South Asia Center Research Internships

• Undergraduate Research
• / Funding Opportunities

General Information

The South Asia Center (SAC) at Penn offers summer research internship placements in South Asia. Students will be able to work on a project of their own design with the aid of a local mentor in South Asia or can choose to volunteer with an organization devoted to work in a particular field.

Topics include:

• Agrobiodiversity Conservation
• Archaeology and Public Education
• Artist Residency
• Development Economics, Religion and Social Welfare
• Ecology and the Environment
• Indology, Social Science, and Ecology
• LGBTQ Movement Building
• Marine Biology in the Indian Ocean
• Policy and Socio-Political Issues
• Politics, Society, and Culture
• Pundole's Auction House Arts Internship

Most opportunities include a host institution and/or research mentor who will offer guidance to students, assist with accommodation, and offer valuable connections and insight. Placements are available to students at all levels. 

Two different funding avenues are available for students: 

1. South Asia Studies Department Summer Research Grant due in March. For more information click here.
2. Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships (CURF). Due dates vary (January-April). Support available for a wide range of projects. Learn more here. 

Funding is currently limited to students who will NOT graduate in May or August of 2024.

After being accepted to the SAC Research Internship Program, someone from the center will be able to guide you through the funding process. 

Application Details

Apply here!

The application includes:

1. Upload Personal Statement answering the following questions: 
   
   After reviewing institutional and mentor descriptions, provide a short description of your interest in the proposed research from the specific internship site tab on our website. If you want to work on an independent project of your own design, students please submit your proposal so that host institutions and/or mentors can easily accommodate. 
   
   Do you have previous experience working with this topic? If yes, please explain. If you have never worked on this issue/with this population before, please explain why you would like to (250 words or less).
   
   Have you taken a Research Methods course or conducted research before? If so, please give details, and explain the process, challenges and outcomes of previous research (250 words or less).
   
   Please describe a time when you had to be self-directed and resolve a conflict while working in a challenging environment (250 words or less).
    
2. Please upload a total of 2 references. References can be academic or professional. If you’d like, feel free to include one from a faculty member who might have a direct interest, or serve as an on-campus project mentor. 
    
3. Please upload a PDF of your unofficial Penn transcript.

Details:

Research Offering Type

Internship

Location

Asia

Undergraduate School

College, Engineering, Nursing, Wharton

Source

Penn

Contact Information