FAQ: The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies

Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies

I will obtain ABD (All But Dissertation) status or equivalent shortly after the application deadline. May I apply for this fellowship?

Yes. You may apply if you will have ABD 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.

If my PhD program only requires research and writing, do I meet ABD Status?

Yes. The structure of your PhD program presumes ABD Status. As part of your 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.

I am enrolled at a university outside the United States that does not have the ABD system. I am in my first year of the PhD program. Am I eligible to apply?

An applicant for a dissertation fellowship must have finished all courses, passed all required examinations, and have their research prospectus approved by April 15, 2026. To be eligible in the first year of a PhD program, an applicant must be at the research and/or writing stage of the PhD.

I am a master’s student in Buddhist Studies. Does the program offer scholarships for MA studies?

No. The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies offers fellowships and grants for dissertation and postdoctoral research and writing. The program does not offer scholarships for MA students.

Is eligibility limited to applicants with Buddhist Studies or Religious Studies degrees?

The program is not restricted to scholars with degrees in Buddhists Studies or Religious Studies.

Your proposed project will be assessed on its intellectual merits as well as on its impact on the field of Buddhist Studies. For the purpose of this competition, Buddhist Studies is defined broadly. You should state the relation of the proposed project to scholarship and to provide a rationale for the disciplinary approach to be employed. Your application essay should discuss how your project will have an impact on the field of Buddhist Studies.

What should be included in my proposal?

The proposal will be the basis of the evaluation of the project. Title your proposal in a brief, descriptive way and label sections of your narrative as appropriate to assist readers. The narrative should explain, briefly but specifically, what you plan to do and why, as well as describe progress already made. It should discuss the significance of this work within your specific discipline as well to the field of Buddhist Studies. Please balance the description of specific work plans against an overview of your goals and the contribution this project will make to your discipline and to the field.

Applications for research fellowships should identify the research question(s), the sources to be investigated, criteria by which relevant information will be selected, the location of the project in the disciplinary literature, the methodology and approach to the subject matter, and tentative conclusions.

Applications for writing fellowships should state the main thesis or claim, review the sources investigated and secondary literature consulted, and indicate, if possible, an outline of chapters. The proposal should also state what materials have been collected, how research questions might have been answered or modified, and the direction that analysis will take once writing has begun.

ACLS selection committees understand the problem posed by timing – often, applications for writing are composed in the midst of fieldwork or archival research, at a time when all relevant materials have not yet been collected and the dissertation’s argument might be still inchoate. Applicants should address this problem directly in the proposal, describing as accurately as possible what they have managed to accomplish as of the application deadline and how they envision their dissertations taking shape during the period of the writing fellowship.

The proposal should address all six points below. The applicant might find it useful to label sections with the six headings, but this is not required.

Main Thesis: The principal argument or problem guiding the proposed research and writing.
Body: The research problem in more detail with a justification of the research focus and approach. What is already known about the problem and what more needs to be known?
Literature and sources: The proposed topic placed in the context of existing literature and potential new sources. What will be the criteria for determining which sources are relevant? How will the project extend, modify, or challenge existing scholarship?
Methods: A detailed description of the methods to be used. How will they be deployed to address the main thesis or argument of the project?
Significance: An explanation of the importance of the proposed work to central issues in Buddhist Studies, to other disciplines, and to humanities scholarship in general.
Work plan: The concluding section of the essay should present a plan of work with a timeline for the research and/or writing during the fellowship period. How much has the applicant already accomplished on the project and how much remains to be done? What steps are anticipated during the fellowship period? What is the expected result? The work plan must specify the desired start and end dates for the fellowship period and must be able to be accomplished within 10 consecutive months. Various examples of work plans can be found here. Please note that these examples are only suggestions; applicants should structure their work plan according to their own goals and projects.

What should I include in my work plan?

Work plans are specific to an applicant’s project goals, meaning that there is no single way to structure a work plan. Various examples of work plans can be found here. Please note that these examples are only suggestions. Applicants should structure their work plan according to their own goals and projects.

How will my application be evaluated?

Reviewers consider the following criteria while evaluating applications:

Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to Buddhist Studies.
- Will the project advance the field? Will it make an original and significant contribution to current knowledge?
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.
- Is the project feasible given the scope of the research? What is the likelihood that the applicant will execute the work planned for the proposed time frame? Does the applicant have the necessary skills (e.g., languages) and access to appropriate resources to conduct the work?
Potential of the applicant for a career that will make full use of their Buddhist Studies expertise.
- Do the applicant’s experiences and training reflect a commitment to Buddhist Studies? Has the applicant articulated a clear application of their research in future contexts relevant to Buddhist Studies (e.g., publications, presentations)? What is the potential for the circulation and impact of their scholarship in the academy and in the classroom, if applicable? How accessible is their writing to scholars/audiences outside of their field?

