Fulbright Nehru Scholarship: The Fulbright Scholarship is an endowment program aimed at improving interpersonal relations and diplomacy between citizens of the United States and other foreign countries. This initiative was started in 1946 after World War II by US Senator J.J. Initiated by William Fulbright. Undergraduate students from various streams such as agriculture, environment, humanities, business, science, and technology can actively make use of Fulbright Scholarships. In addition to this, artists and other professionals, researchers and postgraduates are also covered under this scheme.
Through this program, people from over 160 countries can receive grants to study or do research in the US. Since the inception of this scholarship, it has become one of the most widely recognized academic programs across the globe.
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In Hindi:
फुलब्राइट स्कॉलरशिप एक बंदोबस्ती कार्यक्रम है जिसका उद्देश्य संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका और अन्य विदेशी देशों के नागरिकों के बीच पारस्परिक संबंधों और कूटनीति में सुधार करना है। यह पहल 1946 में द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के बाद अमेरिकी सीनेटर जे.जे. विलियम फुलब्राइट द्वारा शुरू किया गया। कृषि, पर्यावरण, मानविकी, व्यवसाय, विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी जैसी विभिन्न धाराओं के स्नातक छात्र सक्रिय रूप से फुलब्राइट स्कॉलरशिप का उपयोग कर सकते हैं। इसके अलावा, कलाकार और अन्य पेशेवर, शोधकर्ता और स्नातकोत्तर भी इस योजना के अंतर्गत आते हैं।
इस कार्यक्रम के माध्यम से, 160 से अधिक देशों के लोग अमेरिका में अध्ययन या शोध करने के लिए अनुदान प्राप्त कर सकते हैं। इस छात्रवृत्ति की स्थापना के बाद से, यह दुनिया भर में सबसे व्यापक रूप से मान्यता प्राप्त शैक्षणिक कार्यक्रमों में से एक बन गया है।
Fulbright Scholarship for Indian Citizens
The Fulbright Program operates under the Council on the International Exchange of Scholars (CIES). But for Indian students, the United States-India Education Foundation (USIEF) is the governing body.
They aim to help Indian students and professionals get grants to aid their overall development. Several Fulbright Scholarships and Fellowships are classified based on the purpose of use.
- Fulbright-Nehru Master Fellowship
- Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship
- Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
- Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program
- Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Program for International Teachers
- Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program
- Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program
- Fulbright Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
- Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship
- Fulbright Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship
Fulbright Nehru Scholarship – Highlights
The Fulbright Nehru Program is for Indian students and professionals. It is based on a strict assessment done through applications and interviews. The candidate has to come to the headquarter of USIEF (United States-India Educational Foundation) in New Delhi.
Selected applicants, if qualified, get full guidance on the process of visa approval, health insurance, travel and other queries. There are several types of Fulbright Nehru scholarships. Here they are at a glance.
| Scholarship | Eligibility | Benefits |
| Fulbright Nehru Master’s Fellowship | Bachelor’s degree 3-year work experience | Tuition fees, living arrangements, and health coverage |
| Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships | Research experience | Monthly stipend and other allowances |
| Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships | PhD or DM degree dated not more than four years ago Publications in journals | Monthly stipend and other allowances |
| Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships | Five years of relevant experience and a PhD degree | Monthly stipend and other allowances |
| Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship | Granted at the three levels- Doctoral, Postdoctoral, Academic and Professional Excellence | Monthly stipend and other allowances |
| Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program | Provides a year of professional enrichment in the US for experienced professionals | Tuition fees, living allowance and other expenses |
Fulbright Nehru Master Fellowship
This fellowship program is for one to two years. It is reserved for candidates who wish to return to India on completion of the grant and wish to contribute to the betterment of society.
Eligibility Criteria
- Candidates must have a US equivalent of a bachelor’s degree
- Candidates having Four Years of Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree/ Full Time Post Graduate Diploma
- They should have worked for at least three years in their specific field
- Candidates should have experience in community service and leadership
- Candidates should not have an education degree from the US before the application
- Employed candidates must obtain the approval of their employer
Benefits
- Grant to cover tuition fees and living arrangements
- Travel Grant from Home to Institute Location
- Health coverage as per US guidelines
- J-1 Visa Support
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship
It is applicable to candidates in the pre-doctoral stage of their PhD program from an Indian institution. The duration of the program is approximately six to nine months. If a candidate has a letter from an institution in the US, it should be mentioned first.
