Pacific Forum’s WSD-Handa Fellowship Program actively contributes to WSD’s enduring mission of cultivating informed leaders dedicated to cooperation, innovation, and the active pursuit of a more peaceful and prosperous world. The resident and non-resident fellowships both provide young scholars and up-and-coming professionals with a vehicle for delving deeper into the political issues, economic trends, and security challenges that define the geopolitical dynamics of East Asia with a particular focus on Japan. Resident and non-resident fellows join the Pacific Forum team for six months or one year respectively.

Nonproliferation Fellowship, Pacific Forum

The Nonproliferation Fellowship at Pacific Forum supports young professionals to conduct research and analysis in the area of nonproliferation, nuclear security, and other related topics. This fellowship offers both resident and non-resident positions. Priority will be given to fellows from Myanmar, although applications from other Southeast Asian nationals will also be considered.

Women, Peace, and Security Fellowship, Pacific Forum

The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Fellowship at Pacific Forum is an opportunity for young academics and professionals to conduct research and support WPS programming in fields such as inclusive health security, cybersecurity, climate security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, preventing and countering violent extremism, and maritime security, with a focus on the promotion of women’s participation in peace and security policy at international levels in dialogues, policies, and peace processes. Fellows have the opportunity to meet and learn from globally recognized academic, business, government, and military leaders and leading policy experts to help shape their thinking about the critical challenges and opportunities in WPS; and support U.S. Indo-Pacific Command WPS initiatives in the Indo-Pacific. Fellows will also connect with and build peer networks with counterparts from across the region.

Korea Foundation Fellowship, Pacific Forum

The Korea Foundation Fellowship at Pacific Forum assists individuals with an advanced degree or pursuing a Ph.D. in obtaining research and professional experience in one of the world’s leading foreign policy and security studies think tanks. Fellows will have the opportunity to meet and learn from globally recognized academic, business, government, and military leaders, as well as leading policy experts, to help shape their thinking about critical security challenges faced by Korea and the larger Indo-Pacific region. Fellows will also connect with and build their peer networks with counterparts from across the region.

Development Research for Oceania Pipeline, Pacific Islands Development Program & East-West Center

The Pacific Islands Development Program and the East-West Center administer the Development Research for Oceania Pipeline (DROP) program, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The purpose of DROP is to increase awareness and understanding of the development challenges of the Pacific. This program was established to provide support for graduate (Master and Doctoral) thesis and dissertation research related to priority Pacific development issues identified in consultation with senior officials of Pacific Developing Member Countries(PDMCs). Awardees will engage in policy-oriented field research with outputs developed in coordination with EWC and in line with ADB and regional development priorities. Applicants must be enrolled in a regionally accredited graduate program and conducting research on policy-oriented issues in a Pacific Developing Member Country.

New Era Workshop, Bridging the Gap

The New Era Workshop (NEW) is an annual three-day training program for PhD students around their transition to candidacy in international affairs and related disciplines, formerly known as the New Era Foreign Policy Conference. Participants engage in a structured comparative scenario analysis and research generation exercise facilitated by Bridging the Gap fellows. Through this innovative format, participants assess the medium-term challenges and opportunities currently facing the world, critically examine the macro-level goals that underpin American foreign policy, and problematize the strategies and policies meant to achieve these goals. On the basis of these discussions, participants are led through a process to help generate and shape policy-relevant research ideas. In the past, these ideas have contributed to participants’ dissertation projects and have also resulted in conference papers, published academic articles, and pieces in policy journals. NEW also includes a professional development and networking component, with sessions built around the involvement of foreign policy experts. Previous such experts have come from the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, the RAND Corporation, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Brookings Institution, NPR, the United States Mission to the United Nations, Foreign Policy magazine, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Ellings-Korduba Research Fellowship, National Bureau of Asian Research

The NBR Richard Ellings and Marta Korduba Research Fellowship Program consists of an intensive, three-month research and professional development program designed for current graduate and advanced undergraduate students whose degrees focus on issues of strategic importance to the United States in Asia. Through the program, NBR awards fellowships to a select class of fellows each year, from multiple academic disciplines and from universities across the United States. Fellows spend a summer as junior fellows in residence at NBR’s Seattle office, participate in a summer seminar series featuring high-level speakers from NBR’s network of experts, participate in professional development workshops, and receive guidance from NBR editors.

Chinese Language Fellowship, National Bureau of Asian Research

The NBR Chinese Language Fellowship Program provides fellowships of up to $50,000 for American graduate students (Ph.D. and current or recent M.A.) so that they can devote one year to intensive Chinese language training at an institution of the fellow’s choice, generally in China or Taiwan. The fellowship is intended to cover all expenses at a graduate student level, including tuition, housing living stipend, and other miscellaneous fees.

Japan Studies Research Fellowship, National Bureau of Asian Research

The NBR Japan Studies Research Fellowship cultivates a new generation of US-Japan specialists and leaders and to build stronger bridges between the United States and Japan. Fellows will explore how the US-Japan relationship must evolve to meet the demands of today, gain a broad understanding of the geopolitical shifts within the Indo-Pacific, and apply their expanded knowledge within a cutting-edge, policy-oriented environment. The program consists of an intensive, three-month research and professional development program designed for current undergraduate, community college, and graduate students who are interested in or focus on Japan studies, US-Japan relations, and/or Japanese foreign policy. Individuals who identify as a racial or ethnic minority are particularly encouraged to apply. Fellows spend a summer as junior fellows-in-residence at NBR’s Seattle office, participate in a Summer Seminar featuring high-level speakers from NBR’s network of experts, participate in professional development workshops, and receive guidance from NBR editors on a research topic of their choosing.