NUS-HYI Joint Scholarship Program for PhD Studies — PhD Scholarship

The NUS-HYI Joint Scholarship Program supports eligible faculty from designated Southeast Asian partner institutions to pursue a PhD in the National University of Singapore Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Research must concern East or Southeast Asian Studies through an eligible disciplinary or interdisciplinary approach.

Candidates spend the first 38 months at NUS and the remaining 10 months conducting dissertation research at Harvard University. The Harvard period is expected after the PhD qualifying examination and any applicable fieldwork, subject to approval by the NUS and Harvard thesis advisers.

Benefits & funding

Funding covers up to 48 months of full-time PhD study.
NUS finances the first 38 months, including tuition fees and a stipend.
HYI finances the remaining 10 months at Harvard, including economy round-trip travel to Cambridge, a monthly stipend, and individual medical insurance.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a relevant Master’s degree, Honors degree, or equivalent qualification.
Applicants must hold a teaching or research position at an eligible HYI partner institution; the NUS page describes this as a teaching position or teaching experience.
Eligible institutions are Pannasastra University of Cambodia, Royal University of Fine Arts, Royal University of Phnom Penh, University of Gadjah Mada, University of Indonesia, Chiang Mai University, Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences – Hanoi, and Vietnam National University – Hanoi.
The home institution must nominate the applicant and provide assurance that the applicant will be strongly considered for reemployment after graduation.
The proposed NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences PhD research must focus on East or Southeast Asian Studies within anthropology, archaeology, history, linguistics, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, or sociology.
Applicants must satisfy the admission requirements of their chosen NUS PhD program.

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Education required
Bachelor · Master

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Application process

1
Obtain nomination through the home institution’s international or foreign affairs office.
2
Apply online for the relevant NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences PhD program and pay the required S$50 application fee.
3
Upload the required NUS materials, including academic records, the department-specific research proposal or statement, and referee details.
4
Complete the supplemental HYI application supplied by the home university or NUS and submit the separate HYI-NUS online form.
5
Arrange for the home institution to send an official letter confirming its nomination and support.

Program timeline

Application deadline for the August 2027 intake.
Nov 1, 2026
Scholarship results released.
End of February 2027
PhD program starts at NUS.
August 2027