• All NUS undergraduate students who are pursuing/interested to pursue research projects with a Southeast Asia focus.
• Undergraduate students who are working on research projects under UROP, honours thesis, final year projects, etc are also encouraged to apply.

• Successful applicants will be offered a stipend up to $4,000 during the course of their project.
• Fellows will be assigned a mentor from NUS Libraries who will provide guidance on source materials in our collections.
• Fellows will have access to a shared reading room at NUS Libraries over the course of their fellowship.
• Fellows get the opportunity to showcase their research and fellowship experience through our communication network.
  

• Fellows should complete their project by 16 April 2027.
• Upon notification of their award, fellows are required to submit a workplan outlining their research schedule and project milestones. Stipends will be disbursed according to the approved schedule.
• Fellows may request the acquisition of source materials not available in NUS Libraries' collections, subject to review and approval. Requests should be submitted with the workplan to allow sufficient time for review and processing.
• Fellows will be asked to share their experiences via questionnaires or interviews and provide a reflection on the outcomes or impacts of the fellowship.
• Fellows are expected to acknowledge NUS Libraries Undergraduate Research Fellowship in all publications and presentations associated with research conducted under the fellowship.

• Upon completion of the fellowship, fellows are expected to deposit a supervisor-approved copy of their final project in ScholarBank@NUS and submit resources and materials acquired or generated during the fellowship. These may include primary sources, interview materials, research papers, bibliographies, datasets, and other relevant materials. Submitted materials will be reviewed and, upon approval, added to NUS Libraries' collection to benefit future researchers and contribute to ongoing academic discourse.
  
  Applicants whose projects require NUS-IRB approval must indicate this in their application. Fellowship requirements on the depositing of research data and materials will be adjusted accordingly to ensure compliance with IRB protocols.

• Fellows are required to present their research process and findings at a symposium organised by NUS Libraries. By participating, fellows consent to the recording of their presentation and grant NUS Libraries a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, distribute, publicly display, and disseminate the video recording and any associated materials (including written, multimedia, or derivative works) for library purposes through any medium or channel.

Research findings, observations, and conclusions arising from the Undergraduate Research Library Fellowship are those of the individual fellows and do not necessarily reflect the official views of NUS Libraries.

1. Singapore’s Development (1965 – Present): An interdisciplinary exploration of Singapore’s rapid transformation since independence
2. Decolonising Knowledge and Inclusive Scholarship: A critical reassessment (e.g. materials from the Bugis-Makassar Repository, Singapore/Malaysia Collection)
3. Biodiversity and Natural History of Southeast Asia: An inquiry into regional flora and fauna, spanning from historical scientific endeavours to modern conservation.
4. Public Health Resilience, Innovation, and Social History: Researching the evolution of healthcare and social welfare in the region.
5. Cultural Heritage and Identity through Private Papers: Reconstructing the social and cultural fabric of Southeast Asia using private collections. Key themes include the evolution of performing arts (Wang Sha and Bai Yan), literary and philosophical thought (Edwin Thumboo and Wang Zengshan), and economic diaspora studies (Yeap Chor Ee).
   

Applications are to be submitted via the application form by 28 Aug 2026. Please prepare the following documents as part of the submission:

• A curriculum vitae (maximum of 3 pages)
• A research proposal (no more than 1,000 words) containing the following:
  • Synopsis — introduce the problem/gap, and aims of your project
  • Contributions of your proposed research (to theory, policy and/or practice)
    
  • Potential limitations — discuss the feasibility of completing the proposed project within the academic year, and anticipate challenges that you may encounter
  • Expected outputs — identify the final outcomes, which may be in the form of a thesis, a paper, a digital project, performance, visual story, poster, and so on
  • Estimated expenditure — discuss how you will use the stipend to support your research
    
• A tentative list of materials/collections you would like to examine during your fellowship. Please include links, collection names, call numbers (if relevant). Where necessary, do also identify source materials that you need, but are unable to identify from our existing collections. You may consult our main and/or special collections for a listing. 
• An email from a faculty member indicating their agreement to supervise your project.