Association for Asian Studies: Grants & Programs

The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) is an international scholarly society founded in 1941 that administers competitive research grants, travel awards, and fellowships across Asian studies disciplines. Operating through regional councils—covering East, Inner, Northeast, and South Asia—the AAS funds archival research and academic travel through a strict post-project reimbursement model.

What It Is and Who Runs It

The Association for Asian Studies represents approximately 6,500 scholars and educators globally. Established in 1941 as the Far Eastern Association and based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, it publishes the Journal of Asian Studies and hosts major annual conferences in North America and Asia.

As described on the official page on November 8, 2026, the AAS grant portfolio is administered by its Ann Arbor Secretariat alongside four regional councils:

East and Inner Asia Council (EIAC): Formerly CIAC; funds small grants on China, Taiwan, and Inner Asia in partnership with the Chiang Ching-kuo (CCK) Foundation.
Northeast Asia Council (NEAC): Coordinates Japan Studies grants (partnering with the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission) and Korean Studies grants (partnering with the Korea Foundation).
South Asia Council (SAC): Awards conference subventions across South Asian fields.
Council of Conferences (COC): Provides educational outreach grants to regional North American conferences.
Executive Programs: Directs major endowments, including the Gosling-Lim Postdoctoral Fellowship in Southeast Asian Studies.

Eligibility (Summary, with the Official Source)

Eligibility requirements published on the official AAS portal enforce several universal criteria across council competitions:

Active Membership: Applicants must maintain current, paid AAS membership at submission; lapsed accounts are declined administratively.
Graduate Standing: Doctoral applicants must achieve dissertation-level standing and submit a confidential recommendation letter from their primary advisor.
Institutional Tier Limits: EIAC Small Grants explicitly exclude tenure-track faculty at research-intensive universities, reserving travel awards for dissertation students, contingent faculty, and scholars at non-research institutions.
Geographic and Citizenship Mandates: NEAC Japan grants require United States citizenship or permanent residency under statutory JUSFC rules. NEAC Korea grants require North American institutional affiliation. Gosling-Lim Fellowships are open only to Southeast Asian nationals based at Southeast Asian institutions.
Human Subjects Clearance: Projects involving interviews or human participants must submit proof of approval or exemption from an IRB (Institutional Review Board) prior to fund disbursement.

What It Funds or Requires

AAS council grants target direct, project-specific research travel and archival investigation:

Eligible Direct Costs

Approved expenditures follow standard travel cost (grant) rules:

Transportation: Economy airfare, train tickets, airport shuttles, and local transit. Car rentals or mileage are eligible when documented as more economical than transit.
Living Expenses: Lodging and subsistence up to defined per diem limits (such as a $200 daily ceiling for NEAC Japan travel). Subleases require lease contracts and payment receipts.
Field Tools: Specialized equipment rentals, such as pocket Wi-Fi units necessary for field research.

Ineligible Costs

The AAS explicitly prohibits several budget categories:

Indirect Costs: The AAS disallows institutional overhead; universities cannot charge indirect costs (overheads) or F&A rates against council awards.
Salaries and Honoraria: Organizers and principal investigators cannot draw stipends, salaries, or honoraria from grant funds.
Permanent Equipment: Hardware purchases (laptops, cameras), books, personal insurance, gifts, and visa fees are unallowable.

All awards operate under a cost reimbursement mechanism; no cash advances are issued.

Application or Compliance Steps

Prospective applicants follow a structured six-step sequence:

Verify Membership and Program Fit: Check active AAS membership status and review regional council remits and citizenship restrictions.
Prepare Project Narrative: Draft a focused statement (maximum 1,000 words) detailing research objectives, methodology (compare regional archival and art historical methods in What Is Art History? Methods, Museums, Funding, and Image Rights), target repositories, and travel rationale.
Itemize the Budget: List unpadded expenses by transit mode, accommodation, and per diem within program caps.
Submit Advisor Letters: Ensure dissertation advisors upload recommendation letters prior to portal closing.
Obtain IRB Approval: Provide institutional review board clearance documentation for projects involving field interviews or human subjects.
Reconcile Expenses: Submit a final narrative report and audited receipts within 30 days of travel completion for reimbursement approval.