Early Career Research Fellowships

A condition of the award is leave (release from teaching and all other university responsibilities) for a full academic year (two semesters). May I take leave for two non-consecutive semesters?

Yes. The fellowship tenure may be divided in two periods, each of which must last for a minimum of three months. These two periods do not have to be consecutive.

My PhD degree will be completed shortly after the application deadline. May I apply for the Early Career Research Fellowship?

If the PhD is not conferred (officially awarded) by the application deadline, the applicant must:

(At the time of application) have a university official (dissertation advisor or departmental chair) confirm through the OFA system that the applicant is on schedule to complete the PhD by April 15, 2026. This is an online form, not a reference letter.
(By April 15, 2026) provide a letter from the applicant’s graduate school confirming that the dissertation has been submitted and approved by the graduate school for conferral according to the university calendar. The applicant is responsible for submitting the dissertation on time in order to meet this requirement. The applicant should request that the graduate school send the letter to ACLS at [email protected].

May I use the award for writing up research that I have already done or for a combination of writing and follow-up research during the fellowship tenure?

Yes. The award may be used for writing. Follow-up research during writing is also permitted.

I am an associate/assistant professor. Do I qualify for the Early Career Research Fellowship?

You may apply as long as you meet all the program’s eligibility requirements.

Am I eligible to apply if I do not hold the PhD degree but have the equivalent in scholarly publications?

Yes. You are eligible to apply. Please make sure that you describe your situation in the application.

Is eligibility limited to applicants with Buddhist Studies or Religious Studies degrees?

The program is interdisciplinary. Eligibility is not restricted to scholars with degrees in Buddhist Studies or Religious Studies. Your proposed project will be assessed on its intellectual merits as well as on its impact on the field of Buddhist Studies. For the purpose of this competition, Buddhist Studies is defined broadly. It is incumbent on the applicant to state the relation of the proposed project to scholarship and to provide a rationale for the disciplinary approach to be employed.

Your application essay should discuss how your project will have an impact on the field of Buddhist Studies.

May the proposed final scholarly product be a journal article (or a series of articles)?

The ultimate outcome is a written, scholarly product. Whether it is a book or set of articles is less significant than the intrinsic interest of the substance of the project.

The statement in your application should describe the work to be done during the fellowship period – research, thinking, writing. If this work is part of a longer project, that, too, should be addressed in the statement. How will the fellowship period contribute to the completion of the work?

What should be included in my proposal?

The proposal will be the basis of the evaluation of the project. Title your proposal in a brief, descriptive way and label sections of your narrative as appropriate to assist readers. The narrative should explain what you plan to do and why, as well as describe progress already made. It should discuss the significance of this work within your specific discipline as well to the field of Buddhist Studies. Please balance the description of specific work plans against an overview of your goals and the contribution this project will make to your discipline and to the field. Include a description of the results expected and a rationale for the length of time requested. It is important to specify the identity and location of sources at archives, libraries, or geographical sites and Buddhist Studies colleagues relevant to your project.

The proposal should address all six points below. The applicant might find it useful to label sections with the six headings, but this is not required.

Main Thesis: The principal argument or problem guiding the proposed research and writing.
Body: The research problem in more detail with a justification of the research focus and approach. What is already known about the problem and what more needs to be known?
Literature and sources: The proposed topic placed in the context of existing literature and potential new sources. What will be the criteria for determining which sources are relevant? How will the project extend, modify, or challenge existing scholarship?
Methods: A detailed description of the methods to be used. How will they be deployed to address the main thesis or argument of the project?
Significance: An explanation of the importance of the proposed work to central issues in Buddhist Studies, to other disciplines, and to humanities scholarship in general.
Work plan: The concluding section of the essay should present a plan of work with a timeline for the research and/or writing during the fellowship period. How much has the applicant already accomplished on the project and how much remains to be done? What steps are anticipated during the fellowship period? What is the expected result? The work plan must specify the desired start and end dates for the fellowship period and must be able to be accomplished within the fellowship tenure.

How will my application be evaluated?

