Graduate Fellowship

ACC gives a small number of Fellowships each year to students admitted to a graduate degree program in the U.S. in an eligible field. This funding is intended to cover travel and living expenses related to graduate study; tuition costs are not supported by this grant. Applicants who have not yet received an admissions offer are welcome to apply, but ACC must receive proof of admission before funding can be awarded. Priority is given to applicants who choose to study abroad because comparable programs are not available in their home country and to those working in fields that are underrepresented in their home country. By enabling access to academic training for international students, ACC aims to contribute to the diversification of scholarly narratives and critical discourse.

ACC’s graduate Fellowships offer support to students enrolled in full-time, in-residence degree programs active during the regular academic year. Students who have completed the coursework phase of their graduate education or those applying to or are enrolled in part-time, summer-only, or online programs are not eligible for consideration. 

Graduate Fellowships are awarded for one academic year with the possibility of renewal; applicants may request up to two additional years of funding in their initial application. For students seeking multiyear funding support, proof of eligibility status will be required on an annual basis . After verifying annual eligibility, ACC will determine funding renewals based on the student’s good academic standing, reporting requirements, and ACC’s funding capacity.

During the funding period, Graduate Fellowship recipients are invited to participate in ACC’s broader community and engage with current ACC Fellows and alumni. 

 As ACC’s mission is to foster cultural exchange, Graduate Fellowship applicants must:

• Articulate how the impact of cultural exchange opportunities and grant funding affect the grantee’s degree program experience in addition to  how they plan to continue and sustain cross-cultural dialogues after the conclusion of the program.
• Show a track record of or potential for artistic, scholarly, or professional excellence and continued growth
• Represent an artistic practice, profession, or field of scholarship that is underserved by graduate programs or underrepresented in their home country
• Enroll  in a full-time, in-residence, degree-granting graduate program during the funding period described above 
• Provide ACC with proof of admission by February 2023

If selected, Fellows are expected to:

• Maintain good academic standing at their graduate institution and report their grades for the academic year

Please note the following restrictions:

• Degree programs in education (e.g. museum education) are not eligible, even if the focus is arts-related. 
• Commercial degree programs and applicants with only a commercial arts background are not eligible. 
• Applicants must apply to graduate programs independently.  ACC cannot recommend specific graduate programs or help prospective students with their applications to graduate school. 
• Applicants must secure other sources of funding for tuition, as ACC funding only covers living costs and travel costs up to $30,000 a year.

Refer to the Fellowships & Grants page for an explanation of the allowable use of funds and other general information. Frequently asked questions are answered in the FAQ.