Thank you for your interest in the Luce Scholars Program. We look forward to learning more about you.

Application Procedures - For the Luce Scholars Program on SurveyMonkey Apply (SMA)

Applications for the 2027-2028 Luce Scholars competition must be submitted no later than September 7, 2026 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.  We are unable to accept or review late applications materials. 

For questions on eligibility, application content, or the Luce Scholar Year, please check out our website or reach out to lucescholars@hluce.org. 

For technical support or assistance using Survey Monkey Apply, please contact Survey Monkey Customer Support.

Eligibility

Applicants will first fill out a short questionnaire to confirm eligibility. 

Eligible Applicants will gain access to the application. Applicants deemed ineligible will be notified by email.  For more information on eligibility, please click here.

Luce Scholar Program Application 

Applicants will be asked to complete 9 required tasks and if they choose, 1 optional task (listed below). Candidates are not required to complete these tasks in order. We strongly encourage applicants to request letters of recommendation as soon as possible. Applicants may jump to the Request Recommendation Letters tasks at any point in completing an application. Applications will be considered incomplete if letters of recommendation are not submitted by the deadline. The application includes sections for contact and biographical, academic, and professional information.

- LSP Application Personal & Background Information

- LSP Application Academic Information

- LSP Application Professional Information

- Personal Statement

- Five Short Answer Questions

- Signature

- Upload a Video

- Request a Professional Letter of Recommendation  

- Request a second Letter of Recommendation - this may be from a second professional letter or an academic letter

- Supplemental Materials Upload (optional)

Transcripts are no longer required.

You can save your application progress at any point and as frequently as necessary, but once submitted, you will no longer have access to it. We recommend printing a copy for your records before submitting.

Personal Statement Prompt

Use this space to reflect on your personal and professional journey through specific experiences that have shaped who you are today. 

Rather than providing a general overview, focus on one or two moments, relationships, or challenges that were particularly formative. How did these experiences influence your professional goals, perspectives, or sense of purpose?  (Maximum 500 words)

Five Short Answer Questions

Applicants are asked to answer five short-answer questions of varying length.

1) Use this space to describe the professional direction you are currently pursuing and why this is the right moment for you to participate in the Luce Scholars Program. How do you envision a Luce year in Asia advancing your career goals and strengthening your ability to contribute to the communities, fields, or issues you care about?  (Maximum 200 words)

2) Use this space to identify three Luce placement countries where you are most interested in being placed. For each, please describe what draws you to that country and what you hope to both gain from and contribute to the experience. Please be as specific as possible. Your responses should reflect a clear rationale of why each country makes sense for you in light of your professional and personal goals.  (Maximum 300 words)

Please note that, if selected, you are not guaranteed placement in one of the countries listed in your response.

The current placement countries/regions are as follows:
China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste. 

At this time, we are not making placements in Nepal due to work visa restrictions or in Myanmar due to U.S. State Department restrictions.  

3) Use this space to reflect on what you believe is the most important attribute of an effective leader. Explain why you consider this quality essential, and draw on your own experiences to illustrate how it has shaped your approach to leadership in practice.  (Maximum 200 words)

4) Use this space to describe how you contribute to a team dynamic. Highlight the strengths and qualities you bring to collaborative work, and share an example that illustrates the role you typically take in a group.  (Maximum 200 words)

5) Use this space to describe a time you have engaged with a community or public issue that matters to you. What did you do, and what did you learn from that experience? (Maximum 200 words)

Signature

 You may use AI tools for editing purposes only. All responses must reflect your own experiences, voice, and thinking. Applicants must certify that the Personal Statement and all Short Answer Questions are their own work and that all questions were answered truthfully to the best of their knowledge. 

Academic Transcripts Upload

Transcripts are no longer required.

Video Upload

In a 1–2 minute video, please choose one of the following prompts:

Option 1:

Share something that helps us understand who you are beyond your written application. This could be an object, a place, an experience, a routine, or an idea that has shaped your view of the world.

Option 2:

Tell us something about yourself that we wouldn't learn from your application. Surprise us. Make us remember you.

Use this opportunity to let your personality, voice, and perspective shine.

Please record using only your mobile phone or laptop camera. Keep the video simple and unedited, as we want to hear directly from you rather than focusing on production quality. The technical quality of the video is less important than your message, so prioritize that. 

Points will be deducted if the video exceeds 2 minutes.

Be creative, honest, funny—most of all, be yourself.

Submit requests for Two Letters of Recommendation (LOR) – two separate tasks

You must submit exactly two letters of recommendation:

• At least one must be professional. Professional letters should come from a supervisor with whom you’ve worked closely for at least three months and who can speak to your work ethic, leadership potential, and impact. This may include summer internships, provided the supervisor has had ample time to observe your work.
• No more than one may be academic. Academic letters may come from professors, mentors, advisors, or others who have directly supervised your academic work or research.

In other words, you may submit two professional letters, or one professional and one academic, but not two academic letters.

No additional letters will be accepted.

We are particularly interested in applicants who bring prior professional experience, whether through full-time employment, internships, summer work, or other non-academic roles. Accordingly, at least one professional letter of recommendation must come from an individual who has known you in a supervisory capacity for at least three months. A supervisor from a standard 10-week summer internship may also satisfy this requirement.

For each recommender, you must complete a form using their name and email address. Once submitted, the recommender will receive an email with instructions for writing and uploading the LOR directly to the application portal. Letters must be uploaded separately by the recommenders.

We encourage you to seek recommenders who know you well and have directly observed your work—whether in academic, professional, or leadership settings. They should be able to speak to your skills, achievements, and leadership potential. Recommenders should also be familiar with your personal strengths and future promise. All LORs must be signed and on official letterhead.

Deadline: Letters must be uploaded by 5:00 PM EST on September 7, 2026.

We strongly encourage you to request your letters as early as possible. You may jump to the "Request Recommendation Letters" tasks at any time while completing your application. Applications will be considered incomplete if one or both LORs are not submitted by the deadline.

Supplemental Materials

Applicants are invited, but not required, to upload examples of original work (i.e. artist's portfolios, publications, podcasts, etc.) We ask that you be considerate of the reviewer's time when compiling the volume of these materials. 

Submission of Application

All Application Materials, including letters of recommendations and all required and optional uploads, must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 7, 2026. In the event of technical difficulties or application submission issues, please use the HELP feature in the application portal’s toolbar.  You may also reach out to lucescholars@hluce.org, but we cannot guarantee that applications submitted after the deadline will be considered.

Application FAQs

What happens if my recommender cannot submit on time?

We strongly encourage you to work with your recommenders to explore all viable options to submit their letters on time. If a recommender is not able to write a letter on your behalf, you may withdraw the request and submit a new recommender form at any time. Remember, although you may submit your application, it is not complete until your recommenders have submitted their letters.

How will I know if my recommendations have been submitted?

You will receive an email each time a letter of recommendation is submitted. It is your responsibility to follow up with your recommenders to make sure your letters are submitted by the deadline. 

Do I need to complete the application in one sitting?

No, applicants can save their applications at any point during the application process, as many times as necessary.

I submitted my application. What happens next?

Review of applications begins immediately after the deadline. Click here to learn more about our review process.

I have an ongoing health condition; can I still apply?

Yes, scholars with physical and mental health conditions are eligible. As long as you are able to travel to Asia, we will work to support your success as a Luce Scholar.

I’ve read the website, but I still have questions about eligibility, the application process, or the Luce year. Who can I contact?

For questions regarding eligibility, applications, or the Luce year, please email lucescholars@hluce.org.