Scholarship Region 

International Region : USA

Scholarship For 

Post Graduate

Last Date 

15/05/2024

Scholarship Amount 

Not Available

Scholarship Type 

Government

Scholarship Fields 

Other

Scholarship General Information 

The Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships are awarded to talented Indian students who demonstrate qualities of leadership, have sufficient academic qualifications, and work experience. The fellowship is offered for one year or two years, depending upon the duration of the selected master’s degree program in a US university. Explore USA Universities.

The Selection committee grants fellowship to only candidates who are committed to returning to India after course completion and who will contribute to making a transformative impact on the country’s development. The Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships are designed for highly motivated individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities, have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree, have at least three years professional work experience, and are committed to return and contribute to their communities in India.

These fellowships are awarded for up to two years to pursue a master’s degree at U.S. colleges and universities in the areas of Economics; Environmental Science/Studies; Higher Education Administration; International Affairs; International Legal Studies; Journalism and Mass Communication; Public Administration; Public Health; Urban and Regional Planning; and Women’s Studies/Gender Studies.

Eligibility Criteria 

The applicant must follow the following eligibility criteria to successfully apply for the fellowship program:

1. Must be a responsible Indian citizen who can contribute to a full and fair picture of the culture and civilization of India, and thereby help to promote understanding and friendship between the peoples of the United States of America and India.

2. Must not be residing in the U.S. during the recruitment and placement cycle.

3. Indian citizens with active permanent resident status in foreign countries are not eligible to apply.

4. Must have a high level of academic/professional achievement.

5. Must demonstrate proficiency in the English language to undertake the proposed project/program and adjust to life in the U.S.

6. Must inform USIEF well in advance if the applicant needs to travel abroad (e.g., conference, fellowship, etc.).

7. Must be eligible for leave, if employed;

a. Must be in good health.

b. Must not be applying for or holding permanent residence (green card) in the United States.

c. Must give an undertaking to return to India on the completion of the fellowship.

8. Preference will be given to candidates who have not had extensive recent U.S. experience. Some fellowship programs may have prerequisites and guidelines in addition to those described above. Please review the eligibility criteria for specific fellowships carefully.

9. Plagiarism detected at any time during the application or grant period will lead to selection withdrawal or grant termination, as well as ineligibility for future participation.

10. Must have completed an equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a recognized Indian university with at least 55% marks. Applicants must either possess a four-year bachelor’s degree or a completed master’s degree, or a full-time postgraduate diploma from a recognized Indian institution if the bachelor’s degree is of less than four years duration;

a. Must have at least three years of full-time (paid) professional work experience relevant to the proposed field of study by the application deadline.

b. Should demonstrate experience in leadership and community service.

c. Must not have another degree from a U.S. university or be enrolled in a U.S. degree program.

d. If employed, should follow the instructions carefully regarding the employer’s endorsement. If applicable, obtain the endorsement from the appropriate administrative authority on the FNMasters Employer’s Endorsement Form. The employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period.

Award Amount  

The benefits granted under the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships are:

1. J-1 USA student visa support facility.

2. Economic class flight fares - Round trip from the student’s hometown to the institution in the USA.

3. Tuition fees (USIEF funding may not cover all costs and the scholar may need to supplement grant benefits with other resources).

4. Accident and Sickness coverage as per the U.S. Government guidelines.

5. Living and other related expenses (Accommodation cost and Spouse/Child care are not covered) Check: Student housing options in USA.​​​​​​​

No. of Scholarships Available 

The number of fellowships is subject to availability for more please visit the Official Website.

Important Dates 

Application Fee 

No Separate Application or Fee is Required to get the scholarship, it will be automatically considered, once you enrolled for the program.

Application Procedure 

Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowship applications are accepted through an online process. The step-by-step procedure to fill the Fulbright Nehru Master’s fellowship is given below:

Step 1: Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2025/

Step 2: Please carefully review the FNMaster's Applicant Instructions before starting your online application.

Step 3: Please refer to FNMaster's Applicant Checklist before applying.

Step 4: In addition, you must complete FNMaster's Applicant Annexure and  FNMaster's Employer's Endorsement Form (if applicable) and upload on your online application.

