About The Karun Thakar Fund
The Karun Thakar Fund aims to enrich the fields of Asian and African textiles and dress by supporting meaningful and innovative study and practice, foregrounding fresh perspectives and ground-breaking research in under-resourced subject areas. Using the collections of the V&A and Karun Thakar as points of departure, the Fund promotes materials-based, object-led learning and advocates for new approaches to the research and interpretation of historic materials.
About the Scholarship Awards
The Karun Thakar Fund offers one-time Scholarship Awards of up to £10,000 to university students focusing on any aspect of Asian or African textiles and/or dress. Scholarship Awards are offered every other year, and multiple awards are available in each round.
Scholarship Awards are intended for use towards tuition fees and/or maintenance and study costs (including research travel). Undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students attending any accredited university worldwide are eligible to apply, provided they can establish their work is tangibly linked to Asian or African textiles and dress.
In 2023 The Karun Thakar Fund awarded five scholarships to students studying Moroccan, Chinese, Nigerian, Tibetan and Indian textiles and dress at universities in the UK, India and the USA.
Apply
Applications for the 2025 round of Karun Thakar Fund Scholarship Awards will be accepted from 1 May 2025 until 23:59 GMT on 15 July 2025.
To learn more about eligibility, selection criteria and start an application, please visit:
