Fellowships in India – Complete List, Eligibility, Application Process and Awards

Fellowships in India are meant to encourage students in the field of research. Unlike scholarships, which offer financial assistance for school and college levels of education, fellowships offer financial aid to students to get ahead in their careers after completing their graduation or post-graduation. These can be short-term or long-term depending on the requirement of the programme applied for. Both government and private organisations offer fellowships to allow students to get deeper insights into their respective fields of interest. 

Scholarship Registration and Login

What types of fellowships are available in India? Who is offering these fellowships? When and how can students apply for these fellowships? What are the eligibility conditions for these fellowships? The answers to all these questions are covered in this article. Read more to know every significant detail related to fellowships in India.

Updates:

Buddy4Study - IDFC FIRST Bank Education Loan Programme

Deadline : 30-06-2023

Award : Collateral free loan amount of up to INR 30 Lakh and more

  • The last date of application for the Ashoka University’s Young India Fellowship 2022 was March 15, 2022.
  • The last date of application for the Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships 2023-24 was September 15, 2022.

Fellowships in India – Complete List

There are a variety of fellowships in India offered by government departments, private organizations and reputed colleges/institutions of higher education. These can be broadly categorized into Junior Research Fellowships (JRF), Senior Research Fellowships (SRF), and Post-Doctoral Fellowships. Besides these, various short-term fellowships are also offered to students. Institutions like IITs, IIMs, IISERs, etc., offer fellowships for different research projects they conduct. The table given below highlights the list of key fellowships in India along with their provider detail and tentative application period. 

Complete List of Fellowships in India

Name of the Fellowship Provider Detail Application Timeline*
Tata Innovation Fellowship Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India Between October and November
SBI Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship State Bank of India Between September and October
IDEX Fellowship IDEX Accelerator Between August and November
Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship Azim Premji Foundation Between August and September
CSIP Research Fellowship Ashoka University’s Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP) Between August and September
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences Post-Doctoral Fellowships (PDF) Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai Runs throughout the year
Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India Runs throughout the year
National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India Between September and November
UGC National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC) University Grants Commission (UGC) Between May and July
Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship School of Habitat Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Between April and May
HSCST Fellowship Programme  Haryana State Council for Science, Innovation and Technology (HSCSIT) Between May and June
National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities University Grants Commission (UGC) Between January and February
Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) Between May and June
Google PhD Fellowship India Program Google India Between May and June
SERB Ramanujan Fellowship Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) Runs throughout the year
CSIR Nehru Science Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Runs throughout the year
CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Runs throughout the year
SBI Youth for India Fellowship State Bank of India (SBI) Between March and April
UGC-NET Junior Research Fellowship University Grants Commission (UGC) Between March and April
Ashoka University Young India Fellowship Ashoka University, Haryana Between March and April
Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Between March and April
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships United States-India Educational Foundation Between March and July
New India Foundation Fellowships New India Foundation Between July and August
ICTS – S.N. Bhatt Memorial Excellence Fellowship Program International Center for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru Between December and January
Raman Research Fellowship Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Between November and February

*The application timeline mentioned above is tentative and may change at the discretion of the fellowship provider. 

Fellowships in India – Eligibility Criteria

Each fellowship comes with a pre-defined set of eligibility conditions that students must fulfil to avail their benefits. These conditions are primarily based on the academic qualification of the students. Students having an undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD degree can avail benefits under different scholarship schemes. The table below provides in-depth information on the eligibility criteria for different fellowships in India.

