UNESCO TWAS-CSIR Postgraduate Fellowship Programme 2026

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of India and UNESCO-TWAS have established a number of fellowships for foreign scholars from developing countries, who wish to pursue research toward a PhD in emerging areas of science and technology, for which facilities are available in CSIR laboratories and institutes.

About The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)

TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the developing world, under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel laureate. They shared a belief that developing nations, by building strength in science and engineering, could build the knowledge and skill to address such challenges as hunger, disease and poverty. From the start, the Academy had essential support from Italian scientists and political leaders. The Third World Academy of Sciences, as it was first known, was inaugurated officially in 1985 during a ceremony attended by UN Secretary-... continue reading

UNESCO TWAS-CSIR Postgraduate Fellowship Programme

Aim and Benefits of UNESCO TWAS-CSIR Postgraduate Fellowship Programme

• SANDWICH Fellowships (for those registered for a PhD in their home country): The Fellowship may be granted for a minimum period of 6 months and a maximum period to be decided by the host institute, but no greater than 3 years.
• FULL-TIME Fellowships (for those not registered for a PhD): The Fellowship may be granted for up to a maximum duration of 4 years.
• CSIR 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, Fellowship awardees are entitled to subsidized accommodation.

Requirements for UNESCO TWAS-CSIR Postgraduate Fellowship Programme Qualification

Applicants for these fellowships must meet the following criteria:

• Be a maximum age of 35 years on 31 December 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 degree in science and technology.
• Be regularly employed in their home country and hold a research assignment there.
• SANDWICH Fellowships: Be registered PhD students in their home country and provide the "Registration and No Objection Certificate" from the HOME university.
• FULL-TIME Fellowships: Be willing to register at a university in India within the first year, if agreed to by CSIR.
• Be accepted at a CSIR laboratory/institution and provide an official acceptance letter from the host institution (see sample Acceptance Letter that can be downloaded below or included in the Application Form). NB: Requests for acceptance must be directed to the chosen CSIR host institution(s);
• 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.

Submitting your application

• If already registered for a PhD in their home country, applicants should ensure that the Vice-Chancellor or Registrar of the HOME university signs a copy of the "Registration and No Objection Certificate" (see sample included in the Application Form), a copy of which should be sent to both CSIR and TWAS.
• Applicants should submit the acceptance letter from a CSIR institution when applying or by the deadline at the latest. Without preliminary acceptance, the application will not be considered for selection.
• Applications for the TWAS-CSIR Postgraduate Fellowship Programme can ONLY be submitted to TWAS via the online portal.  A tutorial on how to use the online application form is available below for download.
• Please be advised that applicants may apply for only one programme per calendar year in the TWAS and OWSD portfolio. Applicants will not be eligible to visit another institution in that year under the TWAS Visiting Professor programmes. One exception: The head of an institution who invites an external scholar to share his/her expertise under the TWAS Visiting Professor programmes may still apply for another programme.

Results of the fellowship selection should be available in at the end of 2026 or early 2027 and selected candidates will be able to start their fellowship NO earlier than 2027.

Check also:Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)

Application Deadline

How to Apply