The Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships are designed for Indian scholars who are registered for a Ph.D. at an Indian institution. These fellowships are for six to nine months.
Applications are invited in the following fields only: Agricultural Sciences; Anthropology; Bioengineering; Climate Change Sciences; Computer Science (including, but not limited to, cyber security, digital economy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analytics); Economics; Education Policy and Planning; Energy Studies; History; International Law; International Security and Strategic Studies; Materials Science (with emphasis on environmental applications); Mathematical Sciences; Neurosciences; Performing Arts; Physical Sciences; Public Health; Public Policy; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning (with emphasis on smart cities and waste management); Visual Arts; and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Affiliation
The applicant will be affiliated to one U.S. host institution for his/her grant. USIEF strongly recommends all applicants to identify institutions with which they wish to be affiliated and to correspond, in advance, with potential host institutions. If applicant has secured a letter of invitation from a U.S. institution, please include it as a part of his/her online application.
Grant Benefits
The fellowships provide J-1 visa support, a monthly stipend, Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class air travel, applicable allowances and modest affiliation fees, if any. Selected scholars will have opportunities to audit non-degree courses, conduct research and gain practical work experience in suitable settings in the U.S. No allowances are provided for dependents. The grant is not sufficient to support family members.
Eligibility Requirements
In addition to the General Prerequisites:
- applicant should have done adequate research in the relevant field, especially in the identification of resources in India and the U.S. Applicant must be registered for his/her Ph.D. at an Indian institution on or before September 1, 2019. On the online application form, one of the recommendation letters must be from the Ph.D. supervisor that comments on the applicants’ research and need for the fellowship, and must indicate the Ph.D. registration date and topic;
- This grant is intended for Ph.D. students to conduct research essential to their dissertations/thesis. Therefore, the expected Ph.D. thesis submission date should atleast be three months after Fulbright-Nehru grant end date. For example, if May 2022 is the grant end date, applicant cannot submit his/her thesis before August 2022. Please indicate the Ph.D. registration date and the expected Ph.D. thesis submission date in the Applicant Annexure. The applicant can download the Applicant Annexure from the USIEF website;
- If the applicant is employed, s/he must follow the instructions carefully regarding employer’s endorsement. If applicable, please obtain the endorsement from the appropriate administrative authority on the FNDR Employer’s Endorsement Form. The employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period. The applicant can download the FNDR Employer’s Endorsement Form from the USIEF website; and
- the applicant must upload a published/presented paper or extracts from the Master’s/M.Phil. thesis on the online application form.
Note: These fellowships are for pre-doctoral level research. Applicants with Ph.D. degrees or those at the final stage of Ph.D. thesis submission will not be considered.
How to Apply
- Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2021
- Please carefully review the FNDR Applicant Instructions before starting your online application.
- Please refer to FNDR Applicant Checklist before submitting the application.
- In addition, you must complete and upload the following documents on your online application:
FNDR Applicant Annexure
FNDR Employer’s Endorsement Form
Application Deadline: July 15, 2020, 23:59:59 hrs (IST)
Timeline and Placement Process
| July 15, 2020 | Application due date for 2021-2022 awards |
| Early August 2020 | Field-specific experts review applications to short-list candidates |
| End August 2020 | USIEF informs the applicants about the review outcome |
| Late September 2020 | National interviews of short-listed candidates in Delhi |
| End September 2020 | USIEF notifies principal and alternate nominees that they are recommended. Nominees take TOEFL. |
| November 2020 | USIEF forwards applications of recommended candidates to the U.S. for J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) approval and placement |
| March-April 2021 | USIEF notifies finalists |
| May 2021 | Pre-Departure Orientation |
| July-August 2021 | Pre-academic training in the U.S. (if required) |
| August-September 2021 | Program begins |
IMPORTANT:
You can apply for only ONE Fulbright-Nehru fellowship category during a competition cycle.
Plagiarism in the application will lead to disqualification.
Unless otherwise specified, Fulbright-Nehru applications are to be submitted online.
Applications received after the deadline will NOT be considered.
Extensions and transfer of visa sponsorship will not be permitted.
For more details: http://www.usief.org.in/Fulbright-Nehru-Doctoral-Research-Fellowships.aspx
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