Typical Timeline Phases

AAS grant competitions follow regular seasonal phases without rigid calendar dates:

Portal Opening: Submission systems open 8 to 10 weeks before deadlines (late summer for fall cycles; December for winter cycles).
Application Deadline: Submissions close promptly at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on published deadline dates (typically October 1 or February 1).
Peer Review: Council committees evaluate applications during seasonal governance cycles, often coinciding with the annual conference.
Award Notification: Decisions are communicated by email approximately 8 to 10 weeks after portal closure (late November or April).
Performance Window: Projects must begin after notification and finish by the date set in the award agreement (typically November 30 of the following year).
Closeout: Grantees must file technical reports and expense documentation within 30 days of project conclusion.

Common Mistakes

Applicants commonly encounter preventable administrative setbacks:

Expecting Upfront Cash: Forgetting that awards function strictly via post-project reimbursement.
Adding Overhead Percentages: Permitting university offices to append indirect cost rates, requiring proposal revision.
Omitting Specific Repositories: Requesting regional travel without naming primary archival collections or archives.
Ineligible Faculty Appointments: Applying for small research travel grants while holding a tenure-track post at a research university.
Lapsed Membership: Attempting to submit proposals without active AAS membership.
Missing Human Subjects Documentation: Initiating interviews before receiving formal institutional review board approval.

Related Programs

AAS councils manage several distinct funding mechanisms:

Program Name	Managing Body	Sponsor / Endowment	Maximum Award	Eligibility & Scope
EIAC Small Grants	East and Inner Asia Council	Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation & AAS	Up to $2,000	Dissertation students & non-research faculty; China, Taiwan, Inner Asia travel
NEAC Japan Travel (US)	Northeast Asia Council	Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission	Up to $2,500	US citizens/PRs; domestic library travel for Japanese studies
NEAC Japan Travel (Japan)	Northeast Asia Council	Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission	Up to $5,000	US citizens/PRs; research travel to Japan
NEAC Korean Studies Grants	Northeast Asia Council	Korea Foundation	Up to $2,500 (travel) / variable	North America-based scholars; research and workshops in Korean studies
Gosling-Lim Postdoctoral Fellowship	AAS Executive Committee	Gosling-Lim Endowment	US $55,000	Southeast Asian nationals at Southeast Asian institutions; 10-12 months
COC Outreach Grants	Council of Conferences	AAS Member Endowments	Up to $3,000	Regional conference organizers; Asian studies outreach and education

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Association for Asian Studies?

The Association for Asian Studies is an international non-profit scholarly society founded in 1941. With over 6,500 members worldwide, it publishes scholarly journals, organizes annual conferences, and manages council research grants.

Does the AAS disburse grant funds in advance?

No. AAS council awards operate on a strict reimbursement basis. Grantees cover travel expenses upfront and receive reimbursement after submitting audited receipts and a final report.

Can universities assess indirect costs on an AAS grant?

No. The AAS prohibits indirect cost recovery (F&A). All awarded funds must support direct travel, lodging, or educational project expenses.

Are graduate students eligible for council grants?

Yes. Dissertation-level doctoral candidates who have completed comprehensive exams can apply for EIAC and NEAC travel awards, accompanied by a letter of recommendation from their dissertation advisor.

What should I do if my research travel destination changes?

If archive closures or field conditions necessitate destination changes, grantees must email the AAS Grant Programs Manager at [email protected] for formal approval before incurring travel costs.

Sources

Association for Asian Studies — About Us. URL: https://www.asianstudies.org/about/. Read date: November 8, 2026.
Association for Asian Studies — Grants & Awards Overview. URL: https://www.asianstudies.org/grants-awards/. Read date: November 8, 2026.
AAS Council Grants Directory. URL: https://www.asianstudies.org/grants-awards/council-grants/. Read date: November 8, 2026.
East and Inner Asia Council (EIAC) Small Grants. URL: https://www.asianstudies.org/grants-awards/council-grants/china-and-inner-asia-council-small-grants/. Read date: November 8, 2026.
Northeast Asia Council (NEAC) Japan Studies Grants. URL: https://www.asianstudies.org/grants-awards/council-grants/aas-northeast-asia-council-japan-studies-grants/. Read date: November 8, 2026.
Northeast Asia Council (NEAC) Korean Studies Grants. URL: https://www.asianstudies.org/grants-awards/council-grants/northeast-asia-council-korean-studies-grants/. Read date: November 8, 2026.
Gosling-Lim Postdoctoral Fellowship in Southeast Asian Studies. URL: https://www.asianstudies.org/grants-awards/gosling-lim-postdoctoral-fellowship-in-southeast-asian-studies/. Read date: November 8, 2026.