Deadline: November 14, 2024
Applications are open for the Luce/ACLS Travel Grants in China Studies 2024/2025. In partnership with the Henry Luce Foundation, American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) offers a travel grant competition for graduate students in a PhD program and non-tenure track faculty at any career stage. The grant supports travel for conducting basic research in China or conducting China studies-related research in databases, collections, and archives anywhere in the world.
Scholars may use these funds to travel to libraries, archives and field sites, to establish contact with scholars in Chinese-language communities, and to secure necessary permissions for fieldwork or archival research.
Grant
- $5,000 grant for travel any time during a 12-month period. Other support may be accepted during the grant period.
- Grants cover a 12-month tenure. Travel may take place at any time during these 12 months, and multiple trips are permitted. The grant period must begin between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
- Grant funds may be used for:
- Costs associated with travel (e.g., air and ground transportation, visas, living expenses).
- Contacting scholars in Chinese-language communities.
- Accessing databases, collections, and archives (e.g., permits, fees).
Eligibility
- Applicants must be either: A graduate student enrolled in a PhD program at an accredited university in the United States or Canada OR contingent faculty at any career stage (e.g., adjunct faculty, postdoctoral scholars, lecturers, instructors) affiliated with a university in the United States or Canada.
- Contingent faculty must hold a PhD from an accredited institution in the United States or Canada, OR be a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident/work authorized status holder with a PhD from any accredited institution by the application deadline.
- An applicant who is not a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident/work authorized status holder must have an affiliation, or a long-term, regular research or teaching appointment, with a university or college in the United States or Canada.
- Tenure-track and tenured faculty are not eligible for support.
- Applicants must have a working knowledge of Chinese or knowledge of another language used in China studies (e.g., Tibetan, Uyghur) are also acceptable.
Selection Criteria
- The research design of the project, and its significance to the field of China studies.
- The need for travel to support the project.
- The feasibility of the plan of work for the proposed travel.
- The institutional resources available to the scholar.
Application
Applications must be submitted online and must include:
- A completed application form.
- An application essay (no more than two double-spaced pages in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font). The essay should discuss:
- The design and aims of the research project and how travel will advance those aims, including potential sources to be examined.
- The significance of the topic and the project’s contribution to the field of China studies.
- Rationale for the travel grant application. Questions you should consider: Does your institution or department offer summer travel or research funding? Does your position have a travel budget? If so, are there limitations or extenuating circumstances that would necessitate the use of ACLS funds? What kind of collections or databases are accessible through your library?
- If you have already received funding for the proposed project (including travel funds, a postdoctoral fellowship, or other awards) please explain why additional funds are needed.
- A work plan (no more than one double-spaced page in Arial or Helvetica 11-point font). The work plan should include:
- A timeline of travel, including an estimate of when the requested funds will be used.
- Identification of the individuals (colleagues relevant to project), institutions, and/or sites to be visited, including archives, libraries, and geographical sources.
- 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 bibliography (no more than two pages, double-spaced between entries in Arial or Helvetica 11-pointfont).
- Optional supporting materials (e.g., images, musical scores, or other similar supporting non-text materials, without annotation) (no more than two pages).
- One letter of reference. This is only required for graduate students. The reference letter must come from the applicant’s dissertation advisor or a faculty member eligible to be the advisor.
- No budget is required.
For more information, visit Luce/ACLS Travel Grants.
