The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) on January 30 announced the opening of its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships. USIEF is now accepting applications from Indian citizens for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Indian scholars are selected through a rigorous application and interview process. Once selected, awardees receive support navigating the visa processing and securing health insurance, as well as a comprehensive pre-departure orientation.

Selection panels will generally use the following criteria to evaluate applications:

To apply, first visit the official USIEF website — usief.org.in — and then click on the ‘Fulbright fellowships’ option given on the homepage. Once you find a fellowship of interest, visit the Current Fulbright Fellows page to learn about recent proposals that have been successful. Selection committees look to identify talented individuals whose projects are relevant to India and the United States. The committees seek candidates who demonstrate the potential to be effective cultural ambassadors.

These fellowships are funded by the US Department of State and the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India