Reviewers consider the following criteria while evaluating applications:

Significance of the topic and its potential contribution to Buddhist Studies.
- Will the project advance the field? Will it make an original and significant contribution to current knowledge?
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.
- Is the project feasible given the scope of the research? What is the likelihood that the applicant will execute the work planned for the proposed time frame? Does the applicant have the necessary skills (e.g., languages) and access to appropriate resources to conduct the work?
Record of the applicant’s previous accomplishments:
- Taking into account relative advantages and constraints on resources for the proposed project and over the course of the applicant’s career, does the applicant demonstrate commitment to engaging with key ideas and discourses in their field/discipline? What is the potential for the circulation and impact of their scholarship in the academy and in the classroom, if applicable? How accessible is their writing to scholars/audiences outside of their field?

New Professorships

Can The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global grant be combined with a grant from another Foundation to support the four years of the teaching position?

No. The funds awarded may not be used to supplement an already existing endowment or teaching position.

Is a search for a new professor included in the four-year timeline?

Searches for a new professor may take place before the new professor begins teaching. Please include your plan for the search process in the proposal and timeline.

What courses may the new professorship support?

The professor hired in this position must teach courses in Buddhist Studies. In addition, the professor may teach courses that compare Buddhist traditions to other religions and philosophies of Asia and the West. This is a position for a scholar in Buddhist Studies not for a generalist in Asian religions. However, in view of the needs of universities, the new professor, in addition to courses in Buddhist Studies, may also teach courses on Asian religion and philosophy and/or World Religions that include substantial units on Buddhism.

What does “permanent, tenure-track post” mean?

The strength of institutional commitment to establishing a long-term position is an important factor in the committee’s decisions. An institution must commit to maintain the seeded position as a permanent post consistent with its policies for all its similar permanent positions.

We are an institution applying for a New Professorship grant, and we do not have a tenure-track system. Are we eligible to apply for a grant?

Yes. You are eligible. However, at institutions without a tenure-track system, the applicant institution must commit to continuing the position for a substantial period after the expiration of grant funding and must provide a description of how this commitment fits its contractual practices.

Our institution has a curriculum in Buddhist Studies. How do we make the case that it is in “clear and urgent need of support?”

The establishment of the position must contribute significantly to the teaching of Buddhist Studies at the institution. For example, if an institution has no professors teaching Buddhist Studies, or only one, that is a clear case for support. In all other cases, the applicant must make a case for its need for a New Professor.

Public Impact Grants in Buddhist Studies

Is eligibility limited to applicants with Buddhist Studies or Religious Studies degrees?

The program is interdisciplinary. Eligibility is not restricted to scholars with degrees in Buddhist Studies or Religious Studies.

Either the Principal Investigator or one of the collaborators must have expertise in Buddhist Studies. For the purpose of this competition, Buddhist Studies is defined broadly. The applicant must state the relation of the proposed project to scholarship on Buddhist Studies.

Your proposed project will be assessed on its potential to advance understanding of Buddhism for its particular audience, as well as on its design and strategy for engagement.

Your application should describe how your project engages with the broad range of scholarship on Buddhism and any of its specific fields.

Who should be listed as a collaborator/team member?

Collaborators are specific, named individuals who will work on the project. This might include colleagues or graduate students at the lead applicant’s home institution, or scholars or other experts based at another organization.

ACLS encourages projects that feature community partners as key interlocutors and/or co-creators for the development of the proposed project. If applicable, such partners should appear throughout a project team’s application materials, including the proposal narrative, budget, and budget narrative. If the project features extramural community partners, a letter of support should be written by a member of that organization with extensive contact with the project team who can speak to the organization’s involvement with the project. Specific staff members who will work on the project may be listed in the application, if known.

Depending on the nature of the project, grant awardees can allocate a portion of their budget to contracting freelancers, consultants, or other partners outside of the university who provide technical expertise in service of forwarding the project’s goals.

Can grant funds cover tuition reimbursement, salaries, or other expenses related to the project team’s labor?

Yes. Public Impact grant funds may be used for tuition reimbursement, salaries, and course releases in order to support the members of your project team as they carry out grant-funded activities.

Are academic letters of support required for this grant?

No, academic letters of support are not required for this grant. The letter of support from your partnering or collaborating organization is the key letter the program seeks.

This grant program is specifically designed to support public-facing work and meaningful collaboration with community organizations, museums, cultural institutions, and other public partners. Because of this focus, the program prioritizes hearing from the organizations and communities you will be working with—their perspectives speak directly to the potential public impact of your project.

Academic letters typically address the scholarly merit of research, which is important in other contexts. But for this grant, the partner organization’s letter of support demonstrates something equally valuable: how your work will engage, benefit, and resonate with audiences beyond the academy.

Online Application Process

May I edit an application submitted in a previous competition and resubmit it for this year?