Detailed Eligibility Criteria of Fellowships in India

Name of the Fellowship Eligibility Criteria
Tata Innovation Fellowship
  • Candidates below 55 years of age are eligible.
  • They must hold a PhD degree in Agriculture, Life Sciences, and Veterinary or have a Master’s degree in Medical Sciences or Biotechnology or equivalent degree.
  • They must have a permanent position in an Organization/Institute/University engaged in research and development.
SBI Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship
  • Candidates having a PhD degree in Banking/Finance/Economics/IT related to the BFSI sector are eligible. 
  • They must be between 28 and 40 years of age.
  • They must have a minimum of 3 years of post-qualification experience in research work/teaching at a premier institution/university. 
  • They must also have a consistently good academic record and demonstrated research skills.
IDEX Fellowship
  • Bachelor’s and master’s degree holders are eligible. 
  • They must have a minimum of 1 to 3 years of work experience. 
  • They must have a proven track record of leadership responsibilities.
  • They must have passion and desire to work or learn about emerging markets and use social enterprise principles to solve global issues.
  • They must be able to quickly adapt and work in resource-constrained environments. 
Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship
  • Candidates having 4 to 10 years of work experience are eligible. 
  • They must have a degree in any discipline. 
  • The age of the candidates must be less than 35 years.
  • They must be proficient in English and one of the local languages (Hindi, Kannada, Tamil or Telugu).
CSIP Research Fellowship
  • Indian nationals who demonstrate an interest and relevant background in philanthropy are eligible. 
  • They must have the capacity to undertake rigorous research during the fellowship period.
  • They should be able to produce a working paper of publishable quality.
  • They can be individual researchers or individuals who work with small grassroots non-profit organisations in India. 
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences Post-Doctoral Fellowships (PDF)
  • Candidates who have completed PhD in their respective disciplines can apply. 
  • Candidates who have submitted their doctoral thesis are also eligible. 
Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF)
  • The candidates who apply for a PhD programme at one of the PMRF granting institutions either through a direct entry channel or lateral entry channel are eligible. 
  • They must fulfil the respective academic requirements for both direct and lateral entry channels.  
National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students
  • The candidates belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category are eligible. 

For Fellowship

  • They must have passed post-graduation.
  • They must get admitted or registered for a regular full-time MPhil/PhD programme in UGC-recognized institutions.

For Scholarship: 

  • The candidates must have taken admission in a UG/PG programme at institutions notified and identified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. 
  • The annual family income must be less than INR 6 lakh from all sources. 
UGC National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC)
  • SC category students pursuing research leading to the award of an MPhil/PhD degree are eligible. 
  • They must have qualified for the UGC-NET-JRF or CSIR-NET-JRF examination.
Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship
  • The candidates who hold a PhD degree or are waiting for a PhD degree award are eligible. 
  • They must have adequate knowledge in the field of forest rights and governance. 
HSCST Fellowship Programme 
  • Candidates who hold an MSc or equivalent degree in any of the science subjects like Life Science, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematical Science and Engineering Sciences with a minimum of 55% marks are eligible. 
  • They must be below 28 years of age. 
  • They must have qualified JRF-NET (CSIR/UGC) and LS-NET in joint CSIR-UGC Tests for JRF and LS (NET).
National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities
  • The fellowship is open to students with disabilities. 
  • They must have been admitted to an MPhil/PhD degree in a recognized University/Academic Institution. 
Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship
  • Indian nationals working in India in various capacities of the engineering profession in public-funded institutions are eligible. 
  • They must possess adequate professional qualifications and hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
  • They must have a minimum of 5 years of service left in the parent organization as of the date of the award.
Google PhD Fellowship India Program
  • Candidates who are enrolled in a PhD programme at an Indian university can apply.
  • They must have obtained an undergraduate/postgraduate degree from an Indian university.
  • They must be professionals who are employed with registered organizations in India.
SERB Ramanujan Fellowship
  • Brilliant scientists or engineers from abroad who are below 40 years of age are eligible. 
  • They must possess a higher degree or equivalent, such as a PhD in Science/Engineering, Masters in Engineering or Technology/MD in Medicine, etc. 
  • They must have adequate professional experience.
  • They must have a proven/outstanding track record as evident from their research publications and recognitions.
  • They must be working abroad at the time of nomination.
CSIR Nehru Science Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
  • Indian citizens who hold a PhD degree can apply within three years of the award of a PhD degree.
  • Candidates who have submitted their PhD thesis can also apply.
  • They must not be more than 32 years of age.
CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship
  • Indian citizens below 67 years of age are eligible. 
  • They must associate with a mission or thrust area program of CSIR or an area of interest to CSIR.
  • They must be active scientists/technologists.
SBI Youth for India Fellowship
  • The fellowship is open to highly motivated young professionals or fresh graduates out of college.
  • They must be between 21 and 32 years of age at the commencement of the programme.
  • Applicable for Indian citizens or Overseas Citizens of India.
  • They must be team players with proactive approaches and strong leadership skills.
  • They must be willing to commit to a 13-month-long rural fellowship programme and adapt to life in challenging rural conditions.
UGC-NET Junior Research Fellowship
  • The fellowship is open to candidates who have qualified for UGC-NET or UGC-CSIR joint test.
  • They must hold a master’s degree in Humanities, Science and Social Science stream with at least 55% marks.
  • The age of the candidates must not be more than 30 years.
  • Candidates who are in the final year of their Master’s degree and whose results are awaited can also apply.
Ashoka University Young India Fellowship
  • Candidates having a recognized undergraduate or postgraduate degree in any discipline are eligible.
  • They must be below 28 years of age. 
  • They must have an above-average academic record combined with extra-curricular engagement. 
  • They must have strong written and verbal communication skills. 
Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program
  • Candidates below 30 years of age are eligible. 
  • They must have a commitment to conservation. 

