East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship | Call for Applications

Applications are open for the East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship. This program funds master’s and doctoral study at the University of Hawai’i. It welcomes citizens from the United States, Asia, and the Pacific region. Fellows join an international community focused on cross-cultural understanding. The program combines academic funding with leadership development and cultural exchange.

Program Snapshot

• Host Institution: East-West Center, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
• Location: Honolulu, Hawai’i
• Eligible Regions: United States, Pacific, Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia
• Minimum GPA: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Applications Open: August 15, 2026
• Application Deadline: December 1, 2026

Focus Areas

• Fields relevant to East-West Center’s Asia-Pacific mission
• Leadership development and community engagement
• Cross-cultural research and educational exchange

What the Fellowship Covers

This fellowship covers full-time tuition and fees at the university. Fellows also receive housing within an East-West Center residence hall. A partial stipend helps offset food and incidental daily expenses. Additionally, the program provides an allowance for required books and materials. Health insurance receives partial subsidy support throughout the fellowship term. Competitive funding is also available for field study and conferences.

About the Program

The fellowship begins each August with a Community Building Institute. This initial program includes academic advising and university registration support. All new fellows must participate, even those already living in Hawai’i. Notably, fellows without dependents must reside in Center dormitories specifically. Importantly, this fellowship doesn’t support spouses or dependent family members. Fellows come to Honolulu alone during their first semester initially.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants must be citizens of specified Pacific, Asian, or U.S. regions. This includes countries across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia broadly. Applicants need a four-year bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent. A minimum 3.0 GPA is expected across recent undergraduate coursework. Priority goes to applicants committed to the broader Asia-Pacific region.

Application Process

Applicants not yet enrolled at UH Mānoa must apply separately first. University admission applications open August 1 for the following year. Both university and East-West Center materials must be completed by January 10. This holds true regardless of individual departmental deadline variations. Required documents include academic and civic engagement reference letters.

How to Apply

Complete your application through the East-West Center’s official portal. For questions, email #339966;">#339966;" href="mailto:scholarships@eastwestcenter.org">scholarships@eastwestcenter.org.

#339966;">#339966;" href="https://www.eastwestcenter.org/apply/east-west-center-graduate-degree-fellowship-apply-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click Here to Apply

Conclusion

This fellowship offers substantial financial support alongside a genuinely unique cross-cultural leadership experience unavailable through standard graduate funding. Its structured community-building approach sets it apart from typical university scholarships focused purely on academics. Given the dual application process with UH Mānoa, prospective fellows should begin both applications well before the December 1 deadline to avoid processing delays.

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