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

ACLS supports academic research in the humanities or social sciences. Please see this section of our website for further information.   

ACLS does not fund creative work or the performing arts (e.g., novels, films, performance, or musical composition), nor does it fund textbooks or pedagogical projects. 

 For the purposes of this program, Buddhist Studies is broadly defined as the academic study of Buddhism from its origins in ancient India to its present-day manifestations around the world. Scholars of Buddhism work in multiple disciplines, including, but not limited to, history, philology, archaeology, art history, philosophy, anthropology, psychology, sociology, cultural studies, and gender studies.  

The program is therefore multidisciplinary. Eligibility is not restricted to scholars with degrees in Buddhist Studies or Religious Studies, but applicants must demonstrate expertise in Buddhist Studies as defined above. 

No. Fellows and grantees are not and should not be considered employees, contractors, or agents of ACLS. ACLS is unable to provide advice on visas. Please seek assistance from a qualified professional advisor and/or the appropriate office at your institution. 

Yes. An applicant to this program may also apply to as many fellowship programs as are suitable.  

Yes. An applicant for any ACLS fellowship or grant may also apply for non-ACLS fellowships and grants in the same competition year. 

No. You may not hold more than one ACLS fellowship or grant at the same time or in the same competition year. 

Yes. An awardee may also accept non-ACLS fellowships or grants during their award period. 

All awardees in The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies must notify ACLS of additional awards received for the same project before or during their award period. 

No. The program does not offer funding for MA students.  

‘ABD’ stands for ‘All But Dissertation’ meaning that a PhD student has completed graduate-level classes, coursework requirements, and comprehensive exams for their PhD program and will undertake full-time research and writing for their dissertation.  

In the section of the online application that asks for your ABD Date, please list the date that you completed these requirements or the date by which you will complete these requirements. 

PhD Defense Date is when you successfully defend your dissertation before your committee. This is the day you present your research, answer questions from your committee members, and receive their approval. In the British system, this is known as the PhD thesis defense or “viva”. 

PhD Conferral Date (or degree award date) is when the university officially awards your degree and it appears on your transcript. This usually happens after your defense, often coinciding with the next formal graduation ceremony or at the end of the academic term. 

Yes. Please review your submission several times for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It is always worthwhile to ask a colleague to proofread.  

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

The projects that are ultimately selected vary widely. While there is no one model to follow for a successful application and we do not provide examples of proposals that received funding, you are encouraged to view information on previous awardees and their brief project descriptions here.  For more guidance, please see  Writing Proposals for ACLS Fellowship Competitions by Christina M. Gillis. 

Yes. From ACLS’s perspective, the use of an AI tool to research or write a proposal is not much different from hiring a professional grant writer or seeking help from a university’s grants officer, which has always been allowed. The applicant is, and always has been, responsible for any errors, omissions, hallucinations, or acts of plagiarism that are submitted for peer review. As a best practice, we encourage applicants to indicate in their proposal where and how they used AI tools to provide full transparency to ACLS and our reviewers. In our experience, reviewers appreciate the honesty from applicants as it builds trust that the applicant’s project will be completed in a thoughtful and ethical manner.

No. We no longer require letters of recommendation for our program. Applicants to the Buddhism Public Scholars Fellowship must include three references on their CV/resume. Applicants to the Public Impact Grant must include letters of support from the relevant community partners, cultural institutions, or community leaders named in the proposal. 

An applicant must hold a PhD conferred between September 1, 2020 and June 30, 2026. If the PhD is not conferred (officially awarded) before the application deadline, finalists will be asked to submit a letter from the scholar’s graduate school confirming that the dissertation has been submitted and approved by the graduate school for conferral according to the university calendar. The scholar is responsible for submitting the dissertation on time in order to meet this requirement.

While the stages and timing of PhD completion varies from institution to institution, ‘conferral’ refers to the official issuing of the diploma by your university, often coinciding with graduation. Defence, filing, and submission of the dissertation are usually earlier stages in this process, and for the purposes of eligibility for this program will not suffice. Please confirm your official conference date with your university registrar before reaching out to ACLS with questions about this criterion.

No. The Buddhism Public Scholars program is specifically targeted to recent recipients of a PhD in the  humanities or social sciences . Individuals without PhDs, or with terminal degrees other than a PhD, are not eligible.

Yes. Most eligible applicants hold citizenship, permanent residency, or a similar status in the country in which the host institution is located. If you do not currently have a visa or immigration status that will permit full-time employment for the duration of the initial 12-month term, you are not eligible for this program. Neither ACLS nor the host institution will sponsor scholars for visas.

