Host institutions should be involved in university-level teaching or training, the expansion of partnerships between universities and specialized institutions, and the promotion of international and cross-institutional cooperation.

According to Government of India regulations, Fulbright scholars must be affiliated with recognized institutions of higher education approved by the Indian Ministry of Education, including institutions accredited by the UGC, AICTE, or other apex regulatory bodies, as well as medical institutions accredited by the relevant authorities.

The Fulbright Specialist Program encourages host institutions to tailor projects to their own needs. However, all projects should have an education or training focus. Due to the short-term nature of the exchange, projects should have concrete objectives that can be achieved over the course of the Specialist’s visit. Past Specialists have supported host institutions by conducting activities such as:

• Delivering seminars or workshops
• Consulting on faculty or workforce development
• Developing academic or training curricula and materials
• Lecturing at the graduate or undergraduate level
• Conducting needs assessments or evaluations for a program or institution

Note: Personal research projects, including clinical medical research or projects involving patient contact, are not eligible for funding under the Fulbright Specialist Program.

The length of a Fulbright Specialist project must be a minimum of 14 days and a maximum of 42 days, including travel days and weekends.

Fulbright and the host institution share costs for Fulbright Specialist grants. Fulbright covers international airfare and an honorarium for the Specialist. The host institution is responsible for the cost of housing, meals, and any necessary, program- related, in-country transportation. In-country costs may be supplied by the host institution as in-kind services and/or funds paid directly to the specialist. Note that in-country transportation refers to transportation once the Specialist has arrived in the city of the activity, and not to flights taken as part of the international travel.

Eligible fields include: Agriculture • American (U.S.) Studies • Anthropology • Archaeology • Biology Education • Business Administration • Chemistry Education • Communications and Journalism • Computer Science and Information Technology • Economics • Education • Engineering Education • Environmental Science • Law • Library Science • Math Education • Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies • Physics Education • Political Science • Public Administration • Public/Global Health • Social Work • Sociology • Urban Planning.

Download sub-disciplines in each eligible field.

Priority Areas for 2026-27: In addition to the above-mentioned eligible fields, projects in the following areas will be prioritized:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Business, entrepreneurship, management, and supply chains
• Cybersecurity and IT
• Disaster response
• STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)
• Free speech and open debate
• Energy security and critical minerals; and
• Cultural heritage (preservation, anti-trafficking, and enforcement).

A. Submit a project request focused on a Freedom 250 topic. This may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• American Studies, including American society and values and American cultural traditions
• American History, including the Declaration of Independence, Constitutional studies, federalism, military history, local/regional history, etc.
• American values, including freedom of speech and open debate
• Cultural heritage preservation and archival research on topics of American interest
• Political Science, such as an introduction to U.S. government and American political thought
• Military and strategic studies
• Law, including constitutional law
• Philosophy, including founding-era political thought, and civic virtue
• Religious Studies, including religious freedom, religious liberty and founding
• Education, specifically teaching of American history, civics, etc
• Public Policy/Leadership Studies, including U.S. foreign policy and American global leadership
• American business and economics

B. Add Freedom 250 programming by including some type of community engagement activities that celebrate America. Examples of such activities could include, but are not limited to:

• Delivering a lecture on American excellence in, or contributions to, the Specialist’s field of study.
• Hosting an event highlighting the United States or key themes from its 250-year history.
• Conducting outreach activities at local schools, organizations, or community groups to share information about America.

Specialists, who represent a wide range of professional and academic disciplines, are competitively selected to join the Fulbright Specialist Roster based on their knowledge, skill sets, and ability to make a significant contribution to projects overseas. Those individuals that have been approved to join the Fulbright Specialist Roster are then eligible to be matched with approved projects designed by host institutions. Host institutions have the following options for requesting a U.S. scholar:

• Roster Named Requests identify Specialists already on the Roster in the project application. The host institution and the Specialist have been in contact and mutually agreeable project dates and goals are included in the project application.
• Named Requests identify an individual that is not on the Roster, but specifically requested by the host institution. The host institution and the Specialist candidate have been in contact and mutually agreeable project dates and goals are included in the project application. A candidate may apply to the Roster before a project application is submitted, but will need to be peer reviewed and approved. Candidates not on the Roster who are in contact with host institutions are strongly encouraged to immediately apply to the Roster by visiting the following link: : https://world-learning-npsp.my.site.com/FSP/
• Open Requests do not identify a candidate in the project proposal. USIEF and World Learning will assist with identifying an individual with suitable technical or professional experience that is approved by the host institution.

Also refer to: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/eligibility-foreign-institutions.

Please read the following guidelines carefully before proceeding further.

• Applications requesting multiple visits for specialists will not be approved. Therefore, please do not select this option when submitting the form.
• No more than one application in a field from an institution should be submitted.
• Funding is not available to cover any part of the local hospitality expense on behalf of the host institution. Local hospitality (housing, meals, local transportation, and program-related in-country travel) must be borne by host institutions. Therefore, please do not select options that will make your application ineligible.
• Grants are limited. Preference will be given to institutes/university departments that have not hosted a Fulbright Specialist in the last three years.
• All selected applicants will be notified of the result by August 2026.
• Processing of the selected applications typically takes 4-5 months after the deadline. Grant dates should be between January 1 and September 30, 2027.

Interested institutions may download the Host Institution Project Proposal (Application) Template. This document includes all questions that host institutions must complete when they submit the required online application through the Fulbright Specialist Program Portal (FSP). This document would be helpful in reviewing all of the required information before submitting the online application.

Applications must be submitted online through FSP Portal - https://world-learning-npsp.my.site.com/FSPHost/

Note: Project proposals submitted via post/courier or email as a Word or PDF attachment will not be accepted. All project proposals must be submitted online through the FSP Portal only.

Last date of submission of application on the portal is May 31, 2026

For any query, please write to Dr. Girish Kaul at girish@usief.org.in.