For Master’s Degree – 

  • Candidates should hold a bachelor’s degree and apply for a master’s degree in ecology or conservation. 

For Internship – 

  • Candidates should hold a bachelor’s degree. 

For Small Grants Program – 

  • Candidates who are recipients of initial grant income and looking for follow-up funding are eligible.
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
  • Candidates who are registered for their PhD at an Indian institution are eligible. 
  • They must have done adequate research in the relevant field, especially in the identification of resources in India and the US.
  • They must upload a published/presented paper or extracts from the Master’s/MPhil thesis in the online application form.
New India Foundation Fellowships
  • Indian nationals who are scholars or writers are eligible. 
  • They must be working on different aspects of the history of Independent India. 
  • Past NIF fellows may also apply. 
ICTS – S.N. Bhatt Memorial Excellence Fellowship Program
  • Undergraduate students in the third, fourth or fifth year of the program or older are eligible. 
  • They must be students of science, mathematics or engineering. 
  • Exceptional undergraduates in their second year, Master’s Degree students and those who have completed their undergraduate programme can also apply for this fellowship.
Raman Research Fellowship
  • The fellowship is open to regular scientists of CSIR.
  • They must be having high academic qualifications, i.e., post-graduation in Engineering and PhD in Natural Science. 
  • They must have a research experience of at least 5 years in CSIR.
  • They must be presently working in high-priority areas. 
  • They must have contributed to research/innovation in the proposed area at the international level. 
  • The age of the candidates must not be more than 45 years. 

 

Fellowships in India – Award Details

What kind of financial assistance is being offered under different fellowships in India? How can students avail these benefits? The answers to these questions are covered in this section. Candidates who are awarded a fellowship in India generally receive a fixed monthly stipend and a contingency grant for research purposes. However, it may vary from fellowship to fellowship. Find a detailed overview of the award offered under different fellowships in India in the table given below.   

Award Details of Fellowships in India

Name of the Fellowship Award Details
Tata Innovation Fellowship INR 25,000 per month and INR 6,00,000 per annum
SBI Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship Monthly stipend up to INR 1 lakh and other benefits
IDEX Fellowship Multiple awards
Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship INR 35,000 per month and other benefits
CSIP Research Fellowship INR 1,00,000 per month
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences Post-Doctoral Fellowships (PDF) Up to INR 40,000 per month and a contingency grant of INR 32,000 per year
Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) A stipend of up to INR 80,000 per month and other benefits
National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students For Fellowship:

Up to INR 28,000 per month and other benefits

For Scholarship

Scholarship Registration and Login

Full tuition fee or up to INR 2.5 lakh and other benefits

UGC National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC) Fellowship up to INR 35,000 per month and a contingency grant of up to INR 25,000 per annum
Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship Fellowship of INR 35,000 and contingency grant of INR 60,000
HSCST Fellowship Programme  Up to INR 35,000 per month and other benefits
National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities Fellowship up to INR 28,000 per month and other benefits
Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship Monthly fellowship of INR 25,000 and other benefits
Google PhD Fellowship India Program USD 50,000 for 4years
SERB Ramanujan Fellowship Fellowship of INR 1,35,000 pm and a research grant of INR 7,00,000 pa
CSIR Nehru Science Postdoctoral Research Fellowship INR 65,000 per month and other benefits
CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship Up to INR 50,000 per month
SBI Youth for India Fellowship Monthly stipend of INR 15,000 and other benefits
UGC-NET Junior Research Fellowship Up to INR 14,000 per month, contingency grant up to INR 25,000 per annum and other benefits
Ashoka University Young India Fellowship Up to full tuition fee waiver
Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program A fixed stipend and other benefits
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships Variable awards
New India Foundation Fellowships INR 1.5 lakh per month
ICTS – S.N. Bhatt Memorial Excellence Fellowship Program Stipend and accommodation
Raman Research Fellowship Variable awards

Fellowships in India – Application Process

What process must be followed to apply for these fellowships? Are the applications accepted online or offline? The answer to these questions is covered in the table below. It highlights the application process for each fellowship listed. If you find yourself eligible for any of the fellowships, you may apply for them accordingly. 

Detailed Application Process of Fellowships in India

Name of the Fellowship How to apply?
Tata Innovation Fellowship Online through the official website and by post to the Department of Biotechnology.
SBI Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship Online through the official website and by post to the State Bank of India.
IDEX Fellowship Online through the official website
Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship Online through the official website of Azim Premji Foundation
CSIP Research Fellowship Via email to csip@ashoka.edu.in
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences Post-Doctoral Fellowships (PDF) Via email to the Director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences
Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Recommendations should be made through the respective institutions where the candidate has applied for a PhD programme
National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students Online through the National Scholarship Portal
UGC National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC) Offline application through the respective institution
Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship Via email to the concerned person
HSCST Fellowship Programme  Online through the Saral Haryana portal
National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities Online through the official portal of UGC
Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship By post to the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)
Google PhD Fellowship India Program Online through the official website
SERB Ramanujan Fellowship Online through the official website of SERB and by post to the SERB office
CSIR Nehru Science Postdoctoral Research Fellowship By post to the Principal Scientist of CSIR
CSIR Bhatnagar Fellowship By post and by email to the Scientist In-charge of the SSB YSA Unit, CSIR
SBI Youth for India Fellowship Online through the official website of SBI Youth for India
UGC-NET Junior Research Fellowship Online through the official website of UGC
Ashoka University Young India Fellowship Online through the official website of Ashoka University
Ravi Sankaran Fellowship Program Online through the official website of Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation and via email
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships Online through the official website of the United States-India Educational Foundation
New India Foundation Fellowships Online through the official website of the New India Foundation
ICTS – S.N. Bhatt Memorial Excellence Fellowship Program Online through the official website of the International Center for Theoretical Sciences
Raman Research Fellowship Offline through respective CSIR institute

 

1 thought on “Fellowships in India – Complete List, Eligibility, Application Process and Awards”

Comments are closed.

Scholarships For

Upto Class 8 Class 1 to10 (Pre-Matric) Class 9 to 10 (Pre-Matric) Post-Matric(Class 11-12) Class 11 & 12 Class 12 passed Polytechnic/Diploma/ITI ITI Diploma/Polytechnic Graduation Post-Graduation Medical Engineering Girls NSP Portal Income Based SC/ST/OBC Law

Scholarship by State

NSP Scholarships Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Assam Bihar Chandigarh Chhattisgarh Delhi Goa Gujarat Haryana Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir Jharkhand Karnataka Kerala Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Odisha Punjab Rajasthan Sikkim Tamil Nadu Telangana Tripura Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand West Bengal