• Applicants to US-based host institutions must be authorized to work legally in the United States for the duration of the initial 12-month fellowship term. This includes Indigenous individuals residing in the United States through rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, and those who hold DACA status, Temporary Protected Status, political asylee or refugee status, and other non-permanent status.
• Applicants to the Courtauld Institute of Art (UK) must have the right to work in the United Kingdom.
• Applicants to Lion’s Roar (Canada) must be authorized to work legally in Canada for the duration of the initial 12-month fellowship term.

Yes. Your PhD may come from an accredited, non-US institution, as long as you meet the work eligibility requirements described above.

Yes. You may apply to the program more than once, provided that you still meet the eligibility requirements.

No. Applicants must be prepared to begin the fellowship term within the advertised date range in the project description.

The requirement to relocate is based on each host institution’s remote work policies and expectations for the fellow to be onsite. ACLS provides an allowance of up to 5,000 USD, 7,000 CAD, or 3,800 GBP to cover relocation costs. Fellows are also eligible for up to 5,000 USD, 7,000 CAD, or 4,458 GBP for research, travel, home office expenses, or professional development as part of this fellowship.

Fellows will have the opportunity to discuss in-person requirements as part of the interview process.

Yes. As long as the Buddhism Public Scholars program’s stated eligibility requirements are met.

It is important to translate the skills and capacities you honed in the course of your doctoral studies and extracurricular activities to make them legible to a new audience and connect them to the responsibilities in the project description. There is a growing body of literature online with advice about applying to jobs outside the academy, which would be useful to consult as you prepare your Buddhism Public Scholars application. A number of ACLS’s member scholarly societies have developed programming and online resources for career exploration, among them the Modern Language Association’s Connected Academics initiative, the American Historical Association’s Career Diversity programming, and the American Philosophical Association’s Beyond Academia report. Other resources include career services websites at your graduate institution, for example Columbia University Center for Career Education and University of Michigan Career Center.

The most competitive applicants are able to demonstrate sincere, well-researched interest in the institutions they seek to work with as well as an understanding of how their experience and skillsets can help advance the goals outlined in the posted fellowship project descriptions. There is no one perfect format for a cover letter or a resume, but they should be tailored to the particular project description for which you are applying and should not resemble traditional academic job letters or resumes. The University of California Humanities Research Institute’s Humanists@Work website features a variety of useful resources, including an interview with a former ACLS program officer offering tips for writing a strong application to the Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows program, closely related to the Buddhism Public Scholars program. ImaginePhD, which is a free online career exploration and planning tool for PhD students and postdoctoral scholars in the humanities and social sciences, also has a number of resources for creating job search materials and interviewing. The National Humanities Alliance’s Humanities for All site catalogues public humanities projects as well as bibliography and other resources about the publicly engaged humanities.

When you are contacted by the host institution for an interview, please be communicative and offer as much availability as you can to help the interview process proceed as quickly as possible. Be sure to review your own job materials and the position description once again before the interview. It is also important to demonstrate your sincere interest in and qualifications for the position, and that you have learned everything you can from the institution’s publicly available information. Host institutions will want to know how your knowledge of Buddhism may be relevant to their publications or collections, as well as how the fellowship position, and specifically working with them, will help advance your professional goals.

It is also important to know that some aspects of the fellowship are determined by program policy and not by the host institution itself. The fellowships start in September 2026 and the stipends, for example, are not negotiable. The fellowship also cannot be held alongside other significant employment or professional commitments.

However, each institution approaches the interview process somewhat differently, so we also encourage you to approach the process as a learning opportunity in and of itself—ultimately, our partners are seeking intellectually curious and enthusiastic colleagues.

For the purpose of this competition, the humanities or social sciences include, but are not limited, to:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Art and architectural history
• Ethnic studies
• Film
• Gender studies
• Geography
• History
• Languages and literatures
• Musicology
• Philosophy
• Psychology (excluding clinical or counseling psychology)
• Religious studies
• Rhetoric, communication, and media studies
• Sociology
• Theater, dance, and performance studies

PhDs in social science fields are eligible only if they employ predominantly humanistic approaches (e.g., law and literature, political philosophy, history of psychology). PhDs in interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary humanistic studies are welcome.

The Buddhism Public Scholars program does not accept applications from candidates holding PhDs in any field of pre-professional or applied study OR:

• Business
• Clinical or counseling psychology
• Creative writing
• Education
• Filmmaking
• Journalism
• Law
• Library and/or information sciences
• Performing arts
• Public health
• Public policy or public administration
• Social welfare
• Social work
• Urban planning

While the pursuit of degrees in such fields often involves engagement with the humanities, this program aims to promote the value of humanities disciplines that have not traditionally been recognized as preparatory for careers beyond the academy.

