Study Abroad Awards

Generous contributions from our alumni, faculty, and broad community of people interested in the study of Asia help to support study abroad in Asia. We would be so pleased if you would apply for one of our awards if you are a student, or support UB students by contributing to the award fund.

Visit UB’s Study Abroad Scholarships page to learn about other Study Abroad funding opportunities. Or, contact Megan Stewart, UB’s Fellowships and Scholarships advisor in the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships.

The 2022-2023 study abroad award supports study abroad for Spring 2023, Summer 2023, Fall 2023 or AY 2023-2024. 

*Application deadline is March 31, 2023

The awards will range between $500 and $1000. All UB undergraduate students who are studying abroad in Asia are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to students majoring or minoring in the Asian Studies Program and/or minoring in Korean.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Full-time enrollment as an undergraduate at the University of Buffalo in good academic standing at the time of your application
• At the time of applying for this award, you must already have applied to a study abroad program in Asia through the UB Study Abroad office. Exceptions will be considered with prior approval from the Asian Studies Director of Undergraduate Studies, Prof Hani Khafipour.

Criteria:

• Foreign language study is a component of the program
• Participation in an established, credit-bearing study abroad or exchange program
• Preference shall be given to applicants who are studying abroad for the first time or in a country or region to which they have never before traveled
• Awards are based on academic merit and seriousness of purpose
• The applicant agrees to be an ambassador for Asian Studies at UB by sending occasional posts and photos of their experiences while in-country for use on the Asian Studies Program’s social media and website. The applicant must also be willing to talk with other students about their study abroad experience upon returning to UB.

Application Materials and Guidelines:

Please submit the following 4 items:

1. The application form. This file can be found directly under the award's title.
2. A personal statement no longer than 3 pages double-spaced, 11 or 12 point font following the outline below:
   • The Program. Describe the program: what is the length of the program, the course of intended study, and the language focus? You may include a program info sheet or brochure as supporting paperwork if one exists.
   • The Language. What language training have you acquired prior to the study abroad program? What is your expected proficiency at the end of the study abroad program? What is your goal in learning this language?
   • Academic Purpose. Describe your academic reasons for selecting a particular program and explain in detail how the study abroad program will fit into your overall academic program and goals.
   • Development. Describe how the program benefits your personal, academic, and professional development.
   • Candidacy. Why are you a particularly strong candidate for this award?
3. One letter of recommendation from a professor who has taught you in an Asian Studies-related course. The letter of recommendation must be emailed as an attachment directly from the professor.
4. A current copy of your unofficial transcript.

All application materials must be submitted no later than 4pm on March 31, 2023

Submission Guidelines: 

Email Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu with “Study Abroad Award Application: [your name]” in the subject line. Attach the completed application form, your personal statement, and your transcripts. Ask your professor to email their letter of recommendation as an attachment to Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu with “Study Abroad Recommendation: [your name]” in the subject line.

Please contact the Asian Studies Program at Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu if you have any questions.

Current UB undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for funding to attend online courses offered by the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute in summer 2023. The languages offered through SEASS include: 

• Burmese
• Filipino
• Hmong
• Indonesian
• Javanese
• Khmer
• Lao
• Thai
• Vietnamese

Applications for funding will be evaluated by UB Asian Studies Program faculty and staff. The award provides partial tuition subventions. Additional funds for living expenses incurred during the summer program may also be available. It is anticipated that awards will be between $1,000 and $4,000.

*Application deadline is March 31, 2023

Eligibility:

• Full-time enrollment as an undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Buffalo in good academic standing at the time of application. UB faculty are also eligible. 
• At the time of application for this award, applicants must demonstrate that they have already applied to SEASSI. 
• Awards are contingent upon the applicant’s acceptance into an appropriate Southeast Asian summer language program

Criteria for Selection:

• Awards will be based on academic merit and seriousness of purpose
• The applicant agrees to be an ambassador for Asian Studies at UB by sending occasional posts and photos of their experiences for use on the Asian Studies Program’s social media and website. The applicant must also be willing to talk with other students about their experience upon returning to UB.
• The applicant’s prior Asian Studies coursework or plans to enroll in additional Asia-related courses at UB.
• Preference shall be given to applicants who are able to demonstrate that they have already applied for WISLIand/or SEASSI Tuition scholarships

Required Application Materials:

Applicants should send to Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu the following components in a single PDF file:

1)    Completed language program application form
2)    one- to two-page (750-word) statement of purpose describing your academic reasons for selecting a particular program, detailing how the language program will fit into your overall academic program and career goals, and how the program benefits you
3)    Transcripts: Applicants should scan their undergraduate and graduate transcripts  and include them in the single pdf file.
4)    Confirmation (email or scanned document) from SEASSI indicating receipt of complete summer language program application.
5)    A simple budget indicating anticipated expenses and other sources of funding to which the applicant has applied.
6)    Recommended: documentation confirming submission of completed applications for WISLI and/or SEASSI Tuition scholarships
7)   Applicants should also submit two (2) letters of recommendation emailed to Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu as an attachment directly from their professor or instructor. Instructors may also mail their recommendations in a sealed envelope signed by the instructor to Asian Studies Program, 537 Park Hall, Buffalo NY 14260.

