Grant opportunity
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships 2027-2028
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships support Indian PhD students to conduct six to nine months of dissertation research in the United States.
- Funder
- United States-India Educational Foundation
- Application deadline
- Application deadline: Jul 1, 2026
- Award
- J-1 visa support, monthly stipend, round-trip economy air travel, health coverage, allowances, and modest affiliation fees
- Applicant
- Indian PhD students
- Discipline
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
- Region
- India / United States
- Posted
- May 24, 2026
Call summary
Overview
The Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships are for Indian scholars registered for a PhD at an Indian institution who need to conduct essential dissertation research in the United States.
Who can apply
- Applicants must be registered for a PhD at an Indian institution on or before 1 November 2025.
- The fellowship is pre-doctoral; applicants with PhD degrees or at the final stage of thesis submission are not considered.
- Applicants must justify the need for U.S.-based research and identify a U.S. host institution. Government of India and Indian State Government employees are not eligible, while researchers and academicians from specified public research institutions and universities may apply.
What it supports
- Selected scholars conduct research, audit non-degree courses, and gain practical experience at U.S. academic institutions for six to nine months.
- Priority fields include critical minerals and supply chains, defense and security, energy security, science and research collaboration, space cooperation, and technology and innovation.
Funding and duration
The fellowship provides J-1 visa support, a monthly stipend, accident and sickness coverage under U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class travel, applicable allowances, and modest affiliation fees where applicable.
Application deadline
Application deadline: Jul 1, 2026
How to apply
Submit the online application through the Fulbright application system linked from the official USIEF page by 1 July 2026 at 23:59:59 IST.
Call details
About the opportunity
The Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships are for Indian scholars registered for a PhD at an Indian institution who need to conduct essential dissertation research in the United States.
United States-India Educational Foundation lists this opportunity for Indian PhD students, Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, India / United States.
This listing is written for researchers, students, universities, NGOs, research teams, policy professionals and academic institutions searching for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics grants, fellowships, scholarships, conferences, workshops and funding opportunities in India / United States contexts.
Eligibility
Applicants must be registered for a PhD at an Indian institution on or before 1 November 2025.
The fellowship is pre-doctoral; applicants with PhD degrees or at the final stage of thesis submission are not considered.
Applicants must justify the need for U.S.-based research and identify a U.S. host institution. Government of India and Indian State Government employees are not eligible, while researchers and academicians from specified public research institutions and universities may apply.
Funding and benefits
The fellowship provides J-1 visa support, a monthly stipend, accident and sickness coverage under U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class travel, applicable allowances, and modest affiliation fees where applicable.
Themes and supported activities
Selected scholars conduct research, audit non-degree courses, and gain practical experience at U.S. academic institutions for six to nine months.
Priority fields include critical minerals and supply chains, defense and security, energy security, science and research collaboration, space cooperation, and technology and innovation.
Deadline and timeline
Application deadline: Application deadline: Jul 1, 2026.
Applicants should confirm the exact deadline time, time zone, required documents, portal steps and any institutional approvals on the official call page before submitting.
How to apply
Submit the online application through the Fulbright application system linked from the official USIEF page by 1 July 2026 at 23:59:59 IST.
Before applying, check eligibility rules, budgets, attachments, page limits, partner requirements, cost-share conditions and whether the opportunity uses an expression of interest, full proposal, registration or nomination stage.