Top PhD Scholarships in USA For Indian Students

Getting a PhD from a coveted US university is a dream for every researcher. However, finance becomes one of the biggest impinging issues when it comes to pursuing a PhD in the USA for Indian students. To their rescue comes the option of PhD scholarships in USA for Indian students. Though funding options are usually limited for international students, yet applicants can still apply for these scholarships for some level of funding.

The high tuition costs and high living expenses become a hurdle. Finances should not become a retarding factor in one’s academic growth. To overcome the financial hurdles for meritorious and deserving candidates various scholarships are there. In this article, we are mentioning some of the PhD scholarships in the USA for Indian students that will ease the financial burdens of the candidates.

Also Read: Study Guide to USA for International Students

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PhD Scholarship Funding in US Universities

There are around 50 US universities which offer a fully funded PhD scholarship to their students. The top 10 US universities offering these fully funded PhD scholarships are as follows:

Assistantships can be secured in consultation with the respective faculty advisors. Students can work up to 10 hours which can get applicants a 25% assistantship or work for 20 hours to get 50% assistantships in a week depending on their year in the program. 

Top 10 PhD Scholarships in the USA for Indian Students

There are certain scholarships in the USA for Indian students pursuing a PhD to fund their education and they are as follows:

1. Fulbright Foreign Student Program:

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program helps graduate students, professionals, and artists from outside the USA to study and pursue their research in the USA. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is functional in more than 160 countries. Bi-national Fulbright Commissions or US Embassies administer the program. Nearly 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.

Fields of study eligible: Fulbright invites applications from all fields such as agriculture, arts, education, environment, humanities, social sciences, public health, and science and technology.

For more details on the Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

2. P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship:

The International Peace Scholarship Fund dates back to 1949. It helps women students pursue their studies in the USA. A maximum of $12,500 is awarded to a student. The scholarship does not cover all academic or personal expenses.

3. AAUW International Fellowships in USA for Women:

The American Association of University Women provides scholarships for full-time courses or for research in the USA to those women who do not hold US citizenship or PR. Women who have contributed to the cause of women's upliftment and empowerment are given a preference. The scholarship recipients return to their home countries after completing their studies.

Eligibility: Applicant must hold an equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree.

Award amount:

• Master’s: $18,000
• Doctoral: $20,000
• Postdoctoral: $30,000

Also Read: Cost of living in the USA

4. Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program at Stanford University aims to promote a diverse and multidisciplinary community of students who become leaders in the near future and work on the pressing challenges of society. Students of all 7 schools of Stanford are eligible for this scholarship. This scholarship for PhD students in USA is popular, check out the criteria below.

Eligibility:

• Must be enrolled in a full-time Stanford program; such as MBA, MA, PhD, MS, etc. Priority is given to those who will study for at least 2 years at Stanford.
• To apply in 2023, you must have earned your first bachelor’s degree by Jan 2016 or later
• To apply in 2024, you must have earned your first bachelor’s degree by Jan 2017 or later

Application: The students are supposed to apply separately to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program.

Check: Stanford University Scholarships for Indian Students

5. Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Program

Asian Cultural Council provides fellowships and grants to the students of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Mainland China, East Timor, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States. As per the official website, process-driven activities such as research, training, study, and exploration are given priority.

Eligible fields: Archaeology, Architecture, Art History, Arts Administration, Arts Criticism, Conservation, Crafts, Curation, Dance, Ethnomusicology, Film/Video/Photography, Literature, Museum Studies, Music, Theater, Visual Art.

6. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme

The Aga Khan Foundation provides scholarships for higher education to meritorious students who cannot finance their education by any other means. 50% of the scholarship is in the form of a grant, while the remaining 50% is in the form of a loan. Applications for short-term courses are not taken into account. Preference is given to students who are below 30 years of age. Tuition fees and living expenses are covered in the scholarship; travel expenses are not covered.

Eligibility:

• Nationals of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar and Mozambique
• Excellent academic record
• Genuine financial need
• Admission to a highly reputed university
• Studies should be relevant for the Aga Khan Development Network

7. IBM PhD Fellowship Program

The collaboration between IBM, faculty, students, and universities supports the exceptional and meritorious Ph.D. students who pursue their research in technology. All the recipients are mapped with an IBM mentor. The following are the eligibility criteria to avail of the IBM PhD Fellowship:

• Students cannot nominate himself/herself, he/she must be nominated by the doctoral faculty member
• Full-time PhD
• 3 years should be remaining in their program
• No transfer of department or school

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8. Global Leaders Fellowship

The Global Leaders Fellowship is provided to students from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, and Vietnam. The students receive a waiver in the application fee and support of up to $10,000 per academic year.

Eligibility:

• Student must belong to one of the above countries
• Student must be studying on an F-1 visa
• Must be enrolled in an on-campus program

9. East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship

The East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship provides financial support for master's and doctoral courses to students from Asia, the Pacific, and the USA. The students are expected to take part in community building and leadership development programs at the East-West Center while pursuing their studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM). Applicants who can demonstrate a commitment to the Asia Pacific region are given priority.

10. Fitzduff Family Fellowship

Fitzduff Family Fellowship is awarded to an international student in the Conflict Resolution and Coexistence program. The student is expected to work on social and public policy issues. The Social Policy and Coexistence Fellowship includes full tuition and health insurance, however, the fellowship does not include university fees, travel expenses, and living expenses. 

Also Read: Scholarships for USA

Thus, applicants have a plethora of choices and can choose those scholarships which suits them the best. The scholarship for PhD students in USA is hard to find, but with the kind of research topics and academic profile, applicants can get one easily. Also, the stipends are usually available at US universities for doctoral applicants to support their education. Have more queries? Write to us in the comments below.