Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship fields include, but not limited to, Energy Studies, Earth Sciences, Geology, Environmental Sciences, Renewable Energy, Smart Cities, Agriculture, Public Policy, Environmental Engineering, and Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
These fellowships are designed for Indian scholars who are registered for a Ph.D. at an Indian institution. These fellowships are for six to nine months.
Affiliation
The selected candidate will be affiliated to one U.S. host institution.
USIEF strongly recommends all applicants to identify institutions with which they wish to be affiliated, and to correspond, in advance, with potential host institutions. If the applicant has secured a letter of invitation from a U.S. institution, it should be included as a part of the online application. The letter of invitation should indicate the duration of visit, preferably with dates.
Grant Benefits
The fellowships provide J-1 visa support, a monthly stipend, Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class air travel, applicable allowances and modest affiliation fees, if any. Selected scholars will have opportunities to audit non-degree courses, conduct research and gain practical work experience in suitable settings in the U.S. No allowances are provided for dependents. The grant is not sufficient to support family members.
Eligibility Requirements
In addition to the General Prerequisites
- Applicants registered for their Ph.D. should have conducted adequate research in the relevant field, especially in the identification of resources in India and the U.S. Applicant must be registered for a Ph.D. at an Indian institution on or before November 1, 2022. On the online application form, one of the recommendations should be from the Ph.D. supervisor that comments on the applicant’s research, the need for the fellowship, and must indicate the Ph.D. registration date and topic.
- This grant is intended for Ph.D. students to conduct research essential to their dissertations/thesis. Therefore, the expected Ph.D. thesis submission date should at least be three months after the Fulbright-Kalam grant end date. For example, if May 2025 is the grant end date, the applicant cannot submit his/her thesis before August 2025. Please indicate the Ph.D. registration date and the expected Ph.D. thesis submission date in the Applicant Annexure. The applicant can download the Applicant Annexure from the supplemental forms section of the online application;
- If the applicant is employed, s/he must follow the instructions carefully regarding employer’s endorsement. If applicable, the applicant must obtain the endorsement from the appropriate administrative authority on the “Employer’s Endorsement Form.The employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period; and
- The applicant must upload a copy of original published/presented paper or extracts from the Masters’/M.Phil. thesis in the online application form (not exceeding 20 pages).
Note: These fellowships are for pre-doctoral level research. Applicants with Ph.D. degrees or those at the final stage of Ph.D. thesis submission will not be considered.
How to Apply
- Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/
ffsp2024/ - Please carefully review the Application Instructions before starting your online application.
- Please refer to the Applicant Checklist before submitting the application.
- In addition, you must complete Employer’s Endorsement Form (if applicable) and upload on your online application.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 17, 2023, 23:59:59 hrs (IST)
For any queries contact: dr-climate@usief.org.in
Timeline and Placement Process
| July 17, 2023 | Application deadline |
| Early September 2023 | Field-specific experts review applications |
| End September 2023 | USIEF informs the applicants about the review outcome |
| Early November 2023 | Interviews of short-listed candidates |
| November 2023 | USIEF notifies principal and alternate nominees. Doctoral research nominees take TOEFL |
| December 2023 | USIEF forwards applications of recommended candidates to the U.S. for J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) approval and placement |
| March/April 2024 | USIEF notifies the finalists about the FFSB approval |
| May/June 2024 | Pre-Departure Orientation |
| August/September 2024 | Program begins |
IMPORTANT:
You can apply for only ONE Fulbright-Nehru fellowship category during a competition cycle.
Candidates cannot apply for Fulbright-Nehru and Fulbright-Kalam grants in the same academic year.
Plagiarism in the application will lead to disqualification.
Unless otherwise specified, Fulbright-Nehru applications are to be submitted online.
Applications received after the deadline will NOT be considered.
Extensions and Transfer of visa sponsorship will not be permitted.
Prospective Fulbright participants should be aware that public health conditions, availability of consular services and travel, as well as U.S. institutional operating status and policies may affect their ability to travel to the U.S. and participate in academic programs.
Applications submitted prior to February 7, 2023 will NOT BE considered.