Fellowship Application Program

2024-25 Fellowship for Continuing Graduate Students

The application for the 2024-25 graduate student fellowships is now available.  Please read the instructions to familiarize yourself with each step of the online application process and to prepare necessary documents. 

Application Process

Before beginning the application, please prepare an electronic copy of your Statement of Purpose, Unofficial Transcript, Fellowship and Scholarship information, Itemized Budget, a valid personal email address, and two names of faculty members who have agreed to write a letter of recommendation and their corresponding email addresses. Please download the instructions and budget worksheet below.

Budget worksheet

The application process will take 15 minutes of your time.  After the submission, you can return to your application and make as many changes as you wish until 11:59pm March 1, 2024.

Creating An Applicant Profile

• If this is your first time applying for a fellowship with the International Institute or Terasaki Center, please register for an account.
• Returning Users: students who have applied for previous fellowships from centers at the International Institute may use the same login ID to submit an application. *Please review your profile and make updates as needed.

Graduate Fellowship Application Instructions

Please read these instructions carefully and prepare the necessary documents prior to beginning the application process. The entire application must be completed in one session, including document uploads, to submit and save the entry. After submitting the application, you may edit your application until the submission deadline. Should you have questions, contact the center at japancenter@international.ucla.edu.

Please note, each log-in session will time out after 45 minutes and your work will not be saved. However, the application process should take approximately 15 minutes.

Step 1: Create Applicant Profile

Step 2: Current Status

• Current Status of Study
• Date of B.A.
•Date entered present Graduate Program
• Date of M.A. if applicable
• Date advanced to Ph.D. Candidacy if applicable

Step 3: Purpose of the Fellowship

• The title of your project. If applying for the language fellowship, you may write “language study.”

• Choose the purpose of the fellowship application and click all that apply.

  Choices will help determine the fellowship(s) for which you are considered. However, please note that some fellowships have special requirements:

• Please have your statement of purpose (600 word maximum) ready to upload. If you are applying for extended field research, language study, or you believe you qualify for the Kawahara Fellowship, please note the following:

  Extended Field Research (Aratani Field Experience)

  -Please attach your field research plan, with the topic of your Dissertation and the length of stay in Japan. You must advance to candidacy before the fellowship is awarded.

• Language Study

  -Please describe the program. The language fellowships are not designed for taking Japanese classes at UCLA during the normal academic year, but are primarily for programs such as the IUC or the UCLA Summer intensive program. Please note that priority is given to students at the fourth year level or above who will attend the IUC or the UCLA Summer program.

•Kawahara Fellowship

-This fellowship is available to applicants whose primary focus of study is not Japan. If you are applying for the Kawahara Fellowship, please describe the project and how Japan-studies fit into the larger context of your work.

Step 4: Japanese Language Proficiency

• Aural
• Oral
• Reading
• Writing

Step 5: Transcript

• Please have a copy of your unofficial transcript ready to upload
• *Have your official transcript sent to the Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies -– ELECTRONIC COPIES ARE FINE

Step 6: Other Fellowships

• Have you received any other fellowships or scholarships at UCLA? Or will you apply for other fellowships? If so, please prepare a document listing fellowships/scholarships received from the time of entry at UCLA, as well as any fellowships you are applying for this year. Do not include fellowships from the Terasaki Center.
• If you received any fellowships from the Terasaki Center in the past three years, please attach a one page report on your most recent award and how the funds were used. Have the report ready to upload.

Step 7: Itemized Budget

• Download the budget worksheet (excel form) from the Terasaki Center website. The budget is a significant part of the fellowship application so please read the following instructions carefully.

• Divide expenses into the following categories:

-Travel- Domestic or International, airfare up to $1,000, local transportation.
-Justification should include reason for travel and length of stay.

•Tuition - Tuition for UCLA summer language programs, IUC summer or 10 month program or equivalents. -Please note that non-resident tuition for the academic year cannot be funded.

•Research Materials- Project-specific supplies, photocopies, printing costs, books up to $300, etc. Equipment purchases such as computers are prohibited due to UC policy. Software purchases can be allowed with sufficient justification.
-Justification should include relevance of purchases to project

•Other- living costs and miscellaneous items

Please note:
 If you have multiple budgets for projects, please do not break them down into separate budgets. Only one combined budget is necessary for the application.
 If your project extends beyond one year, provide a budget for this academic year only. Applicants may not request funds for subsequent years but must apply again during the following application period.


Step 8: References

• The names and email addresses of TWO references
• After you submit your application, both letter providers will be sent an email instructing them how to submit their letter electronically. Their letters may be submitted after your March deadline, not to worry!