ISEAS Wang Gungwu Visiting Fellows Programme

Who can apply

Post-doctoral researchers, or mid-career policy makers who may not hold a PhD or equivalent degree provided their CV shows an appropriate level of professional experience and research interest
Research aligned with ISEAS priority areas: US-China relations and impact on Southeast Asia, Asia-Pacific security, regional economic cooperation, China's rise, or digital media and technology's influence in Southeast Asia
Two letters of recommendation submitted by referees directly by email

A PhD is not a hard requirement here

A PhD is not a hard requirement here, which sets this apart from most postdoctoral fellowships. ISEAS states directly that it welcomes mid-career policy makers who may not hold a PhD or equivalent, as long as their CV demonstrates the right level of professional experience and genuine research interest in the institute’s priority areas. Those areas are specific: US-China relations and their impact on Southeast Asia, Asia-Pacific security, regional economic cooperation, China’s rise, and digital media’s influence across the region.

What the fellowship actually provides

The fellowship itself runs two to six months in residence at ISEAS in Singapore, with a fixed monthly stipend that already includes a housing subsidy, plus a return economy flight between your home country and Singapore. You also get office space, IT access, and the institute’s library while you’re there. In exchange, fellows are expected to contribute to two of the institute’s own publications, ISEAS Perspective and Fulcrum, and give an in-house seminar during their stay.

Named after a scholar who shaped the institute itself

The fellowship’s name isn’t incidental. It honours Professor Wang Gungwu, who chaired the ISEAS Board of Trustees for a 17-year tenure at the institute, and fellows are invited to a meeting with him personally during their stay, where possible. ISEAS backs the programme’s reputation with named alumni rather than vague testimonials: past Wang Gungwu Visiting Fellows include Dr. Du Yue in the Regional Social & Cultural Studies Programme (2024) and Dr. Deasy Pane in the Regional Economic Studies Programme (2025), both with published interviews describing their time at the institute.

The application mechanics

Applications go through a FormSG online form, and you need two referees to send their recommendation letters directly by email rather than through you.

The 2027 intake has closed

ISEAS’s own page now states plainly that the 2027 intake has closed, with no date yet published for a next round. Watch the institute’s opportunities page directly for the next call rather than assuming a fixed annual pattern will repeat on the same dates.