Master’s degrees, even if they are the terminal degree in the field, will not be accepted as substitutes for the PhD.

The Dissertation Fellowships in Buddhist Studies are awarded to individual scholars. 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. 

Your eligibility depends on your tenure status. If you have submitted your tenure materials for review by the application deadline or have received tenure, you are not eligible. 

Yes. The award may be used for writing, follow-up research, or a combination of both, but the work must contribute to the significant scholarly product identified in the application. The work plan should include a rationale for these activities as part of the ultimate scholarly product. 

There is no ‘best’ or most competitive final scholarly product. Whether the Fellowship’s outcome is a book, a set of articles, or another written scholarly format matters less than the substance and intrinsic interest of the project. 

You may estimate the amount you expect to receive or fill in nothing. You can enter this amount in the application under the question asking you to list other major funding sources to which you ARE APPLYING in the current year for your present research proposal. Should you be offered a fellowship, you will need to provide ACLS with the specific amount(s) for any other funding you will receive during the fellowship period. 

No. Your application will be evaluated as submitted.

The Early Career Research Fellowships in Buddhist Studies are awarded to individual scholars. 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. 

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

For the purposes of this program, Buddhist Studies is broadly defined as the academic study of Buddhism from its origins in ancient India to its present-day manifestations around the world. Scholars of Buddhism work in multiple disciplines, including, but not limited to, history, philology, archaeology, art history, philosophy, anthropology, psychology, sociology, cultural studies, and gender studies.  

The program is therefore multidisciplinary. Eligibility is not restricted to scholars with degrees in Buddhist Studies or Religious Studies, but the PI must demonstrate expertise in academic Buddhist Studies as defined above. 

ACLS encourages projects that help Buddhist communities of practice engage directly with Buddhist texts, art, histories, or traditions; that make scholarship on Buddhist Studies more accessible to general audiences; or that will inform current public debates on topics from healthcare to environmental policy.  

Examples include, but are not limited to: 

• Translation projects that incorporate community outreach, consultation, and/or engagement with ritual practitioners  

• Working with a museum or library to research and make a small collection of Buddhist material publicly accessible 

• Developing public programming for a local cultural institution or community-based organization 

• Partnering with a community to support cultural preservation or archival projects 

• Creating a podcast or media series to disseminate accessible information on contemporary Buddhist scholarship 

• Organizing opportunities for undergraduate research and engagement with local communities of practice 

• Workshops or events that bring together scholars and practitioners around Buddhist Studies research or translation 

While this project may be part of a larger community-engaged research project, the public engagement activity should be the focus of the proposal. Some research activities may still be in progress, but the scholarship itself should be substantially developed enough to share with a public audience at the time of application. No academic publications or outcomes are eligible for support in this competition. 

For the purposes of this grant, collaborators and contributors are broadly defined as the following: 

Collaborators are named partners who are involved in the full lifecycle of the project, including the planning, execution, analysis, and final output, and whose contributions are integral to the project’s core intellectual and logistical delivery. They are identified in advance and typically have an ongoing relationship with the project over its duration. This category may include but is not limited to institutional partners, community organizations, media producers, or others whose participation is central to the project’s goals. 

Contributors (or one-time/limited contributors) are individuals or organizations whose involvement is bounded, specific, or technical in nature. They may provide expertise, services, or input at a particular stage of the project without being responsible for its overall direction or delivery. This category may include but is not limited to freelancers, consultants, and technical specialists contracted for defined tasks, as well as scholars invited to participate in a single event or activity. 

Only the key collaborators, according to the above definition, should be listed in the application. 

Yes. Grant funds may be used as stipends for PIs, co-PIs, collaborators, and contributors, travel, convening costs, consultant services, staff training, or related office expenses. The grant may cover direct costs (e.g., office space, administrative assistance) associated with the outlined work plan. 

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 of support are not required for this grant. Academic letters typically address the scholarly merit of research, which is important in other contexts. But for this grant, letters of support from the name partnering or collaborating organizations demonstrates how your project will engage, benefit, and resonate with audiences beyond the academy. 

No. Your letters of support must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System by your referee. 

Yes. Completed applications must be submitted through the  ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration (OFA) System  by the deadline specified for each competition. 

You can find sample applications on each competition’s page. 

This will vary, depending on how much work you have prepared before you begin the application process. You will also need to upload and submit any additional required documents. You should start the process at least several weeks before the deadline to determine what is required and to start preparing your materials.  

No. You may work in multiple sessions, though you will need to save your work after you finish each section of the application. 

If you submitted an application in the 2025-26 competition year, you may use that log-in for the 2026-27 competition year and carry forward information from the “Common Profile” section. You will need to fill out all the remaining sections.