Luce/ACLS Travel Grants in China Studies

The Luce/ACLS Travel Grants in China Studies support graduate students and non-tenure track faculty for research travel related to China. Grants of $5,000 can be utilized for diverse research activities, including accessing libraries and archives, and engaging with Chinese-language scholars. This initiative emphasizes inclusivity across backgrounds and disciplines, fostering equitable opportunities for scholarly exploration. Eligible applicants must be affiliated with institutions in the U.S. or Canada and possess relevant language skills, with a focus on advancing research in humanities and social sciences.

About the Travel Grants
In partnership with the Henry Luce Foundation, ACLS offers a travel grant competition for graduate students in a PhD program and non-tenure track faculty at any career stage. The grant supports travel for conducting basic research in China or conducting China studies-related research in databases, collections, and archives anywhere in the world.
Scholars may use these funds to travel to libraries, archives and field sites, to establish contact with scholars in Chinese-language communities, and to secure necessary permissions for fieldwork or archival research.
The Luce/ACLS Program in China Studies promotes inclusion, equity, and diversity as integral components of merit that enhance the scholarly enterprise. It is a priority that every cohort of fellows and grantees is broadly inclusive of different backgrounds, cultures, and any aspects that make one unique. In China studies we seek balance in regard to national origin, educational background, and current university affiliation, as well as in disciplinary approaches, topics, and historical periods studied.
Grant Details
$5,000 grant for travel any time during a 12-month period. Other support may be accepted during the grant period.
Grants cover a 12-month tenure. Travel may take place at any time during these 12 months, and multiple trips are permitted. The grant period must begin between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.Grant funds may be used for:Costs associated with travel (e.g., air and ground transportation, visas, living expenses).Contacting scholars in Chinese-language communities.Accessing databases, collections, and archives (e.g., permits, fees).Applications for projects in all disciplines of the humanities or interpretive social sciences are welcome. Research may be conducted on any topic related to cultures, histories, and societies in China, and their influence and impact on communities, countries, and cultures around the world, as required by the research plan.There are no restrictions regarding time period or methodological approach.Any type of project grounded in scholarly research is permissible. Possible project outcomes include, but are not limited to, contributions to the development of one or more of the following:Dissertations, dissertation prospectuses, research monographs, scholarly articles, conference papers, or book chapters.Pedagogical tools that make meaningful connections between a scholar’s research and post-secondary teaching.Works that bridge scholarly and creative practice.Community-engaged projects grounded in scholarly research but geared toward a public audience. Potential or actual community and/or student engagement with the research project is encouraged, as is the dissemination of the research to audiences across higher education.Priority will be given to applicants with limited access to research funding or resources at their institution.

Eligibility

Applicants must be either: A graduate student enrolled in a PhD program at an accredited university in the United States or Canada OR contingent faculty at any career stage (e.g., adjunct faculty, postdoctoral scholars, lecturers, instructors) affiliated with a university in the United States or Canada.
Contingent faculty must hold a PhD from an accredited institution in the United States or Canada, OR be a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident/work authorized status holder with a PhD from any accredited institution by the application deadline.
An applicant who is not a US or Canadian citizen/permanent resident/work authorized status holder must have an affiliation, or a long-term, regular research or teaching appointment, with a university or college in the United States or Canada. See FAQ.Applicants must have a working knowledge of Chinese or knowledge of another language used in China studies (e.g., Tibetan, Uyghur) are also acceptable.Research on Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang is eligible.

Ineligibility

Diaspora studies projects with no connection to communities and cultures in China are unlikely to be funded (e.g., anglophone Chinese American literature).Tenure-track and tenured faculty are not eligible for support.