United States India Educational Foundation announces Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships 2025-26, Apply now
Fulbright Nehru Doctoral and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships 2025 – United States-India Educational Foundation invites application for Fulbright Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Program 2025-26.
Eligible candidates can apply through the official website. Read on for more details on Fulbright Nehru Research Fellowships 2025.
Applications are invited in the following fields only:
- Agricultural Sciences; Anthropology; Bioengineering; Chemistry; Computer Science (including, but not limited to, cyber security, digital economy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data analytics); Earth Sciences; Economics; Education Policy and Planning; Energy Studies; History; Language/Literature/Linguistics; Materials Science (with emphasis on environmental applications); Mathematical Sciences; Neurosciences; Performing Arts; Physics; Political Science (including, but not limited to, International Security and Strategic Studies); Psychology; Public Health (including, but not limited to, pandemic preparedness and comprehensive surveillance (genomic surveillance, sewage surveillance, sero-surveillance)); Public Policy; Sociology; Urban and Regional Planning (with emphasis on smart cities and waste management); Visual Arts; and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Grant Benefits
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Doctoral Research Fellowships : 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. No allowances are provided for dependents. The grant is not sufficient to support family members.
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowships : These 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, a modest settling-in allowance, and a professional allowance. Subject to availability of funds, a dependent allowance and international travel may be provided for one accompanying eligible dependent provided the dependent is with the grantee in the U.S. for at least 80 per cent of the grant period.
Important Dates
Doctoral Research Fellowships
- Application deadline : July 15, 2024
- Review of applications : September 2024
- USIEF informs the applicants about the review outcome : October 2024
- Interviews of short-listed candidates : Late October 2024
- USIEF notifies principal and alternate nominees. Nominees take TOEFL. : End October 2024
- USIEF forwards applications of recommended candidates to the U.S. for J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) approval and placement : December 2024
- USIEF notifies the finalists about the FFSB approval : March/April 2025
- Pre-Departure Orientation : May/June 2025
- Pre-academic training in the U.S. (if required) : July/August 2025
- Program begins : August/September 2025
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
- Application deadline : July 15, 2024
- Review of applications : Mid-September 2024
- USIEF informs the applicants about the review outcome : October 2024
- Interviews of short-listed candidates : Mid-November 2024
- USIEF notifies principal and alternate nominees : End November 2024
- USIEF forwards applications of recommended candidates to the U.S. for J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) approval and placement : December 2025
- USIEF notifies the finalists about the FFSB approval : April 2025
- Pre-Departure Orientation : May/June 2025
- Program begins : August/September 2025
Eligibility Criteria
For Doctoral Research Fellowships
- In addition to the General Prerequisites
- The applicant should have done reasonable study pertaining to their research objectives, especially in the identification of resources in India and the U.S. Applicant must be registered for Ph.D. at an Indian institution on or before November 1, 2023. On the online application form, one of the recommendation letters must be from the Ph.D. supervisor that comments on applicants’ research, 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 at least be three months after the Fulbright-Nehru grant end date. For example, if May 2026 is the grant end date, the applicant cannot submit their thesis before August 2026. Please indicate the Ph.D. registration date and the expected Ph.D. thesis submission date in the Applicant Annexure.
- If the applicant is employed, they 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; and
- The applicant must upload a copy of the original published/presented paper or extracts from the Masters’/M.Phil. thesis on the online application form (not exceeding 20 pages).
- 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.
For Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
- In addition to the General Prerequisites
- The applicant must have a Ph.D. or a D.M. degree within the past four years. They must have obtained Ph.D. degree between July 15, 2020 and July 14, 2024. The applicant is required to upload their Ph.D. or D.M. degree certificate/provisional on the online application;
- The applicant must have a publication in a reputed journal. They must upload a recent significant publication (copy of paper/article) on the online application (not exceeding 30 pages); and
- If applicant is employed, please follow the instructions carefully regarding employer’s endorsement. If applicable, obtain the endorsement from the appropriate administrative authority on the FNPostdoc Letter of Support from Home Institution. The employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period. Candidates working under government-funded projects are also required to get endorsement from their affiliating institutions in India.
- Note: In the application, the applicant is required to indicate the period in which they can complete the proposed project in the United States. The applicant must determine grant duration carefully. Should they be selected for a grant, it will be for the period specified in their application. The duration cannot be changed.
Application Process
Doctoral Research Fellowships
- Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2025
- 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 FNDR Applicant Annexure and FNDR Employer’s Endorsement Form (if applicable) and upload on your online application.
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
- Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2025
- Please carefully review the FNPostdoc Applicant Instructions before starting your online application
- Please refer to FNPostdoc Applicant Checklist before submitting the application
- In addition, you must complete and upload the FNPostdoc Applicant Annexure and FNPostdoc Letter of Support from Home Institution on your online application (if applicable).
For more details and apply please visit the official website