2027-2028 Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships

Benefits & funding

• J-1 visa support.
• A monthly stipend and a modest settling-in allowance.
• Round-trip economy-class air travel.
• Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges coverage under U.S. Government guidelines.
• A professional allowance.
• Subject to available funds, recipients of eight- or nine-month grants may receive an allowance and international travel for one eligible accompanying dependent who stays in the U.S. for at least 80 percent of the grant period.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be citizens of India, must not reside in the U.S. during the February 2026–July 2027 recruitment and placement cycle, must not hold active permanent resident status in another country, and must not hold or be applying for U.S. permanent residence. They must undertake to return to India after the fellowship.
• Faculty and researchers must hold a PhD and have at least five years of relevant teaching, research, or professional experience. Professionals outside academia must hold a master’s degree and have at least five years of relevant experience.
• Applicants must show strong academic or professional achievement and sufficient English proficiency for the proposed work and life in the U.S.
• Applicants must choose exactly one eligible field: geology, materials science, mining engineering, cybersecurity, aerospace engineering, robotics and autonomous systems, energy engineering, petroleum engineering, energy innovation and technology commercialization, bioengineering, artificial intelligence, semiconductor engineering, astrophysics, planetary science, space systems engineering, satellite communications, data science, quantum computing, or electrical and electronics engineering.
• A recent significant publication of no more than 30 pages is required.
• Employed applicants need an institutional letter confirming support and leave for the grant period.
• Employees of the Government of India and Indian state governments are ineligible, including central and state civil servants and ministry or department bureaucratic staff. Researchers, scientists and academics at the listed government-funded research institutions, laboratories, institutes and universities remain eligible.
• The fellowship has no age limit or age preference.

Application process

1. 1
   Review the program-specific eligibility rules and the general prerequisites.
2. 2
   Identify preferred U.S. host institutions and correspond with potential hosts. A host invitation is not mandatory, but USIEF highly prefers it and any secured invitation must be included.
3. 3
   Create an account at the IIE application portal, select India, the 2027–2028 academic year and this fellowship.
4. 4
   Prepare the detailed project statement, bibliography, course syllabi, curriculum vitae, three reference letters, institutional support letter if employed, one recent publication and the applicant annexure.
5. 5
   Complete the online form, upload the required PDF documents, check the application for completeness and submit it by the published deadline.

Program timeline

1. February 18, 2026

   Earliest accepted submission date for the 2027–2028 cycle.

2. Application deadline at 23:59:59 IST.

   July 1, 2026

3. Application review.

   October 2026

4. Applicants receive the review outcome.

   End of October 2026

5. Shortlisted interviews and semi-finalist notifications.

   November 2026

6. Recommended applications go forward for final approval and placement.

   December 2026

7. Finalists are notified.

   April 2027

8. Pre-departure orientation.

   May or June 2027

9. Fellowship begins.

   August or September 2027