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Top 5 PhD Scholarships in USA for Indian Students
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Pursuing a PhD is an incredible feat on its own, but doing so from an international university is something only a few students can think of. However, it is easier said than done, as pursuing a PhD in the USA without any external help may leave students in hefty student debt and a years-long chain of loan repayment. Students can dodge this bullet with proper guidance and some help from scholarships to pursue a PhD in the USA in 2025. Read the blog for more information.
Pursuing a Doctorate in the United States is an ambitious and intellectually rewarding endeavour, but it comes with a big bag of student loans, causing significant financial challenges for many. Fortunately, many prestigious scholarships are available for international students who wish to pursue their PhD in USA and make breakthroughs in their academic fields. These scholarships are tailor-made to encourage international students with financial constraints and help them study. However, not many students know about these scholarships. In this blog, students may find interesting and useful scholarships to pursue a PhD in the USA in 2025.
Top 5 Scholarships to Pursue PhD in USA
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship
| Award | Award Conditions | Eligibility Criteria |
| The scholarship awards 50% grants and 50% loans to the recipient. | • This scholarship is only awarded for the first two years, after which the students are expected to manage their finances on their own. • The student's head or the guardian is supposed to co-sign the agreement with the applicant. • A five per cent annum service charge is levied on the loan amount. • The loan typically has a repayment period of 5 years. • The award only covers tuition fees and the cost of living. It doesn't cover any other expense or cost of international travel. | • This scholarship has an age criterion, as the student must be 30 years old or below. • The student must be a citizen of an eligible country. • Students must have an excellent academic record. • Those candidates who have relevant experience will be given priority. • Financial assistance will depend on the needs of the students. • Students may be asked to prove that they have applied to multiple funding sources. • Students must be admitted to reputed postgraduate institutions. • Applicant's extracurricular activities, goals, and achievements also play a crucial role in their selection. |
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
2025-2026 Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
| Award | Eligibility Criteria |
| • This scholarship provides J-1 visa support to the students. • Almost every expense, including tuition fees, living expenses, and travel costs, is covered under this scholarship. | • The applicant must have done a reasonable study about their research objectives, especially in the identification on or before November 1, 2023. • One of the recommendation letters must be from the PhD supervisor and must comment on the applicant's research need for the fellowship. The letter must indicate the PhD registration date and topic. • The thesis submission date should be three months after the Fullbright- Nehru end date. • If the applicant is employed, they must follow the instructions regarding the employer's endorsement. • The applicant must upload a copy of the original published/ presented paper or extracts from Masters'/ M.Phil. thesis on the online application form (not exceeding 20 pages). |
2025-2026 Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Doctoral Research
| Award | Eligibility Criteria |
| • The fellowship provides J-1 visa support, a monthly stipend, an Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines, round trip economy class air travel, applicable allowances and modest affiliation fees, if any. • No allowances are provided for dependents. • The grant may not be sufficient to support family members. | • The applicant should have done a reasonable study on their research objectives, especially in identifying resources in India and the U.S. • Applicants must be registered for a Ph.D. at an Indian institution on or before November 1, 2023. • On the online application form, one recommendation should be from the PhD supervisor emphasizing the applicant's research and need for the fellowship. It must also indicate the Ph.D. registration date and topic. • The expected PhD thesis submission date and end date should be at least three months after the Fulbright-Kalam grant. • Employed applicants must follow the instructions carefully regarding the employer's endorsement, and the employer must indicate that leave will be granted for the fellowship period. • The applicant must upload a copy of the original published/ presented paper or extracts from the Master's/ M.Phil. thesis in the online application form (not exceeding 20 pages). |
AAUW International Fellowships
| Award | Award Conditions | Eligibility Criteria |
| • Master's/first professional degree: $20,000 • Doctoral: $25,000 • Postdoctoral: $50,000 | • Previous AAUW national fellowships or grant recipients are not eligible for this scholarship. It does not include branch or local awards or community action grants. • Applicants may not be eligible for this scholarship if they are on the AAUW board of directors, committees, panels, task forces, staff members, and interns. The fellowship will not be provided for the following: • Purchase of equipment • Indirect cost • Travel to or from a fellow's home country or research location • Tuition for dependent's education • Research Assistance • Previous debt, loans and expenditure • Institutional costs | • The student must not be a citizen of the USA. • The applicant should have an excellent academic record. • The applicant must be proficient in the English language. • Applicant must return to their home country after completing their degree. • The candidate must enrol in a full-time program to get the fellowship. • Applicants can reapply if they fail at their first attempt. • The applicant must have an academic degree equivalent to a USA bachelor's degree. They must've completed it within the application deadline. • Applicants are allowed to apply for the fellowship for any year of their program; however, the applicant needs to be conducting a full year of study or research. |
IBM PhD Fellowship Award Program
| Award | Award Conditions | Eligibility Criteria |
| • This fellowship provides $40,000 for universities in the United States. • Recipients are also offered the chance to intern at an IBM research or development lab under the mentorship of an IBM scientist. | • Applicants will not be eligible if they are from US-embargoed countries or have attended institutions in US-embargoed countries. • Applicants receiving a comparable fellowship, internship, or support from another company or institution during the IBM PhD fellowship funding period are ineligible for this award. • Applicants transferring departments or schools cannot apply for the award. Applicants will be selected on: • Their potential for research excellence. Candidates are advised to intern during the year of their award. • All the student visas must align with the terms of the internship. • The degree to which the nomineesʼ research aligns with IBM focus areas. • Academic standing, publication, and endorsements from faculty advisors and department heads. | • Applicants must not nominate themselves for the award; they must be nominated by a doctoral faculty member. • Applicant must be enrolled full-time in a PhD program during the academic year of the award. Otherwise, they might have to forfeit the fellowship. • At the time of nomination, the applicant should have two years remaining in their program to apply for the fellowship to the last year of study. |
Kala Singh Memorial Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria
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