If you submitted an application in the 2024-25 competition year, you may use that log-in for the 2025-26 competition year and carry forward information from the “Common Profile” section. You will need to fill out all the remaining sections.

How long does it take to fill out the application?

This will vary, depending on how much work you have prepared before you begin the application process. Simply filling in the form will probably take at least an hour or two. In addition, you will need to submit your proposal and supporting documents. For Buddhism Public Scholars, you will need to secure referees to write letters in support of your application.

You should start the process well ahead of the deadline to get a sense of what is required and to start preparing your materials.

Do I have to complete the application all at once?

No. You may work in multiple sessions, though you will need to save your work after you finish each section of the application. Once you have submitted the application, you cannot work on it again.

I might receive sabbatical funding during the year I would be taking the fellowship, but I do not know for certain nor the exact amount. What should I fill in on the application form?

You may estimate the amount you expect to receive or fill in nothing. You can enter this amount in the section asking you to list other major funding sources to which you ARE APPLYING for your present research proposal. Should you be offered a fellowship, you will need to inform ACLS and state a specific amount for any other funding you receive during the fellowship period.

After submitting my proposal, I had an article (or book) accepted for publication, or was invited to a conference. May I send the information to ACLS to have it added to my publications page?

No. Your application will be evaluated as submitted.

Reference Letters and Letters of Support- Buddhism Public Scholars and Public Impact Competitions Only

Whom should I ask to write my reference letter or letter of support?

Your main priority should be to secure letters from referees who can write strong, specific letters on your behalf, preferably those who can comment on the proposed project. Members of the selection committee sometimes have concerns about letters from colleagues in an applicant’s department, and often prefer “arm’s length” letters from scholars who can attest to the significance of the applicant’s work.

It is good to be able to show that you have made a contribution to the field, not merely in the department or institution at which you are employed or at which you did graduate work. Hence, it might be advisable to request reference letters from outside your home institution. Think carefully about who can write the best letters.

Applicants at early career stages will rely more on dissertation advisors as advocates. In most cases, you will want your referees to be established scholars.

Applicants to the Buddhism Public Scholars program may also wish to request letters from referees who can speak to their relevant non-academic skills and experience outside the academy.

Applicants to the Public Impact Grant should request letters from collaborators or partner organizations, including community-based nonprofits, cultural institutions, community members, or community leaders. If the project features extramural community partners, this statement of support should be written by a member of that organization with extensive contact with the project team who can speak to the organization’s involvement with the project. (No more than one page per letter).

What should I do if one of my referees does not send in the letter they agreed to?

You can check online to see if your references or letters of support have been submitted. If one or more of your letters has not been submitted by the deadline, you may wish to contact the letter writers. If one of your designated referees cannot write the letter, you can ask someone else to write for you and submit the appropriate information on your reference form. However, please note that once the required number of letters has been submitted for your application (regardless of which of your referees submits them), no more will be accepted. Think carefully, then, before requesting replacement letters. You would not want to put a referee in the position of writing a letter for you and then not being able to submit it.

May I submit my reference letters or letters of support through a dossier service such as Interfolio?

No. You may not. We do not accept letters from dossier services. Your reference letters or letters of support must be submitted through ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System by your referees.

Review Process

Who will evaluate my proposal?

Proposals are read by an international panel of experts in Buddhist Studies from a variety of disciplines in the humanities or social sciences .

Successful Proposals

What kinds of projects are usually successful in ACLS fellowship competitions? Do you have examples of successful proposals?

The projects that are ultimately selected vary widely. There is no one model to follow for a successful application, and we do not provide examples of proposals that received funding. You might benefit from looking at the profiles of recent awardees or from reviewing Writing Proposals for ACLS Fellowship Competitions by Christina M. Gillis.

If I receive a fellowship or grant from ACLS, can the fellowship/grant monies be paid through my institution instead of being sent to me directly?

For Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies, Early Career Research Fellowships in Buddhist Studies, and Public Impact Grants in Buddhist Studies, the fellowship/grant is awarded to an individual scholar (or leader of a collaborative team). However, we can arrange payment through the scholar’s institution upon request. In that case, the institution is not permitted to deduct funds for overhead or indirect costs from the individual’s fellowship. See Information for Institutional Administrators .

FAQ: The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies

General Questions

Buddhism Public Scholars

Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies

Early Career Research Fellowships

New Professorships

Public Impact Grants in Buddhist Studies

Online Application Process

Reference Letters and Letters of Support- Buddhism Public Scholars and Public Impact Competitions Only

Review Process

Successful Proposals