The United States of America is without a doubt one of the expensive places to study, particularly for an International student. Scholarships and Fellowships come to the aid of exceptionally qualified students. Scholarships can be of four types – those offered by the Government, the Universities, private organisations & philanthropists, and those offered as Research grants.
Here are the 10 best scholarships for Indian students in the USA and their entry requirements.
1. Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships
The Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships include fellowships for Master’s students, Doctoral and Postdoctoral research fellowships. A student is allowed to apply for only one of the Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships.
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Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
They are designed for outstanding Indian residents who are highly motivated and demonstrate leadership qualities to pursue a Master’s degree program at selected U.S. colleges and universities. The duration of the fellowship is one to two years. The fellowship provides J-1 visa support, round-trip economy class airfare, funding for tuition & fees, living & related costs, and accident & sickness coverage as per U.S. Government guidelines. It may not cover all costs and the scholar may need to supplement benefits from other resources.
The entry requirements are:
– Must have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree, with at least 55% marks.
– Must have at least 3 years of professional work experience relevant to their proposed field of study.
– Must demonstrate experience in leadership and community service.
– Must not have another degree from a U.S. university or be enrolled in a U.S. degree program.
– Must be committed to return and contribute to their communities.
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Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
They are designed for Indian scholars who have registered for a Ph.D. at an Indian institution. They will then be affiliated to one U.S. host institution for the grant. It is recommended that all applicants identify institutions with which they wish to be affiliated and correspond it with potential host institutions. If they already have secured a letter of invitation from a U.S. institution, it must be included as part of the online application. The duration of the fellowship is 6-9 months. The fellowships provide a monthly stipend, accident and sickness Program for exchanges as per U.S. Government guidelines, round-trip economy class airfare, and applicable allowances.
The entry requirements are:
– Must have done adequate research in the relevant field, especially in the identification of resources in India and the U.S.
– The grant being intended for Ph.D. students to conduct research essential to their dissertations/thesis, the Ph.D. thesis submission date should not be earlier than three months after their Fulbright-Nehru grant end date.
– Must upload a ‘writing sample’ such as a copy of an article or paper published/presented or extracts from the M.Phil. thesis in the online application form.
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Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
These fellowships are for Indian faculty and researchers who are in the early stages of their research careers in India. They are given the opportunity to strengthen their research capacities, access some of the finest resources in their areas of interest and build long-term collaborative relationships with U.S. faculty and institutions. They will then be affiliated to one U.S. host institution for the grant. It is recommended that all applicants identify institutions with which they wish to be affiliated and correspond it with potential host institutions. If they already have secured a letter of invitation from a U.S. institution, it must be included as part of the online application. These fellowships are for eight to twenty-four months. These fellowships provide round-trip economy class airfare, a monthly stipend, accident and sickness program for exchanges as per U.S. Government guidelines, a modest settling-in allowance, and a professional allowance.
The entry requirements are:
– Must have a Ph.D. degree within the past four years.
– Must be published in reputed journals and demonstrate evidence of superior academic and professional achievement.
2. S.N. Bose Scholars Student Exchange Program for Indian Students
This award is a joint effort of the Govt. of India, the Indo-U.S. Science & Technology Forum, and WINStep Forward. The aim is to support a dynamic and transformative student exchange program between premier institutions in India and the US. It is open to students of Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Mathematical and Computational Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The scholarship includes Stipend, Health Insurance, and Airfare.
The entry requirements are:
– Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelors or Masters’ degree.
– Must be a student of Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Mathematical and Computational Sciences or Physical Sciences.
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3. Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowships for Indian students
The Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship is offered by Reliance Industries Limited to meritorious students committed to developing India, but lack financial resources. The fellowship is for students who attend Stanford’s MBA program. They offer up to 5 fellowships every year. Recipients will receive financial support for the cost of tuition and associated fees for each year of the two-year Stanford MBA Program (approximately $150,000 total).
The entry requirements are:
– Must demonstrate intellectual vitality, leadership potential and outstanding personal qualities and contributions.
– Must return to India for at least two years to work for an Indian organization.
– Must submit GMAT or GRE and IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL scores if applicable.
4. Chicago Booth School of Business
Chicago Booth School of Business offers several fellowships to full-time MBA students at the Chicago School of Business. Among the fellowships, The India Trust Fellowship and Akhtarali H. Tobaccowala Fellowship are available to Indian students.
- The India Trust Fellowship
This award recognizes students with outstanding leadership, academic, and extracurricular achievements. It is a merit-based fellowship, awarded to incoming students who live and work in India, at the time of admission to the Full-Time MBA Program, and are committed to advancing the interests of women in business.
- Akhtarali H. Tobaccowala Fellowship
Students who receive the award will be designated Akhtarali H. Tobaccowala Fellows in memory of the 1952 graduate of Chicago Booth. The fellowship is awarded to students whose primary home is in India at the time of admission.