Scholarships A to Z

Abdul Kalam Scholarship Aicte Internship AICTE NSP Scholarships Aicte Scholarship Aicte Swanath Scholarship Aikyashree Arunachal Pradesh scholarship Assam Scholarship Atul Maheshwari Scholarship Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship Bihar Scholarship BYPL Sashakt Scholarship Cbse Scholarship Central Sector Scholarship CG Scholarship CG Scholarship Portal Chandigarh Scholarship Colgate Scholarship DCE Scholarship Delhi Scholarship Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship Status of the Digital Gujarat Scholarship Disability Certificate Domicile Certificate Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship, Haryana DRDO Scholarship Scheme For Girls DTE Scholarship in Maharashtra E Grantz E Grantz Login E Grantz Scholarship Status Kalyan Bihar Portal E Kalyan Status Epass Karnataka Ericsson Empowering Girls Scholarship Programme E. Samaj Kalyan Fellowships in India Gokdom Government Scholarships GSK Scholars Programme Gujarat Scholarship Haryana Scholarship Haryana Scholarship Portal HDFC Badhte Kadam Scholarship How to get a Caste Certificate HP Scholarship IET-India Scholarship Awards Immigration-Friendly Countries Income Certificate Indira Gandhi Single Girl Child Scholarship Inspire Scholarship Ishan Uday ITI Scholarships Jammu and Kashmir Scholarship Jharkhand Scholarship Jnanabhumi Application Status Kanyashree Karepass Karnataka Scholarships Kotak Kanya Scholarship Ladli Yojna Legrand Scholarship Mahadbt Mahadbt Login Mahadbt Scholarship Status Maharashtra Pre-Matric Scholarship Maharashtra Scholarship Manipur Scholarship MBA Scholarships in India Mcm Scholarship Means Scholarship Meghalaya Scholarships Merck India Charitable Trust Scholarship Programme Merit Cum Means Scholarship For Minorities Mhrd Scholarship Mi Scholarship MOMA Scholarships Mp Scholarship MP Scholarship Kyc MP Scholarship Portal MP Scholarship Status Mysy Scholarship Nabanna Scholarship Nagaland Scholarship National Scholarship Portal National Scholarship Portal (NSP) NMMS NSP Login NSP Renewal NSP UGC Scholarships Oasis Scholarship Oasis Scholarship Status OBC Scholarships Odisha Scholarship Olympiad ONGC Scholarship PFMS Login PFMS Scholarship Phd Scholarships PMRF PM Scholarship PMSSS Post Matric Scholarship Post-Matric Scholarship for Minorities Pragati Scholarship Pre-Matric Scholarship Pre-Matric Scholarship for Minorities Prerana Rajasthan Scholarship Rolls-Royce Unnati Scholarship Saksham Scholarship Programme for Drivers Children Saksham Scholarship Scheme Santoor Women's Scholarship SBI Asha Scholarship Programme SBI Education Loan SBI General Suraksha Support Scholarship Programme Schaeffler-India Hope Engineering Scholarship Scholarship Application Dos and Don'ts Scholarship Form Scholarships for Diploma Courses Scholarships for Indian Girls and Women Scholarships for North Eastern Students Scholarships for PG Students Scholarships for Undergraduates Scholarships in India Scholarship Status SC Scholarship SC ST Obc Scholarship Sensodyne Ida Shining Star Scholarship Programme Sitaram Jindal Scholarship SSP Scholarship ST Scholarship SVMCM Scholarship Eligibility Swami Vivekananda Scholarship Swami Vivekananda Scholarship Technip Energies India Scholarship Programme Telangana Scholarship The Tata Capital Pankh Scholarship Programme Top Scholarships for Medical Students Top Scholarships For Students Of Andhra Pradesh Tripura Scholarship Ugc Scholarship UP Post-Matric Scholarships UP Pre-Matric Scholarships UP Scholarship UP Scholarship Correction UP Scholarship Login UP Scholarship Registration UP Scholarship Renewal UP Scholarship Status Uttarakhand Scholarship Vidyalakshmi Portal Virchow Scholarship Programme Wbmdfc West Bengal Scholarship