Luce Scholars Program — Fellowship

The Luce Scholars Program is a leadership fellowship run by the Henry Luce Foundation in partnership with The Asia Foundation. It selects 15–18 emerging leaders each year for intensive language study, cultural immersion, and an individually arranged professional placement in Asia.

Current placement locations are Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam; the program page says placements are not currently being made in Nepal or Myanmar. Participants work in fields ranging from arts and public health to science, business, environmental studies, law, journalism, and international relations.

Benefits & funding

A location-adjusted stipend uses a three-tier system based on cost of living and housing costs; the program says it is intended to support comfortable living without personal savings, but it does not publish a fixed amount.
Two months of intensive language training are fully funded, with additional funds available for continued language study during the fellowship year.
The program arranges an individually tailored 11-month professional placement with a host institution.
The Asia Foundation arranges temporary lodging for the first few days and assists Scholars with finding longer-term housing.
For applicants invited to Finalist Weekend, the program covers selection-related travel, lodging, and food.

Eligibility

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Applicants must be at least 18 and under 33 when they depart for Asia.
A bachelor’s degree or equivalent must be completed before the program begins with orientation in late June.
An applicant who, during the past five years, spent at least six consecutive months or more than one cumulative year in one Luce placement country remains eligible but cannot be placed in that country. Reaching either threshold in more than one placement country makes the applicant ineligible.
At least one year of professional experience is preferred, not required; qualifying experience may be cumulative and may include employment, internships, summer work, or other non-academic roles.

Can you apply?

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Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

Education required
Bachelor
Age requirement
18–32 yrs

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Application process

1
Register on the application portal and complete the eligibility questionnaire.
2
Provide personal, academic, and professional information, a personal statement of up to 500 words, five short answers, and a 1–2 minute video.
3
Request exactly two recommendation letters: one must be professional, while the second may be professional or academic.
4
Submit all materials, including recommendations, by September 8, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Academic transcripts are not required.

Program timeline

Online application portal opened.
April 2026
Application deadline.
September 8, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Semifinalists invited to virtual interviews.
Early November 2026
Finalists notified.
Early December 2026
Required in-person Finalist Weekend in San Diego.
January 27–30, 2027
Cohort announced.
Early February 2027
Orientation and 13-month program begin.
Late June 2027
Intensive language training.
July–August 2027
11-month professional placements begin.
Early September 2027
Scholars’ Symposium concludes the program.
July 2028