Luce/ACLS Early Career Fellowships in China Studies - Long-Term

In 2025-26, ACLS is offering two types of fellowship for early career scholars to support research, writing, and publicly engaged scholarship. Workshops and events for fellows will be held in 2026.

Long-term fellowships are financially supported by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Long-term research fellowships will enable recent PhDs (without tenure and within eight years of the PhD) to take leave from university responsibilities for four to nine months to carry out research and writing towards a significant scholarly product.

Possible project outcomes include, but are not limited to, contributions to the development of one or more of the following: monographs, scholarly articles, conference papers, book chapters, or book on a topic in the humanities or social sciences. ACLS also encourages projects that have the potential to contribute to:

Pedagogical tools that make meaningful connections between a scholar’s research and post-secondary teaching.
Works that bridge scholarly and creative practice.
Community-engaged projects grounded in scholarly research but geared toward a public audience. Potential or actual community and/or student engagement with the research project is encouraged, as is the dissemination of the research to audiences across higher education.

Early Career fellowships support scholarly research in all disciplines of the humanities and the social sciences. Research may be conducted on any topic related to cultures, histories, and societies in China, and their influence and impact on communities, countries, and cultures around the world, as required by the research plan. Research on Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang is eligible. The study of non-traditional sites (e.g., sites in Africa or Latin America) is also permitted, so long as there is a clearly articulated rationale for the relationship to Chinese or Chinese-language communities and cultures. There are no restrictions regarding time period or methodological approach.

Long-term fellowships emphasize the importance of research conducted in China if travel is possible. Applicants who do not propose travel should explain how they will gain access to sources.

A working knowledge of Chinese is required or knowledge of another language used in China studies (e.g., Tibetan, Uyghur).

The fellowship period must begin between July 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027.

Publicly Engaged Scholarship

ACLS holds the core belief that knowledge is a public good. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider the broader impact of their research, especially its potential to increase public engagement with humanistic knowledge and scholarship – from media and outreach to engaged research, teaching, and public programming.

Fellows will be required to participate in a public writing workshop in 2026.

The Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies promotes inclusion, equity, and diversity as integral components of merit that enhance the scholarly enterprise. It is a priority that every cohort of fellows and grantees be broadly inclusive of different backgrounds, cultures, and any aspects that make one unique. In China studies, we seek a wide range of educational backgrounds, unique personal experiences, and current university affiliations, as well as disciplinary approaches, topics, and historical periods studied. The program welcomes applications from all eligible individuals, and selection is made without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, age, or any other aspect of identity.

Fellowship Details

Stipend: Minimum $20,000, maximum $45,000 calculated as $5,000 per month for four to nine months’ work accomplished full time.
Tenure: The fellowship period must begin between July 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027.
During the fellowship tenure, which must consist of consecutive months, fellows must be on leave from teaching and service. No employment is allowed so that fellows may devote their full time to the project.
Early Career fellowships support research and writing toward a scholarly product in English.
Priority will be given to applications that propose research in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Tibet, or Xinjiang. In addition, proposals based on research outside these areas will also be considered. Applicants who do not propose work in China should explain how they will gain access to sources.
Projects must be in the humanities or social sciences, but there are no restrictions regarding theme, methodological approach, or time period.
Stipends may be used for research costs (e.g., travel, access to online archives, conference participation, hiring of research assistance outside the US or Canada) and living expenses, including childcare or eldercare. The application essay should state how these costs will support the project’s objectives, but no budget is required.
A final report is required on completion of the fellowship period.
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 5, 2025.
ACLS-NYU Shanghai Partnership: Fellows who plan to travel to China may indicate their interest in spending part of their fellowship tenure at NYU Shanghai. In partnership with ACLS, NYU Shanghai may provide office space and help make local introductions. A fellow placed at NYU Shanghai may have the opportunity to organize a research workshop on their project in collaboration with the Center for Global Asia at NYU Shanghai.

Eligibility

Applicants who apply to both long-term and flexible fellowships in China Studies will only be considered for flexible.

An applicant must EITHER hold a PhD from an accredited institution in the United States or Canada, OR be a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident with a PhD from any accredited institution.
An applicant who is not a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident must have an affiliation, or a long-term, regular research or teaching appointment, with a university or college in the United States or Canada. See FAQ.
An applicant must hold a PhD degree formally conferred between January 1, 2017 and November 5, 2025.
Applicants who have obtained tenure, or who have submitted tenure materials for review by the application deadline, are not eligible.
A working knowledge of Chinese or another language used in China studies (e.g., Tibetan, Uyghur) is required.
The project must aim to produce a scholarly text.
Other support may be accepted during the fellowship tenure.

Application Guidelines

Applications must be submitted online and must include:

A completed application form.
An application essay/project proposal (no more than five double-spaced pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font). The essay should discuss:
- The aims of the research project – what it is about and what sources are to be examined.
- The significance of the topic and the project’s contribution to the field of China studies.
- The intended contribution of the research to existing literature in your discipline.
- The research design.
- An assessment of the project’s feasibility.
- The nature of results expected.
A work plan (no more than one double-spaced page in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font). The work plan should include:
- A timeline for the project, including activity during the fellowship period.
- Identification of the individuals (colleagues relevant to project), institutions, and/or sites to be visited, including archives, libraries, geographical sources, as well as proposed institutional affiliation in China (if any).
- A brief “Plan B” – an explanation of what you will do if you encounter a major obstacle in your plan (e.g., a closed archive, travel restrictions, inaccessible research site).
A resume (no more than one single-spaced page or two double-spaced pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font).
A bibliography (no more than two pages, double-spaced between entries in Arial or Helvetica 11-point).
An applicant’s statement (no more than two double-spaced pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font) describing the intellectual trajectory and experiences that brought the applicant to the current stage of academic career and that motivate plans for the future. It will strengthen the application to mention other applications underway for academic positions, including names of institutions. Applicants who are not yet employed/affiliated with a university in North America must describe plans for a career in China studies in the United States or Canada. Applicants in non-tenure-track positions (e.g., postdocs and visiting assistant professors) must indicate when their current positions will end.
A list of the applicant’s publications (no more than two pages, double-spaced between entries in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font).
Optional supporting materials (e.g., images, musical scores, or other similar supporting non-text materials, without annotation) (no more than two pages).
No budget is required.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of scholars in China studies according to the following criteria:

The research design and intellectual organization of the project.
The quality and innovativeness of the proposal with regard to its methodology, scope, theoretical framework, and grounding in the relevant scholarly literature.
The significance of the topic and its potential contribution to China studies.
The ability of the applicant to accomplish the proposed research, based on academic training and success of previous research projects.
The feasibility of the plan of work.

Contact

Please email [email protected] with questions. Before submitting an inquiry, please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Institutional administrators (e.g., Office of Sponsored Projects) should read our general guidance.

Supporting Documents

2025-26 Sample Application for Long-term Early Career Fellowship

Luce/ACLS Early Career Fellowships in China Studies – Long-Term