Eligibility
- Candidate must have research experience and must be enrolled in a PhD program in India
- The thesis submission date should be three months after the grant end date
- A portion of the writing sample from the research paper should be uploaded while filling out the application form
- Employed candidates must obtain an endorsement indicating that they will be granted leave for the duration of the program
Benefits
- J-1 Visa Support
- Round Trip Airfare
- Accident and sickness benefit as per US guidelines
- Monthly Salary
- Other Allowances
Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
This fellowship is for researchers and faculty who have recently started their research careers. The duration of this program ranges from eight months to two years.
Eligibility
- Candidates should have PhD or DM degree not more than four years old
- Publications in journals and evidence of professional/academic achievements
- Candidates should upload the latest publication on the application form
- Employed candidates should obtain endorsement from the administrative authority on the FNPostDoc letter of endorsement from the home institution
Benefits
- J-1 Visa Support
- Health coverage as per US norms
- monthly salary
- settlement allowance
- professional allowance
- Dependent allowance for a member provided that the individual resides with the grantee for more than 80% of the duration of the program.
Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship
This fellowship is open to professionals, researchers, and faculty who aim to conduct research, teach, or both at any US institution. The duration of this program is four to nine months.
Eligibility
- Candidates should have five years of relevant experience and PhD degree
- Non-academic candidates must have five years of relevant experience in addition to a Master’s degree
- Candidates should attach a file of the latest publications on the application form
- Employed candidates should show proof of endorsement and leave on an endorsement letter issued by Home Institution
Benefits
- J-1 Visa Support
- monthly salary
- Cheap air travel for round trip
- Accident and sickness coverage as per US guidelines
- Professional and Settling Allowance
- The eight- or nine-month grant covers a dependent allowance and international travel. Applicable if the dependent resides with the grantee for more than 80% of the period.
Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Seminar
This type of Fulbright Scholarship is for college administrators and teachers to become familiar with the American education process.
Eligibility
- Candidates should be working in an Indian organization in a mid to senior-level position
- Candidates should have worked in the same field for at least two years
- Must be responsible for the development of the international department of their institution
- Evidence of high-level professional/academic achievement
Benefits
- J-1 Visa Assistance
- Accident and sickness coverage complying with US norms
- Economy Round Trip Travel
- Inside America Travel
- Lodging and a daily
How to Apply for Fulbright Scholarship
Candidates can apply online by filling out the application form for Fulbright Scholarship by visiting the official USIEF website. You can follow the steps given below to apply.
- Select the relevant applicant link based on your choice of fellowship.
- Here you will see two options for existing and new users. Click on ‘Create Account’ to continue further.
- For the registration process, fill in the details like first name, last name, email address and date of birth.
- After clicking ‘Continue’, you will receive a PIN code on your registered email address.
- Now, choose a password that complies with all complexity guidelines.
- You will notice that the screen does not show any existing applications. To proceed, click on ‘Start New Application’.
- After verifying the session year, click on ‘Create Application’.
- After opening the application, you can see that the welcome page lists several guidelines at the bottom. After reading them, click on the checkbox next to ‘Yes’ and then click on ‘Continue’.
- Read through the preliminary questions and employability.
- Verify that you have read the designated sections for the Data Privacy and Reference Materials Disclaimer.
- Now, you can fill in the personal and biographical information to proceed further.
- Cover all the application form pages, double-check for any mistakes and save them.
Required Documents for Fulbright Scholarship
The documents required to complete the Fulbright Scholarship application process are:
- TOEFL / GRE Score
- A personal statement defining your goals and achievements
- Diploma/Degree Certificate
- Scanned Transcripts and Marksheets
- Reference letter from the home institution – three in number
- FNDR endorsement form approved by the employer
- FNDR Application Attachment
- Passport
- Optional – Letter of invitation from a US-based university
Selection Criteria for Fulbright Scholarship Program
The factors below are considered when considering a candidate’s application and interview.
- Strong communication skills
- Academic and professional credibility
- Committed to the service of society and nation
- Reasons to do research in the US
- The credibility of the Fulbright project in question
- Ability to continue as a cultural ambassador outside your region
- Adaptability to a new culture
- Motivation, Maturity and Leadership Skills
- Benefits and Future Impact Created by the Fulbright Scholarship Program
Suggested Link:- National Scholarship Portal
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