Dr Hettie Elgood Scholarship
Key information
- Deadline date
- Department
- SOAS-Alphawood Asian Art Programme
Scholarship overview
SOAS-Alphawood Asian Art Programme alumni, Gretchen Welch and Ida Chow, set up the Dr Hettie Elgood Scholarship in 2018 to honour their teacher and friend, Dr Hettie Elgood, MBE, Founder and Director Emerita of the SOAS-Alphawood Asian Art Programme.
They hope that those who study under this scholarship will go on to contribute to the course by lecturing or tutoring in the future, or by promoting the study of Asian art through other platforms. This is the seventh year the scholarship has been offered, which has been made possible by further alumni donations.
The scholarship covers full tuition fees for the in-person pathway of the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art and an allowance to cover living costs during term time. The scholarship is open to anyone, anywhere in the world who is not financially able to pursue the course without a full scholarship and stipend.
We strongly encourage applicants who would not have considered the programme without the opportunity afforded by this scholarship. We hope the scholarship will be a transformative opportunity, enabling the successful applicant to pursue a career related to Asian art, such as academia, curatorial or museum work, or a position in the commercial art world.
Deadline
The deadline for applying for the scholarship for the 2026/27 academic year is 11:59pm (BST) on Sunday 24 May 2026. Scholarship applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by 31 June 2026.
Applicants must already hold an offer for the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art (conditional or unconditional) prior to submitting a scholarship application. Therefore, we recommend submitting your application for the programme no later than Sunday 10 May.
Eligibility
One Dr Hettie Elgood Scholarship is available for the 2026/27 academic year running from 28 September 2025 to 4 August 2026. Recipients of the scholarship will complete the following modules:
- Arts of India
- Analysing and Exploring the Arts
- Arts of China
- Arts of Japan & Korea or Arts of the Buddhist World
- the Independent Study Project in Asian Art History or Asian Art: Theories, Practices and Objects
Candidate eligibility criteria
Applicants must:
- Already hold an offer of a place on the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art.
- Possess or expect to be awarded a 2:1 or above, an equivalent non-UK qualification, or equivalent professional experience. Students with a non-UK degree are to be adjudged by their referees and transcript.
- Provide a personal statement stating why they wish to take this programme and how this scholarship will make a difference to them.
- Explain their eligibility in a separate statement of financial need.
International students must demonstrate that they meet SOAS's English language requirements by the 17 July 2026.
How to apply
Please apply for the Dr Hettie Elgood scholarship by submitting the online application form. As part of this form you must also submit:
- A recently submitted piece of academic work at least 1,000 words in length, or equivalent piece of writing from a professional context (i.e., auction or museum catalogue essay). If you have not recently submitted a piece of academic work please produce a new piece of writing on an art historical topic of your choosing at approximately 1,000 words in length (please note that the panel may only review the first 1,000 words).
- Two references providing an opinion on your suitability for this programme of study as a scholarship student. Academic references are preferred, but one professional reference is acceptable. Two professional references can be provided if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years.
Referees can email references directly to Programme Manager Patrick Monger at asianart@soas.ac.uk but these must be received by the application deadline.
Terms and conditions
Candidate assessment
- Candidates will be assessed by an Advisory Panel consisting of three members of SOAS staff.
- The panel will be looking at the applicants’ degree results, references, professional experience, supporting statement, writing sample, and other relevant information.
- The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of a combination of academic potential, financial need, and impact of the scholarship on the applicant’s academic and professional development.
Terms
- The scholarship cannot be held along with any other major scholarship.
- The scholarship is specifically to support in-person study in London; online modules cannot be taken as part of the programme for the scholarship holder.
- It is expected that the successful candidate dedicates themselves to the course full-time and will not undertake any further form of work or study during term-time.
- The successful candidate is expected to attend all teaching sessions.
- Continuation of the award will be conditional on satisfactory attendance and contribution, which will be assessed at the end of every term as well as monitored throughout.
- London residency during term-time is a requirement. There is a stipend of £19,400 to cover accommodation and living costs, paid in three installments over the course of the year. We are happy to offer assistance in arranging accommodation for the scholarship recipient.
Contact us
If you have any queries about the application process, eligibility requirements, or any other aspects of the programme, please contact asianart@soas.ac.uk.
