The Royal Society runs these visiting fellowships under its Yusuf Hamied Programme for India, funded by the Yusuf and Farida Hamied Foundation. Recipients spend 3 to 12 weeks with partner organisations in India.
Visits aim to share expertise between UK and Indian science through joint research, seminars, lectures or masterclasses. Two routes run separate rounds: one for Fellows of the Royal Society (open now) and one for senior Royal Society grant holders (next opens May 2027).
Benefits & funding
- Return international flights up to £5,000, booked through the Society’s travel agent.
- A travel grant of £1,000 per week (pro rata) for accommodation, local travel, insurance, visa, subsistence and project costs.
- Costs beyond either cap fall to the recipient or their institution; recipients arrange their own accommodation, insurance and visa.
- A report of up to 1,000 words is due within six weeks of return.
Eligibility
- Fellows route: any Fellow of the Royal Society.
- Senior Grant Holders route: Royal Society Research Professors, Royal Society Wolfson Fellows, and University Research Fellows on renewal (5–8 years into their fellowship).
- Members of the Royal Society’s Council cannot apply.
- No nationality, residence, age or degree rule is stated beyond these memberships.
Can you apply?
Check who can apply
No nationality, residency, education, experience, gender or age limit is listed. The other conditions are under Eligibility.
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Application process
- 1Complete the application form for your route: visit length and dates, amount requested, Indian partner organisations, a 500-word activity plan with schedule, and 250 words on longer-term outcomes.
- 2Email it to YusufHamiedProgramme@royalsociety.org by 3pm on 6 November 2026 (Fellows round).
- 3A group of Council members reviews applications and selects up to five per round.
Program timeline
Fellows round opened
28 September 2026
Application deadline
6 November 2026, 3pm
Awards expected
January 2027
Visit window
1 April 2027 – 31 March 2028
Senior Grant Holders round opens
May 2027