Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators Award
India
Number of recipients
In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation.
Attend various informational meetings with representatives of Indian universities, private-sector agencies and organizations, and selected government agencies to gain better insight into India’s higher education system. U.S. administrators will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with program/curriculum designs, organizational structures, quality assurance procedures, and credit and degree expectations in Indian higher education. Participants will gain first-hand knowledge of a cross-section of Indian institutions and meet with high-ranking university administrators and public sector officials who play key roles in the planning and administration of higher education in India. The seminar aims to achieve a balance of topical discussion, knowledge sharing by both the U.S. administrators and Indian representatives, experiential excursions, and exposure to societal/cultural facets of India.
Participants will be asked to submit a brief report and evaluation after the seminar.
Seminar locations will include highly respected universities and colleges in major cities (to be determined) and visits to research institutes and non-governmental organizations that lend themselves as sites for higher education collaborations and exchanges between the United States and India.
Seminar expected to take place in March 2025, but please note this is tentative and therefore subject to change.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
The award includes round-trip travel, lodging, and a per diem that includes a meal allowance for those meals not provided.
Return air travel may be arranged to allow for independent travel in India after the seminar.
Accompanying dependents cannot be accommodated during the seminar.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
India
The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), the Fulbright Commission in India, offers more than 50 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grants across four award categories for the 2025-26 academic year. The Fulbright-Nehru and Fulbright-Kalam programs offer one of the largest numbers of U.S. Fulbright scholar grants worldwide.
Since its inception in 1950, USIEF has awarded over 21,000 fellowships funded by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Education, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST), and other entities.
On July 4, 2008 the United States and India signed a historic new Fulbright agreement making India a full partner with the United States in the governance and funding of the Fulbright Program. The U.S.-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) awards Fulbright-Nehru and Fulbright-Kalam Fellowships under the agreement. The increase in funding under the agreement has allowed for an expansion in the number of fellowships and the development of new and innovative programs.
USIEF provides in-country support for all Fulbrighters through its five offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
India is the world’s largest democracy, with a vibrant and growing economy, rich history, incredible diversity, and an enormous appetite for education. Its education system is among the largest in the world and continues to expand at a rapid pace. India attracts faculty and students to study, teach and conduct research across a wide variety of academic disciplines. The academic year in India generally runs from July to April. Some institutions have adopted the semester system and others follow the traditional academic session with grading based on end-of-year examinations.
India’s education priorities include increasing access and equity and improving the quality of teaching and research. The Indian higher education system follows the British model, and all instruction is in English. The system is comprised of universities and university-level institutions, colleges, and diploma-awarding institutions (e.g., polytechnics and specialist institutes). Institutions are also categorized by funding sources: central government, state government and private. Undergraduate admission is highly competitive and is exam-based for most disciplines and institutions.
In July 2020, the Union Cabinet of India approved the New Education Policy (NEP), which replaces the National Policy on Education (1986) and aims at universalization of education from pre-school to secondary level. The policy offers a comprehensive framework for elementary education to higher education and is set to bring major changes in the education system of India, such as a new 5+3+3+4 structure, introduction of vocational education training at younger levels, allowing top foreign universities to set up campuses in India, and a move towards institutes becoming more multi-disciplinary. The policy is based on the pillars of “Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, Accountability” and aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge hub.
As you prepare your Fulbright application, we encourage you to visit the Current Fellows page on the USIEF website to learn more about kinds of fellowships that USIEF has funded in the past.
Details regarding U.S. Scholar alumni to India can be found in the Fulbright Scholar Directory. Read more about Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador, Professor Jeff Withey, who collaborated with microbiologists at the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata.
While this award is open to scholars and administrators from all academic disciplines, it is designed for administrators in higher education and international education who wish to build their institutional capacity to enhance study abroad (especially to 'non-traditional' destinations) and expand opportunities for international collaborations through faculty and student exchange, collaborative research projects, and pursuit of innovative curricular design.
To be eligible, applicants must be employed by a U.S. higher education institution and be EITHER:
• International education administrators (for example, senior international officers, foreign student advisors, study abroad advisors, and foreign student admissions staff)
OR
• Senior-level university administrators (such as deans, vice presidents, provosts, and presidents) in strategic positions of decision-making with substantial responsibility for enhancing the international dimension of their institutions
All eligible applicants must have at least five years of related experience, either in the field of international education or serving as a senior level administrator. Applicants must clearly demonstrate that these criteria have been met (in the curriculum vitae/resume) in order to be considered eligible.