Luce

Eligibility

This is a one-year internship in East or Southeast Asia open to applicants from any major. Young professionals, seniors, and graduate and professional students are eligible to apply. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident under the age of 32, OR have received your undergraduate diploma within the past three years.

What They're Looking For

The goal of the program is to provide an Asian experience for those who will be future leaders in their field and communities, but have yet to have significant contact with the Asian county in which they will be placed. The Luce Scholars Program selection criteria include an applicant's:

  1. strong, mature, and clearly defined career interest in a specific field,
  2. motivation and potential for accomplishment within their field,
  3. academic achievement, especially in their field,
  4. capacity for leadership, and
  5. openness to new ideas and a sensitivity to their fellow human beings.

The single most important consideration is that nominees give evidence of potential for leadership and accomplishment, both within a chosen profession and as members of the broader American community. Read more about recent Illinois Luce Scholars.

 

Online Luce Information Session - August 15, 2024 from 11:00am-12:00pm.  Register online here

If you would like to discuss the Luce Scholars Program please contact the NIS Program to schedule an appointment.

Getting Started

University of Illinois students and alumni are encouraged to submit drafts of their Luce applications well in advance of the priority deadline in order to receive feedback from us. Attach your scholarship application materials in an email, along with a few potential meeting times no earlier than 2 business days after your submission to receive feedback. We are willing to work with students through numerous revisions.

Priority Campus Deadline

September 16, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. (noon)

The Luce Scholars Program does not formally require a university endorsement process. An applicant may choose to independently submit application materials to the Luce Scholars Program. However, if you are interested in obtaining feedback on your Luce Scholars application from a campus committee, then you need to submit materials by this deadline. University faculty and staff who are familiar with the award will review materials received by this date. If materials are submitted late, only the National and International Scholarships program will be able to provide feedback.

Required information:

  1. A signed Scholarship Waiver (either scanned or in hardcopy) submitted to our office
  2. Short answer responses
  3. Personal statement
  4. An informal 1-3 minute video response
  5. A 400-word bio written in 3rd person

Optional information includes two letters of recommendation that address the Luce criteria. Letters should be sent as attachments directly to us at topscholars@illinois.edu.

 

FINAL SUBMITTAL DEADLINE

October 16, 2023

A complete Luce Scholars application must be submitted online by this date. We would appreciate a copy of all materials prior to submission. 

The Final Stages

Applications will first be review by a national committee, with top applicants being offered a one-on-one virtual interview with a Luce Scholar alumnus. From there, 34 finalists will be invited to a finalist weekend consisting of interactive programs, workshops, and panel interviews to select the 18 Luce Scholars for the coming year.

Luce Website and Application

Visit our Canvas page for additional tips and samples of winning applications.

For official information on the Luce Scholars Program (which supersedes any information provided here), please visit their website.