Luce Scholarship
The Luce Scholars Program provides a paid year-long internship in an Asian nation for 18 young Americans with little or no previous experience in Asia. The Program finds an internship appropriate for each scholar, based on the Scholar's background, experience, training and aspirations. Prior to travel to Asia, Scholars attend a week-long orientation session in Princeton. The program is designed to provide an intensive experience in Asia for those who would not, during the normal course of their careers, expect to have such exposure.
Deadlines
- Preliminary: Aug. 1, 2023
- Internal: Sept. 15, 2023
- External: Oct. 16, 2023
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible for the Luce Scholars Program, you must be:
- A U.S. citizen
- Under 30 years of age on July 1 of the year you would enter the program.
- Recipient of a bachelor's degree before taking up the award.
In addition, to be eligible, you must not have:
- Already had a significant exposure to Asia
- A professed career interest in Asian affairs
- An academic concentration in any aspect of Asian studies
Adviser: Eleanor (Ellie) Stanford, Fellowship Adviser.
Selection criteria: Candidates should have a record of the highest academic achievement, combined with evidence of outstanding leadership ability, either on campus or off. More important than any other single criterion, candidates must have a mature and clearly defined career interest in a specific field, and must have given evidence of a potential for professional accomplishment within that field and strong personal motivation.
Recommended preliminary and internal application: Students considering the Luce are strongly recommended to complete the preliminary application.
Application procedure: Students interested in being nominated should submit the following to the Dean’s Office by noon by the posted deadline:
- A current, comprehensive resumé, including employment, activities and honors. This need not be limited to one page.
- A signed personal statement of no more than 1,000 words outlining long-range career interests, how they developed and plans for pursuing them; experiences with and ideas about leadership, and reasons for applying to the program
- Four letters of recommendation, representing a range of academic, professional and personal references
On the basis of this internal application, the Fellowships Adviser, in consultation with the fellowships committee, will name up to two nominees. The Committee may opt to interview candidates as part of this selection process.
After the application is submitted: Each nominee is interviewed during December or January, by one representative of the Luce Foundation, at a mutually convenient location. Forty-five finalists are selected for regional interviews in February. Eighteen scholars are named by mid-March.