Asian Cultural Council Graduate Fellowship 2026

📖 About the Fellowship

The Asian Cultural Council Graduate Fellowship 2026 is designed to support graduate students from Asia who wish to study in the United States due to the unavailability of comparable programs in their home countries or regions. The program aims to foster international cultural exchange and enrich scholarly narratives in the arts and cultural fields.

Opportunity Details

• Date Published: October 7, 2025
• Application Deadline: November 19, 2025
• Category:
  • Postgraduate
  • Masters
  • PhD
  • Fully Funded
  • Grants
• Opportunity Location: United States
• Eligible Locations: Asia

🎁 Benefits

Funding for Travel and Living Expenses

• Amount: $15,000 USD for one academic year, with the possibility of renewal for one additional year.
• Grant Period:
  • Fall 2026 to Spring 2027
  • Spring 2027 to Fall 2027
• Coverage: Travel and living expenses related to coursework.
• Exclusions:
  • Tuition fees
  • Direct research expenses (e.g., travel for fieldwork, equipment, etc.)

Connection to ACC Community

• Access to a global network of artists, scholars, and institutions.
• Opportunities to share updates on performances, exhibitions, publications, etc., through ACC newsletters and events.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Citizenship:
   • Must be citizens or legal permanent residents of one of ACC’s eligible countries, territories, or regions.
   • Note: U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, and U.S. permanent residents are not eligible.
2. Graduate Degree Program:
   • Must be in one of ACC’s 16 eligible disciplines.
   • Must be enrolled full-time in an accredited U.S. university or provide proof of admission by April 1, 2026.
3. Coursework Requirements:
   • Pursue at least two consecutive semesters of full-time coursework during the grant period (August 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027).
   • Applicants in part-time, summer-only, or online programs are not eligible.
   • Applicants in non-degree programs or those who have completed the coursework phase are not eligible.
4. Visa Requirements:
   • Must have a valid student visa to attend their degree programs in the U.S.
   • Note: ACC does not sponsor student visas.

💰 Payment Schedule

The fellowship award follows a three-part payment schedule:

1. Advance Payment: $3,000 USD upon submission of the Information Collection Form.
2. Fall Semester Payment: $6,000 USD on October 1, after confirming student status.
3. Spring Semester Payment: $6,000 USD on February 1, after re-confirming student status.

Grant Renewal

• Renewal for up to one additional academic year is possible, subject to ACC’s review of academic records and proof of enrollment for the second year.

📋 Application Process

Deadlines

• Application Submission: November 19, 2025, by 9:59 AM EST.
• Letters of Recommendation: November 26, 2025, by 9:59 AM EST.

Submission Platform

Applications must be submitted through GoApply, ACC’s application platform.

• Starting October 1, 2025, at 9:59 AM EDT, applicants can log in or create a GoApply account.
• Access the application under the “Opportunities” menu and click on the “Apply” button next to “Graduate Fellowship.”

Eligibility Quiz

• The application begins with an eligibility quiz to assess your qualifications based on ACC’s guidelines.
• Only eligible applicants can proceed with the application.

Required Application Materials

Applicants must prepare the following:

• Passport/biographical data information
• Contact information
• Social media accounts and/or website
• Work samples (see guidelines below)
• CV/resume
• Biography
• Personal statement describing work or research
• Letter of recommendation and contact information for two references
• Graduate program details (institution name, degree program title, program dates, etc.)
• Graduate program admissions letter (if available)
• Bilingual application responses (if required by region)

Work Sample Guidelines

• Audio/Video: Up to three clips, each no longer than three minutes.
• Image-based: PDFs with up to two pages of images per work/exhibition sample.
• Text/Literary: PDFs with up to five pages per work sample.
• Multimedia: Combination of images, text, and/or links to video/audio clips.

Recommendation Letter

• Recommender must upload the letter to GoApply after the applicant submits their application.
• Deadline for recommendation letters: November 26, 2025, by 9:59 AM EST.

📅 Application Deadline

November 19, 2025

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of the Asian Cultural Council Graduate Fellowship
• Apply via GoApply

For further details, visit the official Asian Cultural Council website.

• Funding for Travel and Living Expenses: ACC’s Graduate Fellowships provide $15,000 USD for one academic year, with the possibility of renewing for one additional year. One academic year in this application cycle includes the full-time pursuit of coursework from Fall 2026 to Spring 2027 or from Spring 2027 to Fall 2027. ACC’s grant funding is intended to cover Graduate Fellows’ travel and living expenses related to the coursework portion of their graduate degree program. ACC will not provide grants to applicants who are only in the fieldwork research or thesis-writing phase of their graduate studies. ACC’s grant funding does not support tuition or direct research expenses (e.g. travel for fieldwork, equipment, etc.).