Required Documents

Applicants are required to submit the below-mentioned documents along with their online applications:

1. Academic transcripts (scanned) from previous institutions, accompanied by certified English translations.

2. Statement of purpose.

3. Updated CV/Resume.

4. Academic degree and mark sheets.

5. Experience Certificate.

6. English Language Proficiency Test Scorecard.

7. Minimum 3 Letters of recommendation (Professional and academic references for PG).

8. Copy of passport.

Note: Applicants must go through the Instruction form and keep documents ready beforehand. This will help them to submit the form easily. Students should also be aware of Nehru Master’s Fellowship terms and conditions.

Selection Process 

The applicant must follow the following selection procedure in order to get selected for the scholarship:

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

a. Academic credentials and professional ability.

b. The merit of the proposed Fulbright project.

c. Communication skills.

d. Commitment to community or national service.

e. Need to conduct research in the U.S.

f. Outcomes, Potential Impact, and Benefits.

g. Motivation, Seriousness of Purpose, Maturity, Leadership, Cultural Adaptability.

h. Ability to contribute as a cultural ambassador beyond his/her specific field of study

2. Decisions taken by the reviewers/committees in connection with the selection process will be final and requests for reconsideration will NOT be entertained.

3. The applicant must include the following things in their proposal to be selected for the scholarship:

a. Familiarity with resources in India before proposing research abroad.

b. A proposal with a clear focus.

c. A sense of how the proposed work is relevant to the Indian context.

d. Identification of resources in the U.S.

e. The role of an exchange participant as a cultural ambassador of India beyond his/her specific field of study.

Other Info 

Applications are invited in the following fields only:

Economics: The study of production, demand, and allocation of resources in society, economic trends, and effects of government economic policy on the economy. Subspecialties include development economics, international economics, macroeconomics, microeconomics, labor economics, agricultural economics, and public finance, among others.

Environmental Science/Studies: The study of the environment in all its complexities. Subspecialties include environmental toxicology, natural resource management, pollution prevention, environmental law, environmental engineering, and environmental policy analysis, among others.

Higher Education Administration: The study of all aspects of higher education administration including policy planning and management, student affairs, academic affairs, admissions and enrolment management, curriculum design, learning assessment, financial management, alumni and community relations, internationalization of higher education, quality assurance, and use of technology in higher education, among others.

International Affairs: The study of international relations with reference to foreign policy, conflict resolution, international security and strategic issues, international economic policy, environmental and energy policy, refugee and migration issues, human rights, and gender policy, among others.

International Legal Studies: The study of all aspects of international legal studies including business law, commercial and trade law, employment and labor law, environmental law, global health law, human rights, intellectual property rights and law, international organizations, securities and financial regulations, litigation law, and tax law, among others.

Journalism and Mass Communication: The study of all aspects of mass communication, including individual and convergent media platforms such as print, broadcast and new media. Sub-specialties include media management, and communications research and strategy. Subspecialties include media management, print journalism, online journalism, broadcast (radio, television, internet) journalism, and communications research and strategy among others.

Public Administration: The study of management as it relates to the government sector (local, state, federal) or organizations serving the public. Subspecialties include policy analysis, non-profit management, international development, public sector management, public finance, healthcare management, and city/urban development, among others.

Public Health: The study of all aspects of public health including biostatistics, environmental and occupational health, epidemiology, health law, bioethics and human rights, health policy and management, public health delivery systems, international health, and reproductive, maternal and child health, among others.

Urban and Regional Planning: The study of all aspects of urban and regional planning, including sustainable infrastructure, transportation policy, planning and improvements, water and sanitation, town and rural planning, equitability, public space programming and governance, land use, community visioning, urban resilience, housing and real estate development, and waste management, among others.

Women’s Studies/Gender Studies: The study of issues relevant to women, feminism, and gender including development, health, history, education, sexuality, law, and policy, among others.

Tips for a Successful Application

The applicant must follow the following tips and tricks to successfully submit an application that will be considered by the authorities:

1. The applicants are requested to submit only one application for the fellowship program during a competition cycle.

2. The applicants are requested to not apply for different types of Fellowship grants in the same academy years.

3. Plagiarism is not supported in the application for this scholarship and it will lead to disqualification.

4. The applicant must apply online only.

5. The applicants are requested to apply for the fellowship before the last date.

6. The applicant must not submit any application before the deadline.

Contact Details 

Email ID -  masters@usief.org.in

For more information: Click here

Apply Now 

https://usief.org.in/Fulbright-Nehru-Fellowships.aspx