Henry Luce Foundation: Luce Scholars Program Grant

Henry Luce Foundation: Luce Scholars Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Henry Luce Foundation
Last Updated: August 31, 2025

Summary

The Henry Luce Foundation's Luce Scholars Program offers immersive professional experiences in Asia for early-career leaders. Established in 1974, it aims to deepen understanding between the U.S. and Asian cultures. Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents under 32 or recent graduates, the program provides stipends and language training to selected scholars. The foundation fosters diverse perspectives and adaptive leadership to promote global citizenship and mutual understanding through sustained engagement.

Overview

Mission The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. We do so by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development. Luce Scholars Program Established in 1974, the Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellowship that offers early-career leaders immersive, professional experiences in Asia. We aim to forge stronger relationships across geographic borders by creating opportunities for young Americans to deepen their ties and understanding of the countries, cultures, and people of Asia. Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the Luce Scholars Program provides stipends, language training, and individualized professional placement in Asia for 18 Luce Scholars each year. We welcome applications from college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in a variety of fields, with a range of backgrounds and experiences, who have had limited exposure to Asia. Today, there are about 800 Luce Scholars alumni living around the world, making invaluable contributions as global leaders and citizens and building lifelong professional relationships that began with this program. Their experiences demonstrate that there is no better way to build mutual understanding and a sense of common purpose than through sustained, immersive, in-person engagement with others. What We Look For Since its founding, the Luce Scholars Program has sought to spread experience of the region far beyond those who are interested in building their professional careers around engagement in Asia. We are committed to engaging young professionals who might not otherwise have an opportunity to get to know and build professional networks in Asia. Luce Scholars are open-minded, curious, and engaged in the world. They are open to new ideas and new perspectives. They are individuals from a wide range of fields and come from a variety of backgrounds, but all share a common objective—to make the world a better place. The Program seeks Scholars who demonstrate the following traits and interests: Exploratory curiosity  Interest and embrace of diverse perspectives, beliefs, and modes of living Adaptability Open-mindedness Resilience  Humility Commitment to serving and supporting others

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The intent of the program is to provide an in-depth experience in Asia to young Americans who would not otherwise have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the country where they are placed. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.  Candidates may be graduating seniors, recent graduates, or young professionals under the age of 32, OR if older than 32, candidates must have received their bachelor's degree within the past three yearsCandidates who have spent 18 weeks or more (since beginning college) in only one of the countries where we place Luce Scholars are eligible to apply but will not be placed in the country where they have spent significant time.Candidates must be at least 18 years of age and have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent by the start of the Luce Scholars orientation in late June.Luce Scholars are active in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste.

Ineligibility

Candidates who have spent a significant amount of time (18 weeks or more since beginning college) in more than one of the countries where we place Luce Scholars are not eligible to apply for the Luce.Time spent in Asia prior to college is not counted.