Scholarships & Internships

With assistance from the Freeman Foundation Undergraduate Asian Studies Funding Initiative, the University of Maryland's Center for East Asian Studies is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities related to East Asia for the 2005-6 academic year. Two categories of scholarships will be awarded:

Individual awards will be in the amount of $1000-$2500.

Eligibility: Awardees must be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or better) and have a minimum of 30 credits by the start of the scholarship period. Students must be registered full-time for the Spring semester during the scholarship period. Full-time is defined by the university as registered for 12 or more semester hours at the end of the Schedule Adjustment period. According to university rules, students already on full financial scholarship support are not eligible for these awards.

Application procedures: The application consists of an Application Form completed by the student, a faculty letter of nomination/recommendation (signed, sealed, and delivered to the student for submission), a copy of the student's transcript (please use the unofficial version downloaded from Testudo), and a 1-2 page statement written by the student. The statement should demonstrate a commitment to East Asian studies and provide any information about academic accomplishments, career goals, or activities that the applicant considers relevant. The statement should also sketch a plan for academic and experiential in East Asia-related studies for the scholarship period, including coursework, internships, study abroad, supervised independent study, thesis work, or other significant activities.

Applications should be submitted to Dr. Eleanor Kerkham or Dr. Miranda Schreurs, co-chairs, East Asia Scholarships Committee, 3140 Tydings Hall (ekerkaham@umd.edu, (301) 405-2855 or mschreurs@gvpt.umd.edu, (301) 405-7797). All materials must be received by November 20 to ensure full consideration.

Selection criteria: Awards are meant to promote undergraduate excellence in East Asian studies and to attract students from a wide range of campus majors to link their academic pursuits to the study of East Asia. In addition to academic excellence, the selection committee will look for evidence of a past, present, and future commitment to some aspect of East Asian studies. This commitment may be demonstrated in several ways: through an East Asian-focused major, the Certificate program in East Asian Studies, the Business, Culture and Languages program (in an Asian language), a citation program in an Asian language, or a self-designed plan of study that allows the student to pursue an interest in East Asia through an existing campus major, including but not limited to majors in the arts, humanities, business, engineering, behavioral and social sciences, or physical and life sciences.