[Call for Applicants] Alphawood scholarships for SEA students – SOAS University of London 2026/27

Greetings from SOAS – Alphawood Programme!

The SOAS-Alphawood Programme is a transformational programme whose remit is to support and advance, through study and research, the understanding and preservation of Southeast Asian Buddhist and Hindu art and architecture from ancient to pre-modern times.

We are pleased to inform you that the application for SOAS University of London 2026/27 is now open for Universitas Gadjah Mada students.

 

Website Information

 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

  • The programme is generously supported by the Alphawood Foundation (Chicago) and is designed to strengthen SOAS’ research expertise and existing institutional links to create a vibrant network linking art, archaeology and heritage organisations in the Southeast Asian region. We do this through three main streams of activity:
    • Scholarships
    • Research and publications
    • Outreach

    The Programme supported over 100 scholarships between 2014 and 2025 and funds three fully endowed academic posts at SOAS, as well as numerous research and publishing initiatives, conferences, summer programmes, lectures and workshops in London and Southeast Asia.

  • They will support the following in-person and online programmes at SOAS:
    • SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art
    • MA History of Art and Archaeology
    • Online SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art

 

SCHOLARSHIP COVERS

The Alphawood scholarships in the 2026/27 academic year will provide for:

  • Tuition fees: scholars’ SOAS tuition fees for the relevant programme will be paid in full (as well as the cost of any English language support).
  • Maintenance: an allowance of £18,700 per annum (pro rata) will be paid to the scholar to cover costs of living and studying in central London. For online scholars, an allowance of £3000 per annum will be paid to help with maintenance costs in their home country.
  • Travel: the cost of economy flights to and from the UK at the start and end of the MA/Diploma programme will be paid by the scholarship for those studying in London.
  • Visa and other costs: the costs of any visa, requisite health checks and Immigration Health Surcharge costs required for visa purposes, will be reimbursed to those scholars studying in London.

 

ELIGIBILITY

The following eligibility criteria apply to all prospective applicants to the Alphawood scholarships scheme this year:

  • You must have received an offer for your programme of study from SOAS by the time that the scholarships are awarded in March 2026.
  • You should normally be resident in one of the following countries: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar/Burma, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam.
    • Applications will be considered from candidates who are not normally resident in these countries, provided you can demonstrate your intention and capacity to return or relocate to the region to pursue employment, teaching, further study or to otherwise make a direct and positive impact in the countries listed above regarding the objectives of the remit given above. Please include evidence of this in your personal statement.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Step one: apply for the MA/Diploma programme  

Candidates considering an applicaxtion for an Alphawood scholarship are asked to complete their application for admission to the relevant MA/Diploma programme through the following online applications:

Please read the relevant guidance on the SOAS site before you start your application.

All Alphawood scholarship applicants must have an offer of admission in place by the time the SOAS-Alphawood Scholarships Selection Panel begin reviewing applications in late February 2026.

As it may take several weeks to assess applications for admission and to offer a place in the relevant programme, we strongly recommended that applicants complete and submit applications for admission to SOAS as early as possible, and by 15 February 2026 at the very latest.

Step two: apply for an Alphawood scholarship 

After submitting an application for admission to the MA or PGDiploma, applicants should then apply for an Alphawood scholarship through the following application forms:

Applicants should complete and submit their application form in one sitting. It is not possible to save drafts of this form or return to a partially complete form at a later date for revision.

As such, we recommend all applicants make note of the questions and work on responses in a separate document until fully satisfied with the responses. Applicants may then return to the online application form to input and submit these final responses.

 

PROGRAM KEYDATES

  • 15 February 2026 or earlier: candidates should submit their complete application for admission to SOAS using the application forms indicated above.
  • 21 February 2026: candidates must submit their complete application for a scholarship through the relevant application form by this date.
  • March 2026: the SOAS-Alphawood Scholarships Selection Panel and SOAS-Alphawood Group agree the successful applicant/s for award.
  • April 2026: SOAS will contact all applicants to inform them of the outcome of their application.

 

CONSULTATION INFO

For any inquiries, you can contact below:

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