Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship

USIEF administers the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships to build long-term capacity to address climate change related issues in India and the U.S. The objective is to promote further mutual understanding between the two peoples by a wider exchange of knowledge and professional talents – intend to partner to build long-term capacity in the United States and India by engaging scientific and technical research scholars from both countries related to climate research and education.

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.

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships are offered for:

1. Doctoral Research: 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.
2. Postdoctoral Research: These fellowships are designed for Indian faculty and researchers who are in the early stages of their research careers in India. Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships will provide opportunities to talented faculty and researchers to strengthen their research capacities. Postdoctoral fellows will have access to some of the finest resources in their areas of interest and will help build long-term collaborative relationships with U.S. faculty and institutions. These fellowships are for eight to 24 months.
3. Academic and Professional Excellence: These fellowships aim to provide Indian faculty, researchers, and professionals the opportunity to teach, conduct research, or carry out a combination of teaching and research at a U.S. institution. These fellowships are for four to nine months. If you are applying for a Flex Award, the minimum length of the total grant is four months, and the maximum is six months.

(i) Research
Applicants must demonstrate the relevance of the proposed research to India and/or the U.S., its benefit to the applicant’s institution, the feasibility of accomplishing the research goal within the stipulated period, and the need to carry out the research in the U.S.

(ii) Teaching
Indian academics and professionals contribute to the internationalization of the curriculum at their U.S. host institutions and the understanding of recent developments not just in India but globally. The recipient will be affiliated as a visiting scholar at a U.S. institution, and will teach courses individually or team-teach.

Teaching applications are especially welcome.

(iii) Research and Teaching
Applicants will carry out a combination of research and teaching activities at the U.S. host institution. They must specify the percentage of the grant for each activity and define this in the project statement. For instance, if the plan is to spend 60 per cent of the grant duration for research and 40 per cent for teaching, the project statement should demonstrate this allocation. Teaching could include courses (individually or team-taught) or a series of seminars at the U.S. institution.

(iv) Flex Awards
Flex Awards are designed for scholars who require multiple visits to the U.S. and for those who find it difficult to leave their home institutions during the academic year. This option allows grants to be conducted over short segments, preferably during the fall and/or spring semesters. Interested applicants should clearly indicate plans for Flex in their project statement, including a project timeline.

Flex grant parameters:

• Offered for research grants only.
• Minimum length of the total grant is four months and the maximum is six months;
• The grant must have two segments. Minimum length for any grant segment is one month and
  the maximum is three months;
• Applicants may propose one-month segment only once;
• Grant segments may be spread over two consecutive years;
• Grants may begin any time from August 2022. Grants must begin but not later than March 31,
  2023; and
• Grant activities must be completed by August 31, 2024.

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
These 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 between India and the U.S., a modest settling-in allowance, and a professional allowance. Selected doctoral scholars will have opportunities to audit non-degree courses, conduct research and gain practical work experience in suitable settings in the U.S.

In case of Postdoctoral Research, and Academic and Professional Excellence grantees, subject to availability of funds, a dependent allowance and international travel may be provided for one accompanying eligible dependent provided the dependent is with the grantee in the U.S. for at least 80 per cent of the grant period. Flex grantees are not eligible for dependent benefits.

1. Eligibility Requirements for Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Doctoral Research

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 2, 2020. 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 2023 is the grant end date, the applicant cannot submit his/her thesis before August 2023. 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 USIEF website;
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. Applicants can download the “Employer’s Endorsement Form” from the USIEF website; 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.

2. Eligibility Requirements for Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Postdoctoral Research

In addition to the General Prerequisites:
Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree within the past four years. S/he must have obtained a Ph.D. degree between July 15, 2017 and September 14, 2021. The applicants are required to upload his/her Ph.D. or DM degree certificate/provisional Ph.D. or DM certificate on the online application;
Applicants must have a publication in reputed journals and demonstrate evidence of superior academic and professional achievement. S/he must upload a recent significant publication (copy of paper/article) on the online application (not exceeding 30 pages); and
if applicant is employed, please follow the instructions carefully regarding employer’s endorsement. If applicable, obtain the endorsement from the appropriate administrative authority on the Letter of Support from Home Institution. The employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period. The applicant can download the Letter of Support from Home Institution from the USIEF website. Candidates working under government-funded projects are also required to get endorsement from their affiliating institutions in India.

3. Eligibility Requirements for Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Academic and Professional Excellence

In addition to the General Prerequisites:
Faculty/researchers must have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent published work with at least five years of relevant teaching/research experience;
Professionals outside academe must have a master’s degree or equivalent published work with recognized professional standing and at least five years relevant experience;
The applicant should upload a recent significant publication (copy of paper/article) in the online application (not exceeding 30 pages); and
If the applicant is employed, s/he must follow the instructions carefully regarding employer’s endorsement. The employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period. The applicant must obtain the endorsement from the appropriate administrative authority on the Letter of Support from Home Institution. The applicant can download the Letter of Support from Home Institution from the USIEF website.

4. 
   Note: In the application, the applicant is required to indicate the period in which s/he can complete the proposed project in the United States. The applicant must determine grant duration carefully. Should s/he be selected for a grant, it will be for the period specified in his/her application. The duration cannot be changed.

How to Apply
Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship for Doctoral Research

1. Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2022
2. Please carefully review the Application Instructions before starting your online application.
3. Please refer to the Applicant Checklist before submitting the application.
4. In addition, you must complete and upload the following documents on your online application:
   Applicant Annexure
   Employer’s Endorsement Form (if applicable)

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship for Postdoctoral Research

1. Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2022
2. Please carefully review the Application Instructions before starting your online application.
3. Please refer to the Applicant Checklist before submitting the application.
4. In addition, you must complete and upload the following documents on your online application:
   Applicant Annexure
   Letter of Support from Home Institution (if applicable)

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship for Academic and Professional Excellence

1. Applications must be submitted online at: https://apply.iie.org/fvsp2022
2. Please carefully review the Application Instructions before starting your online application.
3. Please refer to the Applicant Checklist before submitting the application.
4. In addition, you must complete and upload the following documents on your online application:
   Applicant Annexure
   Letter of Support from Home Institution (if applicable)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 15, 2021, 23:59:59 hrs (IST)

Timeline and Placement Process
September 15, 2021 Application due date for 2022-2023 awards
Mid-October 2021 Field-specific experts review applications
Mid-November 2021 USIEF informs the applicants about the review outcome
Mid-November 2021 National interviews of short-listed candidates
End November 2021 USIEF notifies principal and alternate nominees. Doctoral research nominees take TOEFL
End December 2021 USIEF forwards applications of recommended candidates to the U.S. for J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) approval and placement
March/April 2022 USIEF notifies finalists
May/June 2022 Pre-Departure Orientation
August/September 2022 Program begins

For any queries contact: climate@usief.org.in