The Steven and Debi Wisch Fellowship for Graduate Research in South Asian Studies

The Steven and Debi Wisch Fellowship is awarded to outstanding Stanford doctoral students who have demonstrated potential to advance scholarship in South Asian Studies. Applicants are nominated by their faculty advisor and are expected to undertake doctoral research during their fellowship term. 

The fellowship provides a stipend and TGR tuition support for Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters. For 2025-26, the fellowship stipend amount will be $14,087 per quarter. Fellows also receive a $2,000 stipend to be used towards their research expenses. 

Eligibility

All doctoral candidates enrolled in Stanford School of Humanities & Sciences whose work focuses on the study of South Asia are eligible to apply. Both disciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects focusing on South Asia are considered. Note that in awarding fellowships, preference will be given to students who will be entering year 6 or 7 of their doctoral studies. The nominees should have active candidacy and have a research proposal approved by their dissertation committee before the start of the fellowship. 

Fellows must be enrolled in each quarter of the fellowship year. Students who are TGR or in a graduation quarter status must enroll in the appropriate zero unit TGR course. If the student is not yet in TGR status, the student's degree program may provide additional funds to cover the tuition shortfall. Wisch fellows may hold either a concurrent research or teaching assistantship appointment up to a maximum of 25%, or hourly employment of up to 8 hours per week, but not both. Further inquiries shall be directed to the CSA Associate Director Dr. Lalita du Perron with cc to southasiainfo [at] stanford.edu (southasiainfo[at]stanford[dot]edu).