All full-time students who meet the criteria will be considered automatically. All award decisions are made using a comprehensive approach that takes into account a variety of personal criteria, including educational achievement, life experiences, personal interests, location of residence, student’s goals and background as indicated in the application for admission.
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5. The Tata Scholarship at Cornell University
Tata Education and Development Trust – a philanthropic affiliate of India’s Tata Group, has offered a $25 million endowment enabling Cornell to provide financial aid to undergraduate students from India. Every year the fund supports approximately 20 scholars, ensuring that the very best Indian students have access to Cornell, regardless of their financial circumstances. The recipients will receive the scholarship for the duration of their undergraduate studies at Cornell.
The entry requirements are:
– Must be a citizen of India and have attended secondary school in India;
– Must be offered admission to Cornell as an undergraduate student;
– Must be eligible for need-based financial aid.
Preference is given to qualified students accepted to the College of Architecture, Art & Planning, the College of Engineering, the Applied Economics and Management, major in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, majors across colleges in the biological sciences, physical sciences, and other “hard” sciences.
6. Asian Development Bank Government of Japan Scholarship Program
The Asian Development Bank/Japan Scholarship Program offers about 300 postgraduate scholarships a year for studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at participating academic institutions in 10 countries. The participating academic institution in the USA is the East-West Center. They have a list of approved fields of study including Business Administration, Economics, etc. The scholarship provides full tuition fees, a monthly allowance for expenses, housing, books and instructional materials, medical insurance and travel. For scholars engaged in research, a special grant may be available for thesis preparation. Upon completion of their study programs, scholars are expected to contribute to the economic and social development of their home countries.
The entry requirements are:
– Must have gained admission to an approved MA/Ph.D. course at a participating academic institution, i.e., East-West Center in the US.
– Must be 35 years old or younger and in good health.
– Must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and have a superior academic record.
7. Clark University Global Scholars Program Scholarship
This scholarship is offered to international students at Clark University based on the university’s long-standing commitment to provide a challenging education with a global focus. Recipients will receive a scholarship between $5,000 and $25,000 per year, a guaranteed $2,500 taxable stipend for a paid internship or research assistantship taken for academic credit during the summer following their sophomore or junior year, and get to participate in the Global Scholars Mentor Program.
The entry requirements are:
– Must be a first-year applicant who has attended school overseas for at least four years.
– Must have demonstrated the potential to provide leadership in their community and the world and to commit to making a difference.
8. University of Wisconsin-Superior Non-resident Tuition Waiver Program
Through the Non-resident Tuition Waiver (NTW) Program, the University of Wisconsin hopes to make the cost of studying at UW-Superior affordable to a wide range of students from diverse backgrounds. Admitted international students who submit an NTW application will automatically be given consideration for either an NTW Award or NTW Scholar Award. Awards through the NTW Program are renewable and may be received for a maximum of five years (10 semesters) for freshmen students and three years (6 semesters) for graduate students. Additionally, the UW-Superior University Foundation sponsors scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students. International students who have already begun their studies at UW-Superior are eligible to apply for over 100 Foundation scholarships, which are awarded by individual academic departments.
The entry requirements are:
– Must be admitted to a program at the University of Wisconsin
– Must demonstrate academic merit
– Must demonstrate potential contributions to liberal education co-curricular initiatives and campus diversity.
9. University of Minnesota International Excellence Scholarships
The University of Minnesota offers three scholarships for international students. All admitted students are automatically reviewed for this scholarship. Students are considered for these awards based on an overall assessment of the admission application.
- The Gold Global Excellence Scholarship covers the full difference between resident and non-resident tuition rates each year for 4 years. The recipient must be studying on an F-1 visa and be within the top 5-10% of graduating class. It is available only for freshmen.
- Undergraduate Research Scholarship is also for freshmen only. It offers up to $1,700, to students interested in undergraduate research, scholarly or creative experience.
- Maroon Global Excellence Scholarship is for freshmen and transfer students starting in the fall semester. It covers 50 percent of the difference between resident and non-resident tuition rates each year for 4 years. The recipient must be studying on an F-1 visa and be within the top 15-20% of graduating class.
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10. Michigan State University, I.C. Shah Scholarship
The I.C. Shah Scholarship is administered by the Office of International Students and Scholars, Michigan University, to provide assistance to Indian students. The aim is to further MSU’s compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a racially and ethnically diverse student body. The student may receive one or more years of scholarship assistance that begins in the first or subsequent years of enrollment at MSU.
The entry requirements are:
- Must be a student from India on non-immigrant visa (F and J visas)
- Must be in good academic standing.
- Must have a GPA of 3.0 or better, or its equivalent, at the time of application.
- Must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better while holding the scholarship.
