Summer in South Asia Fellowship

Overview

The Summer in South Asia Fellowship (SiSA) provides funding for students to volunteer and/or conduct a project in India over the summer months.  The program is designed to be student-centered. The Center for South Asian Studies offers advising to help identify organizations and develop project topics catered around your academic or personal interests. 

SiSA Fellows have focused on a wide variety of topics related to their academic degrees and/or areas of personal interest. This fellowship has provided students with opportunities ranging from building solar panels with community members in a rural area, to working on a Bollywood movie set. Participating in this fellowship provides students with invaluable international experiences that are transformative and leave a lasting personal, academic, and professional impact on their lives.  

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Summer in South Asia fellowship, you must meet the following criteria:

• Non-graduating undergraduate students from all academic disciplines
• Applicants must not have spent a significant amount of time in India
• Joint projects by multiple fellows are not permitted
• There is no GPA requirement, although GPA is considered during the application process
• Applicants may have additional sources of funding, but may not receive financial compensation for their volunteer work

Application Procedures

The application requires students to complete the following:

• Two recommendation forms must be completed on your behalf 
• One copy of unofficial transcripts

The Summer in South Asia Fellowship offers students the option to choose between pursuing a volunteer opportunity or conducting an independent project while in India. 

Volunteering
The Summer in South Asia Fellowship is most commonly awarded to students who volunteer or apprentice with an organization of their choice.  Students typically choose their volunteer site based on academic and/or personal interests. The Center for South Asian Studies is available to assist you with the application process – providing guidance on volunteer sites, topics of interest, and some logistical arrangements. 

• Knowledge of the topic they will be focusing on.
• At least one faculty member willing to serve as an informal advisor on the topic. This person can be based in the US or in India, and should have knowledge of South Asia.
• Comfortable with independent travel in India.
• IRB approval where required.

Need to Know

• Visit the Summer in South Asia Fellowship webpage 
• Email sisafellowship@umich.edu
• Read about former fellows
• Read the blogs of former Summer in South Asia Fellows: 
  • Summer in South Asia Blog

Dates & Deadlines

Applications open October 15, 2022.
The application and associated materials are due on January 20, 2023.  Final award decisions will be issued in mid-February.
 

Academics/Program Requirements

Summer in South Asia fellows are required to complete the requirements of the fellowship. If the student does not successfully complete the requirements listed below, all or a portion of the fellowship funds must be returned.

• A minimum of four weeks must be spent in India.
• Weekly blog posts while in India.
• A final report of 8-12 pages.
• Students must share their experiences at the Summer in South Asia Symposium, open to the university community  (typically at the beginning of October) .

Contact Information

Clemente Beghi, Academic Program and Fellowships Coordinator
Center for South Asian Studies
email: sisafellowship@umich.edu
phone: 734-615-4059