Language:

English. Classical or modern Indian languages, or oral use of a regional language, may be required for specific research projects. The Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) is available to grantees to India. For more detailed information about the CLEA application, eligibility, and approved institutions, please read below and click here: Critical Language Enhancement Awards.

Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA):

CLEA provides an opportunity for Fulbright U.S. Student Program grantees to receive three to six months of intensive language study in addition to their research or study grants. The award provides a monthly living stipend and tuition reimbursement for grantees to pursue language training in the host country. Application for a Critical Language Enhancement Award is made in conjunction with the Fulbright U.S. Student application.

Accepted Languages:  Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Urdu.

Prior Language Study: A minimum of one year of prior language study is required for Hindi and Urdu.  For all other approved languages, no minimum language study is required.

Dates and Timing: Grantees may begin language study after arriving in India and  prior to the beginning of the Fulbright grant.  Grantees must enter the host country on a research visa issued specifically for their Fulbright grant. CLEA duration is a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6 months with at least two months of language study occurring before the Fulbright study/research grant begins. Schedules and durations may also be dictated by those set by the institutions listed below or other approved institutions.

Grant period:

9 months. Ph.D. candidates can start their grants at any time from July through March. Non-Ph.D. grantees are required to attend a mandatory orientation in Delhi in August before the start of their grants. CLEA awardees first complete their intensive language training followed by the Fulbright-Nehru study/research grant.  In addition, all grantees may be required to participate in a Pre-departure Orientation in mid-June 2014 as a condition of their grants.

Candidate profile :

Candidates at all degree levels will be considered.

Fields of study:

All disciplines will be considered. Preferred fields are: Agricultural Sciences; Economics; Education; Energy, Sustainable Development and Climate Change; Environment; International Relations; Management and Leadership Development; Media and Communications with a focus on Public Service Broadcasting; Public Administration; Public Health; Science and Technology; the Study of India with a focus on contemporary issues.

Affiliation:

According to the Government of India guidelines, each candidate is required to be affiliated with an Indian institution of higher education, a research and training institute, a think tank or a registered non-government organization, as required by the specific project proposed. The candidate will be guided or assisted by an academic supervisor from the affiliating institute/organization as designated by it. The role of the academic supervisor is to guide and support the candidate in carrying out the project.

Applicants are encouraged to identify appropriate host institutions for their projects and may include the details of their correspondence with potential host institutions in their Fulbright-Nehru applications. The formal invitation or proof of support is not mandatory, as USIEF will confirm the affiliation and secure the formal document from the proposed host institution upon final selection for a Fulbright-Nehru grant.

Research clearance and Indian visas:

Clearance and a research visa from the Government of India are required for all Fulbright-Nehru assignments. The detailed procedure for obtaining research visas will be communicated to grantees upon selection. Grants cannot be issued for travel to India until proper Government of India approvals and research visas are received.

Statement of Grant Purpose:

When writing your research proposal, please note the following guidelines. Research clearance is often delayed when:

• The subject matter is related to defense and strategic studies, tribes, inter-communal or other   socially-sensitive themes;
• Research is to be conducted in parts of the country restricted for foreign scholars or involves visits to those areas: Border areas in Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, and restricted areas including Andaman and Nicobar Islands; and parts of the state of Sikkim;
• The subject matter has potential sensitivity related to caste, religion, community or a particular group of people, and evaluation of sensitive government policies. Themes that are politically sensitive and themes likely to arouse ill-feeling or tension between different groups of citizens or offend the sensibilities of any group of citizens should be avoided;
• In some parts of the country, the methodology of directly interviewing subjects would not be encouraged because of its potential to incite local sentiment. 

USIEF suggests that:

• Applicants tone down the sensitivity of the title, topic, and research proposal. These should not sound negative, judgmental, or revolutionary. Occasionally, a proposed topic is under critical debate in India itself and the Government of India is unlikely to approve a research visa for such topic.
• The proposal should be one of genuine academic research reflecting both Indian and U.S. needs and academic interests, subject, however, to the availability of expertise and facilities for the specific field.
• Before submitting a research proposal, applicants should sensitize themselves to their area of interest to ensure that their proposal has minimal potential for inciting a controversy. Also, it would be helpful to check the feasibility of a proposal relative to the geographic location in India where the research will be conducted.

