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USA Annual cycle — applications typically open in autumn with a deadline around 1 November / 1 December for the following fall intake

East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship

The East-West Center (EWC) Graduate Degree Fellowship funds students from the Asia-Pacific region — Sri Lanka explicitly included — to pursue a Master's or PhD at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa while living at the EWC's residential community in Honolulu. Established by the US Congress in 1960 to strengthen US-Asia-Pacific relations, it is one of the few US fellowships designed specifically for the region. The award covers tuition, a monthly stipend, housing in the EWC dorms, partial health insurance, and some travel, in exchange for participation in the Center's leadership and dialogue programmes. For Sri Lankan applicants it pairs a US graduate degree with a uniquely cross-cultural cohort.

East-West Center (with the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa)

External Organization-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Tuition

Covered at University of Hawai'i

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Stipend

Monthly living allowance

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Housing

EWC residential community + partial health

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Programme

Leadership & cross-cultural dialogue

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Asia-Pacific Applicant

Open to citizens of the US, Asia, and the Pacific — Sri Lanka is an eligible Asian country. The Center deliberately builds a regionally diverse cohort each year.

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Strong Academic Record

A good Bachelor's degree (for Master's applicants) or Master's (for PhD applicants) with competitive grades. You apply for the fellowship and University of Hawai'i admission in parallel.

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Commitment to the EWC Mission

Fellows live in the EWC community and join its leadership, dialogue, and cultural programmes. A genuine interest in Asia-Pacific cooperation is central to selection.

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English Proficiency

Standard University of Hawai'i English requirements (TOEFL/IELTS) apply unless waived. Sri Lankan English-medium graduates usually meet these comfortably.

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Field Fit

You must be admitted to a degree programme offered at the University of Hawai'i. The Center favours fields relevant to regional development, the environment, governance, and culture.

account_tree Application Process

Apply to the EWC and University of Hawai'i together

Submit the East-West Center fellowship application and a University of Hawai'i graduate admission application in parallel — both are required, with overlapping documents.

Prepare your documents

Assemble transcripts, references, English-test scores, a statement of objectives, and an essay on your interest in the Asia-Pacific region and the EWC community.

Meet the deadline

Submit before the annual deadline (commonly 1 November / 1 December) for the following fall start. Late or incomplete files are not considered.

Selection

The Center selects fellows on academic merit, regional diversity, and fit with its mission; University of Hawai'i admission must also be confirmed. Outcomes follow in spring.

About the East-West Center

The East-West Center is a US institution in Honolulu dedicated to better relations among the peoples of the US, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study and research. Since 1960 it has hosted tens of thousands of fellows and visitors from across the region, building one of the strongest Asia-Pacific alumni networks anywhere.