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The ACC New York Fellowship 2028 gives a $38,000 grant to artists, scholars and arts professionals from Asia for a six-month cultural exchange in New York City, USA. The grant covers travel, housing, food, health insurance, visa costs and daily living expenses.
The fellowship is run by the Asian Cultural Council (ACC). It is open to citizens or permanent residents of 25 Asian countries and territories who are at least 21 and have at least five years of experience in an arts or cultural field. Fellows don’t have to produce or show any work. The six months are for exploring, learning and meeting peers.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Host country | United States (New York City) |
| Organisation | Asian Cultural Council (ACC) |
| Duration | 6 months, January to June 2028 or July to December 2028 |
| Funding | $38,000 grant for travel, housing, living costs, insurance and visa costs |
| Who can apply | Artists, scholars and arts professionals aged 21+ from 25 Asian countries and territories, with 5+ years of experience |
| Application fee | None mentioned |
| Deadline | 10 November 2026, 9:59 AM US Eastern Time |
What is the ACC New York Fellowship?
The Asian Cultural Council has supported cultural exchange between Asia and the United States since 1963. It has given more than $100 million to fund nearly 6,000 exchanges.
The New York Fellowship brings a mixed group of fellows from across Asia to New York for six months. You go to performances, exhibitions, workshops and talks, take part in ACC group visits and gatherings with ACC alumni, and share ideas with fellows from other art forms. It is a rare pause from daily work, with no pressure to make or present a project.
What you get
- A $38,000 grant for the six months
- A $3,000 advance for travel costs such as the $185 visa application fee and airfare
- Your SEVIS fee ($220) and mandatory health insurance ($675 to $800), paid by ACC and taken from the grant
- Housing at International House (I-House) in New York if you want it, paid from the grant (about $19,400 to $20,600 for six months)
- Between $10,000 and $31,100 paid to you after you arrive, depending on your insurance and housing choice
- J-1 visa sponsorship from ACC
- Guidance from ACC staff on living in New York and meeting alumni
Eligible fields
Architecture (design, history and theory), archaeology, art history, arts administration, arts criticism, conservation, crafts, curation, dance, ethnomusicology, film, literature, museum studies, music, theater and visual art. People who work mainly in video art or photography apply under visual art.
Eligible countries and territories
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China (Mainland), East Timor, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents cannot apply for the New York Fellowship. If your country is not on this list, we post fellowships for artists, writers and journalists from every region each week. See our fellowships page.
Who can apply
- A citizen or legal permanent resident of one of the countries or territories above
- At least 21 years old when the fellowship starts
- At least five years of experience in an eligible field
- Confident using English to get through daily life on your own (needed for the J-1 visa)
- Free to take leave from paid work, university study and teaching for the full six months
- Not a past New York Fellow, and not an ACC grantee in the last two calendar years
Is there an age limit?
There is a minimum age of 21 by the start of the fellowship. No upper age limit is listed.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?
No test is named. You must be confident using English to communicate and handle daily tasks on your own, because the J-1 visa requires it.
Do I need a degree?
No degree requirement is listed. What ACC asks for is at least five years of experience in one of the eligible fields.
Can I keep working during the fellowship?
No. Fellows can’t do paid work, study at university or teach during the six months, including online work for clients at home. ACC asks fellows to arrange leave from their jobs and studies.
Is there an application fee?
No application fee is mentioned on the official page.
Required documents
- The ACC application for the New York Fellowship
- Letters of recommendation, due on 16 November 2026
- Samples of your work (ACC publishes a guide with examples)
- An eligibility quiz, for applicants using the Hong Kong, Japan or Taiwan application files
How to write your application
ACC judges applications on how well they fit its mission and on timing in your career. Keep both in mind.
- Explain how six months in New York would widen your view and feed your practice. Be specific about what you want to see, learn or explore.
- Show why now is the right moment in your career for this pause.
- Don’t propose a production. ACC does not fund making a film, book, exhibition or performance. Frame your plan around learning and exchange.
- Choose work samples that show your best recent work, following ACC’s example guide.
How to apply, step by step
- Read the New York Fellowship guidelines on the ACC Grant Opportunities page.
- Check that your country, field and experience match the rules above.
- If you are in Hong Kong, Japan or Taiwan, download the local eligibility quiz and application files from the same page.
- Complete the application and upload your work samples.
- Ask your referees to send their letters by 16 November 2026.
- Submit by 10 November 2026, 9:59 AM U.S. Eastern Time.
Selection process
ACC reviews applications from November 2026 to April 2027 and tells applicants in mid-May 2027. Fellows are placed in one of two cohorts: 1 January to 30 June 2028, or 1 July to 31 December 2028. You can state a preference, but ACC makes the final choice.
Deadline
Deadline: 10 November 2026, 9:59 AM U.S. Eastern Time
Recommendation letters are due on 16 November 2026. The deadline is early in the day, so plan to submit by the evening before in your time zone.
Have a question?
Ask in the comments and we’ll help you check your eligibility.
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- Harvard LEAD Fellowship 2027/28 in the USA (Fully Funded)
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