Graduate Student Grants

Tibetan ceremony for a mountain diety, June 2024. Photo: Joie Chen, 2024 Summer Research Grant recipient.


Fairbank Center grants enable students to pursue language study or research in Chinese studies. Grants can be used for travel to greater China or other locations for academic research or to participate in a language study program. Students are encouraged to plan their project, itinerary and budget in advance and then apply for a grant to help fund the proposed academic activity. Please check the specific details and application requirements for each type of grant.

Please review these FAQs about Fairbank Center grants. 

If your question is not answered here, email fairbankcenter@fas.harvard.edu.


Co-sponsored by the Harvard China Fund to support travel to or within mainland China for research during the semester. All Harvard graduate students whose primary research domain is related to China are welcome to apply here through CARAT

Deadlines: July 29 for travel during the Fall semester. 

December 5 for travel during Spring semester.

Summer Research Grants support graduate student research on Greater China and Chinese diasporas during summer break.

Graduate students apply here through CARAT

Summer Language Grants support graduate students planning to use the summer for advanced study of the languages necessary to pursue research related to Chinese studies.

Graduate students apply here through CARAT

Deadline: February 14, 2025


Our Taiwan Studies grants enable graduate students to travel to Taiwan for research or language study during term time or winter break.

Graduate students apply here through CARAT

Deadlines: July 29 for Taiwan study during Fall semester.

October 30 for Taiwan Study during winter break

December 5 for Taiwan study during Spring semester

Desmond and Whitney Shum Fellowship supports 1-2 Harvard doctoral students undertaking social science research projects in China for 4 months or longer. The proposed research should be central to the doctoral dissertation.

Apply here through CARAT

Deadline: March 25

Support for Harvard graduate students invited to participate in professional conferences to present their original research on Chinese studies. Funding is limited. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; please apply at least two months prior to the conference.

Apply in CARAT

Deadline: Rolling (apply at least two months before your conference and email harrietwong@fas.harvard.edu to let us know you submitted an application)

Watch three Harvard graduate students share their Term-Time Travel Grant-funded research experiences.

Student Organization Grants

The Fairbank Center offers a small number of grants to support undergraduate or graduate student organizations engaged in projects or events relating to China Studies. One representative of the organization can submit an application with a project proposal and itemized budget. Requests are considered on a rolling basis, but student organizations are encouraged to apply as early as possible as funding is limited. For more information see the Student Organizations Grant application form.

Note: For projects spanning multiple countries and/or regions, the Fairbank Center will coordinate with the Asia-related centers and institutes based in Harvard’s Center for Government and International Studies to determine appropriate funding, based on content. Please indicate in your proposal for which other sources of funding you are applying.

Deadline: Rolling. Requests for funding should be submitted via email at least one month in advance of the event or project start date. To apply, email fairbankcenter@fas.harvard.edu and attach as PDFs: 1) completed Fairbank Center Student Organizations Grant application form, 2) project proposal with itemized budget, and 3) written confirmation of application approval from your student organization’s faculty advisor. Email harrietwong@fas.harvard.edu to let us know you have applied or if you have any questions.