The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies

The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies provide stipends to PhD candidates for full time preparation of dissertations. The ten-month fellowship period may be used for fieldwork, archival research, analysis of findings, or writing after research is complete. There are two types of support: research fellowships for fieldwork or archival investigations and writing fellowships for use after research is complete to write the dissertation.

Fellowship Details

• Stipend: $35,000 and an award supplement of up to $5,000 for childcare/elder care, health insurance, learned society conference attendance, or related professional training.
• Tenure: 10 consecutive months, starting by September 30, 2026, devoting full time to the dissertation. No other employment is permitted during the fellowship period.
• The total award should be used for expenses associated with the fellowship work, not for tuition or other university fees. Home universities are requested to waive fees for fellows while allowing access to university facilities during the fellowship year. If university policy or regulations prevent the university from following this procedure, the university should be willing to negotiate with ACLS an alternative, mutually acceptable formula that avoids the necessity for the fellow to use the fellowship stipend for university fees.
• This fellowship cannot be held concurrently with any other fellowship or grant. University administrators may find more information here.

Eligibility

• Pursuit of the PhD degree at an accredited university anywhere in the world.
• Applicants must have ABD (All But Dissertation) status or equivalent by April 15, 2026. ABD status indicates completion of all doctorate coursework requirements and comprehensive exams for a PhD degree. Upon reaching ABD status, PhD students become PhD candidates and focus on research and writing of a dissertation and defending a doctoral thesis.
  • (At the time of application) an institutional representative (e.g., department chair, director of graduate studies, dean) must confirm through the OFA system that the applicant has or is on schedule to have ABD status. This is an online form, not a reference letter.
• The application must be written in English by the applicant.
• There are no restrictions on the location of work proposed or the citizenship/residence of applicants.
• Work proposed must be in the humanities or social sciences.

Application Guidelines

Completed applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System no later than 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on November 20, 2025.

Applications must include:

• A completed application form.
• A proposal (no more than five double-spaced pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font).
• An optional one to two additional pages of images, musical scores, or other similar supporting non-text materials.
• A bibliography (no more than two pages, with double-spaces between entries in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font).
• An applicant’s statement describing the intellectual trajectory and experiences that brought the applicant to the current stage of academic career and that motivate plans for the future (no more than two double-spaced pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font). 

The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies, administered by ACLS, is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity as integral components of merit that enhance the scholarly enterprise. It is a priority of this program that cohorts of fellows and grantees be broadly inclusive of different backgrounds, cultures, and any aspects that make one unique. In Buddhist Studies we seek a range of university affiliations, as well as diversity in languages, topics, Buddhist traditions, and locations of research. The program welcomes applications from all eligible individuals, and selection is made without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, or any other aspect of identity.

Evaluation Criteria

• Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to Buddhist Studies.
• Quality of the proposal with regard to its methodology, scope, theoretical framework, and grounding in the relevant scholarly literature.
• Feasibility of the plan of work.
• Potential of the applicant for a career that will make full use of Buddhist Studies expertise.

Webinars, Workshops, and Resources

Feedback on Draft Applications: ACLS will read and review drafts for Dissertation Fellowship applicants enrolled in universities located in Africa, Asia (including the island nations of the Pacific), Latin America, and the Middle East. If you meet this eligibility and would like feedback prior to the November 20, 2025, competition deadline, please email your five-page double-spaced proposal and two-page bibliography to [email protected] by September 12, 2025. ACLS staff or external reviewers will provide comments back to you by October 6, 2025.

Contact

Questions should be directed to [email protected]. Please read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) before making inquiries. 

Institutional administrators (e.g., Office of Sponsored Projects) should read our general guidance.

Supporting Documents

• 2025-26 Sample Application for The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowships
• Work Plan Examples