Southeast Asia Research Awards for Undergraduate Students

Funded by Bringing Southeast Asia Home, a project sponsored by the Henry Luce Foundation Initiative on Southeast Asia, these awards are intended to facilitate undergraduate students to undertake independent research projects in the fields of Southeast Asian and/or Southeast Asian diaspora studies during summer or fall 2023.

Applicants may request $2,000 for work undertaken in North Carolina, $3,000 for work undertaken within the US but requiring out-of-state travel, and $4,000 for work undertaken outside of the United States. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at UNC-Chapel Hill during the Spring semester prior to the work and the Fall semester following/during the work. Studying abroad during either of those semesters does not disqualify applicants; however, these funds may not be used to fund a study abroad program.

The next deadline to apply for these funds is will be in Spring 2024. Applications can be submitted to the CAC’s Assistant Director for Southeast Asia Initiatives, Becky Butler.

To apply for a Southeast Asia Research Award for Undergraduate Students, please submit:

• A one-page description of the work to be undertaken. This should include a title, and it should demonstrate that you have thought considerably about this project and that it is well motivated and feasible.
• A one-page CV
• One page that includes:
  • funding amount you are requesting
  • location of the work
  • time of the work (i.e. summer or fall)
  • a statement affirming that you will be enrolled at UNC-CH during Spring and Fall 2023. If you are studying abroad either of those semesters, please note where and when.
  • name, departmental affiliation, and email of a faculty member willing to serve as a reference. This person does not need to write you a letter of recommendation but will be contacted if you are considered for funding.
• A brief statement of financial need, including other awards or scholarships you have applied for or have received that are directly related to this research, your eligibility to apply for other funds, etc.

Within two weeks of completion of activities funded by the award, you must submit a one-page report summarizing and evaluating the research activity with consideration of future directions. You are encouraged to present the work undertaken at the next annual Southeast Asia workshop, which is held in mid-May each year. Participation at the workshop should be cost neutral for you, so if you are outside of the Chapel Hill area, either travel funds will be provided or you may attend virtually. This can be determined on a case-by-case basis with the assistance of the Assistant Director for Southeast Asia Initiatives. We also urge you to share the results of your work during the next Celebration of Undergraduate Research.

Candidates for funding should be UNC-CH students focused on one or more of the eleven countries of Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam) or a Southeast Asian diaspora community.