Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship 2026

Deadline: Nov 19, 2025

other

1-6 months (duration)

fully funded

United States

To Apply

Please visit the application link below to apply.

Opportunity Overview

📖 About the Fellowship

The Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship 2026 provides an opportunity for artists, scholars, and arts professionals in Asia and the United States to pursue research and self-directed cultural exchange experiences in another country, territory, or region.

This fellowship is designed to foster cultural immersion, dialogue, relationship-building, collaboration, and the exchange of knowledge and ideas among peers. It is not intended for producing new work, attending single conferences/events, or conducting public relations tours.

🗓 Opportunity Details

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

🎁 Benefits

Grant Funding

Individual Fellows may receive up to $35,000 USD in grant funding. The grant amount is determined based on the applicant’s proposed budget, activities, travel destination(s), duration, and overall application quality.

Eligible Grant Expenses

Applicants should include only eligible expenses in their budget, such as:

Airfare: Economy class only
Local and regional ground transportation
Accommodation
Food and daily living expenses
Visa-related fees and expenses
- U.S. Fellowships: ACC deducts $220 USD for SEVIS processing fees and grantees pay an additional $185 USD for the J-1 visa application.
- Asia Fellowships: Mandatory travel health insurance with specific coverage requirements.
Travel health insurance
- U.S. Fellowships: Insurance costs range from $675–800 USD for six months.
- Asia Fellowships: Coverage requirements include $100,000 USD per accident/illness, $25,000 USD for repatriation, and $50,000 USD for medical evacuation.
Interpretation services (if necessary)
Costs relevant to cultural exchange, immersion activities, research, and objectives

Ineligible Grant Expenses

Examples of expenses that cannot be included:

First-class or business-class airfare
Production-related expenses (e.g., technical equipment, staffing, publication costs)
Expenses to support family or individuals not part of the proposal

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Personal Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be citizens or legal permanent residents of one of ACC’s eligible countries, territories, or regions.
Have at least five years of experience in one of ACC’s eligible disciplines.
Be over the age of 21 by the fellowship start date.
Must not actively pursue university coursework or teaching during the fellowship.
Applicants pursuing a fellowship in the U.S. must demonstrate English proficiency sufficient for daily tasks, conversations, and relationship-building.

Eligible Fellowship Travel Destinations

Applicants may propose travel to the following countries, territories, and regions:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China (Mainland), East Timor, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan ROC, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam.

Important Notes:

Travel cannot be proposed to the applicant’s current country of residence.
Applicants must provide a strong rationale for travel to countries they know well or have spent considerable time in.
Proposals for travel to multiple destinations or shorter durations are generally less competitive.

Fellowship Travel Dates and Duration

Travel must occur between August 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027.
Fellowships must last at least one month and no longer than six months.
Fellowships in the U.S. must include at least 30 consecutive days in the U.S.
Fellowships in Asia must include at least 30 cumulative days in Asia.

📋 Application Process

Deadlines

Application Submission Deadline: November 19, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST
Letter of Recommendation Deadline: November 26, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST

Required Application Materials

Applicants must provide the following:

Passport/biographical data information
Contact information
Social media accounts and/or website
Work samples (e.g., images, videos, audio clips, or text)
CV/resume
Biography
Personal statement describing work or research
Name and contact information for one recommender
Names and contact information for references
Budget proposal

Work Samples

Applicants must submit up to three work samples that best exemplify their work. Acceptable formats include:

Audio/Video Samples: URLs for clips (up to 3 minutes each).
Image Samples: JPEG, PNG, or PDFs with up to two pages of images per sample.
Text Samples: PDFs with up to five pages per sample.
Multimedia Samples: Combination of images, text, and/or links to video/audio clips.

Recommendation Letter and References

Applicants must provide contact information for one recommender to submit a letter of recommendation.
Single applicants must provide contact information for two references.
Joint applicants must provide contact information for one reference per applicant.

🗓 Fellowship Timeline

Grant Period: August 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027
Minimum Duration: 1 month
Maximum Duration: 6 months

🌐 Application Portal

Application Platform: GoApply
Applications open on October 1, 2025, at 9:59 AM EDT and close on November 19, 2025, at 9:59 AM EST.

For detailed application instructions, visit the Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship page.

To apply, visit the GoApply portal.

📞 Contact Information

For questions or assistance, refer to the relevant ACC representative office listed on the Asian Cultural Council website.

This fellowship is a unique opportunity to engage in cultural exchange, foster collaboration, and gain a global perspective. Don’t miss the chance to apply!

Benefits

Individual Fellows may receive up to $35,000 USD in grant funding.
Grant amounts are determined based on a review of the applicant’s proposed budget, activities, travel destination(s) and duration, and overall application quality.
Eligible expenses include airfare, local transportation, accommodation, food, and other daily living expenses.

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