The US film academy also voted to give the awards to editor Anne Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster and documentary maker Frederick Wiseman.
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs described the four as "true pioneers and legends in their crafts".
Chan, 62, starred in dozens of martial arts films in his native Hong Kong.
He went on to huge international success with hits like Rumble in the Bronx, the Rush Hour franchise, and the animation film Kung Fu Panda.