Archaeological research:

Applicants must state clearly in their proposals whether they will need to visit excavation sites. Selected candidates in this field will be required to fill out a form that USIEF will submit to the Government of India for obtaining special clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India.

Archival research:

Applicants should clearly state in their proposals whether they will need to consult records and/or papers in the National Archives, New Delhi, or in State archives. USIEF will obtain the necessary letter from the U.S. Embassy, which will be required for a scholar’s entry into the archives.

Change in marital status:

All grantees must inform IIE and USIEF of any change in marital status. Candidates who marry after submitting applications must allow at least four months for their spouses to obtain visas.

Dependents:

For all grantees, a monthly maintenance allowance is payable for one accompanying dependent only.

Language:

No Indian language skills are required. All instruction is in English.

Grant period:

9 months. English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) are required to arrive in the last week of June/first week of July 2014 to participate in an orientation that will include basic language training and culture classes as per the city of affiliation for three weeks prior to teaching. Basic instruction in teaching methodologies is also part of the in-country orientation, and will continue throughout the first five months of the program.  ETAs will be teaching in their respective schools from August 2014 through March 2015. In addition, all grantees may be required to attend a Pre-departure Orientation in mid-June 2014 as a condition of their grant.  ETAs are also invited to participate in the annual South and Central Asia ETA Enrichment Seminar.

Candidate profile :

Applications are welcome from articulate, resourceful, flexible and committed graduating seniors, recent graduates or Master’s students who demonstrate a high level of maturity and the initiative to teach English at the secondary level. Candidates must be native English-speakers. Candidates with degrees in English, Education, TEFL, or Applied Linguistics, are preferred, but candidates from all majors are welcome to apply. Previous teaching/tutoring experience is strongly preferred.

Fulbright-Nehru ETAs are cultural ambassadors of U.S. society, culture, and history and help to expand the world view of their students. The Fulbright-Nehru ETA Program is designed for ETAs to become a part of the community and help the community to grow with whatever skills and knowledge an ETA can impart, all while learning about Indian culture and society.

Nature of assignment:

Fulbright-Nehru ETA placements are in New Delhi, Calcutta or Chennai.  ETAs are expected to be at the school during the entire work day and during exam periods.  Approximately 20-25 hours per week of teaching is expected, plus all class preparation time and additional related activities for a total of 40 hours a week. The ETAs generally do a mix of co-teaching and independent teaching depending on the requirements of the school as well as the assistant’s background and qualifications. ETAs will assist in teaching conversational English and composition to middle and high school students and often help their students through the formation of and participation in various clubs (debate, drama, sports, among others). All ETAs are required to attend an intensive three-week language program before the start of their assignments to build their conversational skills in the local language.

ETA grantees are required to work one day each month at the “ACCESS” program in their city of affiliation. “ACCESS” is an interactive English language learning program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State for non-elite school children. ETAs will also be required to visit one ACCESS school outside of their city of affiliation each semester.  USIEF will cover the travel expenses for these visits.

ETAs are required to complete a small research project.  The project should ideally combine an ETA’s field of specialization with his/her experiences in an Indian school and provide insights on any aspect of education in India.  At the beginning of the grant period, ETAs will submit a 500 word proposal for approval and will focus on their projects during the school vacation periods and exam periods.  A 15-page project paper must be submitted at the end of the grant period, before departing India.

ETAs are highly encouraged to seek opportunities for cultural enrichment, including community service, which is often done during vacation and exam periods, to enhance their overall Fulbright experience.

Change in marital status:

All grantees must inform IIE and USIEF of any change in marital status. Candidates who marry after submitting applications must allow at least four months for their spouses to obtain visas.

Dependents:

For all grantees, a monthly maintenance allowance is payable for one accompanying dependent only.

Contact:

vinita@usief.org.in

Website:

www.usief.org.in