The Khorana Scholarship Program invites applications in Biotechnology and allied areas (including agricultural, food, health, biomedical sciences and interdisciplinary areas like Computational Sciences, Big Data, and Machine Learning etc.).
About Khorana Scholarship Program
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India, Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and WINStep Forward are partnering to support the prestigious Khorana Program for Scholars named in honor of Dr. Har Gobind Khorana, who won the Nobel Prize in 1968 for his work at the interface of Chemistry and Biology while a member of the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty. The Khorana Scholarship Program will provide opportunities to Indian students to get research exposure at leading U.S. universities over summer 2025 for a period of 10-12 weeks.
Objectives
The broad objectives of the program are:
- To provide exposure to world class scientific research facilities.
- Nurture the next generation of scientists and technologists to build long term R&D collaborations.
- Enable undergraduate and post-graduate students to pursue higher education and research-based careers.
- Promote capacity building in frontline areas of biotechnology and bio-quantitative sciences.
Khorana Scholarship Program Schedule for the 2025 Call:
| Event | Tentative Timeline |
|---|---|
| Program announcement on IUSSTF/DBT website | 1st week of September 2024 |
| Webinar for prospective applicants | Last week of September 2024 |
| Application Deadline | 7th October 2024 |
| Stage 1: Preliminary Screening | 2nd week of October 2024 onwards |
| Stage 2: Review Process | 1st – 4th week of November 2024 |
| Stage 3: Final Screening and Selection | 3rd week of December 2024 |
| Award Announcement | End December 2024 |
| Placements by WSF | January-March 2025 |
| Orientation and Internship Commencement | May 2025 |
| Symposium/Interaction with Scholars (Batch 2025) in India | December 2025/January 2026 |
Eligibility for Khorana Scholarship Program
- Only Indian students currently enrolled at a recognized Institution of Higher
Education in India can apply. - Pre-final year students enrolled in B.Tech., M. Tech., B.Sc., MSc., B.E., M.E., M.S.,
Integrated B.S-M.S., B.V.Sc., M.V.Sc., B. Pharm., M. Pharm., MBBS., and Master in Medical
Science and Technology (MMST) at recognized institutions of higher education in India
in Biotechnology and allied areas (including agricultural, food, health, biomedical
sciences and interdisciplinary areas like Computational Sciences, Big Data, Machine
Learning etc.) are eligible to apply. - The applicant should have:
- Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 8.0 or higher, OR,
- Percentage: 80% and higher.
- Minimum 65% and higher if the applicant is an MBBS student.
- Preference will be given to students without prior international research experience.
- Only those candidates who have a minimum of one year remaining for the
completion of their course in India are eligible to apply [(for e.g. for the 2025 Call,
Only those candidates who shall be completing their degree program in or after May
2026 are eligible to apply (preferably pre-final year students)]. - First Year, Final Year students and Ph.D. students are NOT eligible to apply.
For complete Application Guidelines, click to “Application Guidelines”.
Khorana Scholarship Awards
The Program support covers:
- Round-trip Airfare
- Stipend
- Health Insurance
Steps to submit an application for Khorana Scholarship:
- Please register on the IUSSTF Online Application Portal for Visitation Programs at http://49.50.66.168/Program_Details.aspx?ProgramFor=1
- Verify your account using the link sent to your registered email id. Please check your spam/junk folders in case you do not receive mails from iusstf.info@gmail.com
- Complete the online application and upload scanned copies of latest marksheet, No-Objection Certificate & Two Letters of Recommendation.
- Supporting documents should be provided strictly according to the check-list mentioned in the application form.
- Candidates are advised to go through all the program information/instructions carefully before submitting the application.
- Hard copies of the application form/supporting documents ARE NOT required.
Selection Criteria
The eligible applications are further reviewed and shortlisted by subject experts
based on the following criteria:
- Academic background and credentials;
- Research interests, project ideas, and career goals;
- Research experience, technical background, other internships, courses, lab work (if any);
- The need to conduct research in the U.S. and
- Publications, Poster presentations, and related conference participation (if any).