Deadline: September 20, 2021

Applications for the TWAS-DBT Postgraduate Fellowship Program 2021/2022 are now open. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of the Ministry of Science and Technology in India, and TWAS have established a fellowship program for foreign scholars from developing countries who wish to pursue research towards a PhD in biotechnology.

The TWAS-DBT Postgraduate Fellowships are tenable at key biotechnology research institutions in India for a period of up to five years. Applicants may be registered for a PhD degree in their home country, or may enrol in a PhD course at a host laboratory/institute in India.

Details

• Sandwich Fellowships (for those registered for a PhD in their home country): The Fellowship may be granted for a minimum period of 12 months and a maximum period of 2 years.
• Full-time Fellowships (for those not registered for a PhD): The Fellowship is granted for an initial period of up to 3 years.  Such Fellowships may then be extended for a further 2 years, subject to the student’s performance. Candidates will register for their PhD at a university in India. DBT will confirm any such extensions to both TWAS and the candidate.

Funding

• DBT will provide a monthly stipend to cover for living costs, food and health insurance. The monthly stipend will not be convertible into foreign currency.
• In addition, the fellowship holder will receive a house rent allowance.

Eligibility

• Be a maximum age of 35 years on December 31 of the application year.
• Be nationals of a developing country (other than India).
• Must not hold any visa for temporary or permanent residency in India or any developed country.
• Hold a Master’s or equivalent degree in science or engineering.
• For SANDWICH Fellowships, be registered PhD students in their home country and provide the “Registration and No Objection Certificate” from the HOME university (sample is included in the application form); OR
• For FULL-TIME Fellowships; be willing to register at a university in India.
• Be accepted at a biotechnology institution in India. Requests for acceptance must be directed to the chosen host institution(s), and NOT to DBT.
• Provide evidence of proficiency in English, if medium of education was not English;
• Provide evidence that s/he will return to her/his home country on completion of the fellowship;
• Not take up other assignments during the period of her/his fellowship;
• Be financially responsible for any accompanying family members.

Application

• No applications will be accepted after the deadline. Therefore, it is recommended to submit your electronic application as early as possible.
• Applications for the TWAS-DBT Postgraduate Fellowship Program can ONLY be submitted to TWAS via the online portal.
• For SANDWICH Fellowships (only if already registered for a PhD in the HOME country) applicants should ensure that the Vice-Chancellor or Registrar of the university sends a signed copy of the “Registration and No Objection Certificate” on institutional headed paper to TWAS.
• Applicants should submit the Acceptance Letter from an Indian biotechnology institution to TWAS when applying online. Without preliminary acceptance, the application will not be considered for selection.
• Reference letters must be on letter-headed paper and SIGNED by the referee. The subject line must contain the name DBT/PG/ and the candidate’s surname. N.B. Only signed reference letters can be accepted.
• Should you have applied to or availed any Indian fellowships (especially INSA JRD TATA and JNCASR-CICS) in the current or previous year this must be clearly specified in the application form.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit TWAS.