Please contact the Asian Studies Program at Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu if you have any questions.

Current UB undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply for funding to attend intensive summer language programs such as those offered by

• The American Institute of Indian Studies
• University of Wisconsin South Asia Summer Language Institute
• University of Washington Summer Nepali Language Course
• University of Texas at Austin Summer Language Courses in Malayalam, Telugu, or Kannada

Applications for funding will be evaluated by UB Asian Studies Program faculty and staff. The Rustgi South Asian Language Award provides partial tuition subventions. Additional funds for living expenses incurred during the summer program may also be available. It is anticipated that the average award will be approximately $1,000 per student.

Eligibility:

• Full-time enrollment as an undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Buffalo in good academic standing at the time of application.
• At the time of application for this award, applicants must demonstrate that they have already applied to a summer language program. 
• Awards are contingent upon the applicant’s acceptance into an appropriate South Asian summer language program

Criteria for Selection:

• Awards will be based on academic merit and seriousness of purpose
• The applicant agrees to be an ambassador for Asian Studies at UB by sending occasional posts and photos of their experiences for use on the Asian Studies Program’s social media and website. The applicant must also be willing to talk with other students about their experience upon returning to UB.
• The applicant’s prior South Asian coursework or plans to enroll in additional South Asia-related courses at UB.
• Preference shall be given to students seeking to learn “critical need” languages (Bangla, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu).
• Preference shall be given to students who can demonstrate that they have also applied for the Critical Language Scholarship, Boren Awards, and/or  Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships.

Required Application Materials:

Applicants should send the following components in a single PDF file:

1)    Completed language program application form
2)    one-page (less than 500-word) statement of purpose describing your academic reasons for selecting a particular program, detailing how the study abroad program will fit into your overall academic program and goals, and how the program benefits you
3)    Transcripts: Applicants should scan their undergraduate and graduate transcripts (from U.S. or Canadian universities only) and include them in the single pdf file.
4)    Confirmation (email or scanned document) from AIIS, SAFLI, etc. indicating receipt of complete summer language program application.
5)    A simple budget indicating anticipated expenses and other sources of funding to which the applicant has applied.
6)    Recommended: documentation confirming submission of completed applications for the Critical Language Scholarship and/or Boren Scholarship
7)    Applicants should also submit one (1) letter of recommendation emailed as an attachment directly from their professor or instructor. Instructors may also mail their recommendations in a sealed envelope signed by the instructor to Asian Studies Program, 412 Clemens Hall, Buffalo NY 14260.

Please contact the Asian Studies Program at Asian-Studies@buffalo.edu if you have any questions.

We are extremely gratified that, despite the obstacles presented with studying a South Asian language in India this summer due to the ongoing pandemic, two students were selected to pursue thier academic goals through an on-line program offered by the American Institute of Indian Studies.

• Rebecca Dingle, Bengali
• Brian Kwong, Punjabi

We are so pleased to announce that three highly qualified applicants were awarded the Rustgi South Asian Language Award to study in the American Institute of Indian Studies this coming summer! As it turns out, our remarkable UB students qualify for many prestigious postings and awards and just one student will be funded by our Rustgi Award. Here are their stories:

• Yue Zhang: accepted the award and will study at AIIS summer 2019.
• Kayleigh Hamernik: was awarded alternative funding to study in India next academic year and we wish her well in her continuing studies.
• Jonathan Bessette: accepted an alternative opportunity for the summer instead of study abroad and we wish him well.

• UB Major: Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and Data Analytics
• Why India?  Yue has traveled throughout Asia, visiting Malaysia, Indonesia, northern China and some cities in southern China, but even though India is not far from her home she has never visited.
• Why so much traveling? Yue’s list of places visited doesn’t end with Asian countries – her study abroad experiences have taken her to Costa Rica and several regions of the United States. Yue likes to see different cultures and learn about food, people, and places. Her YouTube travelogue shares her experiences with the online world. She thinks that places are not portrayed on the news and in media as they really are and that you have to go see places for yourself to understand them. For instance, Yue really likes Bollywood films, but she’s pretty certain they are not a good portrayal of the whole country or everyday life.
• How is study abroad in India related to a business degree? Travel was Yue’s hobby until now, but as she considers her options in international business, she is believes that this experience will situate her to participate in culturally nuanced negotiations between India and China – and Europe since Yue also speaks French.
• Who should apply for the Rustgi award next year? Yue thinks she isn’t the typical student to apply for the award, she learned about it when she met Dr. Walter Hakala, the Asian Studies Program Director, at a UB Experiential Learning Network faculty mentor meet and greet. Yue thinks Asian Studies students definitely should apply, but anyone eager to learn and curious about India should too.

Congratulations to five UB students planning study abroad and language study in Japan, India, and Korea! We wish them well in their studies and are proud to support their endeavors!

• Samuel Coniglio
• Kendra Harbison
• Daniel Li
• Cindy Ng
• Logan Walters