Khorana Scholarship 2026-27: Stipend, Eligibility & How to Apply

The Khorana Scholarship is a summer research internship programme for Indian students, run jointly by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and WINStep Forward. The programme is implemented through IUSSTF, a bilateral organisation set up by the governments of India and the USA in March 2000 to connect Indian and US science and technology communities.

Here is what the Khorana Scholarship offers:

• Named after: Dr. Har Gobind Khorana, who won the Nobel Prize in 1968 for his work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Programme type: A research internship at a US university or research institute. It is not a degree scholarship or a university admission.
• Study level: Pre-final year undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students. PhD students are not eligible.
• Fields of study: Biotechnology and allied areas, including agricultural, food, health and biomedical sciences, and interdisciplinary areas such as computational sciences, big data and machine learning.
• Internship period: Usually from mid-May to the end of July. Dates can be changed or extended in consultation with the parent and host institutions.
• Host institution: Selected students identify their own US host by naming up to 3 US professors whose research matches their interests. WINStep Forward then invites these professors to host the student.
• Funding: Round-trip airfare, a stipend and health insurance.

Source:IUSSTF

The Khorana Scholarship covers a stipend of USD 3,000 (INR 2.9 L), round-trip economy airfare of up to USD 2,500 (INR 2.4 L), and health insurance of USD 600 (INR 57.6K) for the full internship. Along with the funding, scholars get research exposure at a leading US institution under the guidance of a US faculty host.

Here are the financial and academic benefits of the Khorana Scholarship:

• Stipend: USD 3,000 (INR 2.9 L) for the full 10- to 12-week internship. 90% is paid as an advance before the internship begins, and the remaining 10% is released after the scholar submits the final reports.
• Health insurance: USD 600 (INR 57.6K), paid along with the stipend advance.
• Airfare: Round-trip economy airfare of up to USD 2,500 (INR 2.4 L) from the scholar’s institution to the US host institution, booked directly by the IUSSTF Travel Desk.
• Research exposure: Active research in a US laboratory. For example, 2025 scholars were placed at Purdue University, Johns Hopkins University and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
• Host placement support: After scholars name up to 3 US professors whose research matches their interests, WINStep Forward contacts these professors and invites them to host the scholar.
• Orientation and guidance: WINStep Forward runs an orientation programme for scholars and offers support during and after the internship in the USA.
• Scholar network: Scholars take part in a symposium in India after the internship, which helps build long-term research links between Indian and US institutions.

Source:IUSSTF (Khorana Program for Scholars 2025 Guidelines)

To be eligible for the Khorana Scholarship, Indian students must be in the pre-final year of a biotechnology or allied degree and have a CGPA of 8.0 or 80% (65% for MBBS students). Students must complete their degree in or after May of the year after the internship, which is why final-year and PhD students cannot apply. First-year students of an undergraduate degree are also not eligible, while first-year students of a two-year master’s degree can apply, as it is their pre-final year.

Here are the eligibility criteria for the Khorana Scholarship for Indian students:

• Nationality and enrolment: Indian citizens currently enrolled at a recognised institution of higher education in India.
• Eligible degrees: B.Tech, M.Tech, B.E., M.E., B.Sc., M.Sc., M.S., Integrated B.S.-M.S., B.Pharm, M.Pharm, B.V.Sc., M.V.Sc., MBBS and Master in Medical Science and Technology (MMST).
• Field of study: Biotechnology and allied areas, including agricultural, food, health and biomedical sciences, and areas such as computational sciences, big data and machine learning. Applications in other subject fields are not considered.
• Year of study: Pre-final year, with at least one year of the course remaining. For example, the 2025 call accepted only students completing their degree in or after May 2026.
• Academic score: A CGPA of 8.0 or higher, or 80% and above. MBBS students need a minimum of 65%.
• Not eligible: First-year students of an undergraduate degree, final-year students, students who have completed a master’s degree, and PhD scholars. First-year students of a two-year master’s degree are eligible.
• Preference: Students without prior international research experience are given preference.

The Khorana Scholarship application requires the latest marksheet, a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the parent institution, and two letters of recommendation, all uploaded as scanned copies on the IUSSTF portal. Hard copies are not required, and all documents, including recommendation letters, must reach IUSSTF before the deadline.

Here are the documents required for the Khorana Scholarship application:

• Latest marksheet or transcript: A scanned copy of the latest marksheet. If the official marksheet has not been issued yet, an attested copy can be uploaded. First-year students of a two-year master’s degree who do not have semester results yet can apply with their final-year graduation marks. Class X and XII marksheets should not be attached.
• No-Objection Certificate (NOC): A scanned NOC from the student’s current institution in India.
• Two letters of recommendation: One from a teacher or tutor, and one from a supervisor who mentored the student during a lab training or internship. Both letters must be on the referee’s official letterhead with an ink signature and stamp, if available. Referees can share the letters for upload or email them directly to scholar@iusstf.org with the student’s name and institute in the subject line.
• Passport details: Valid passport details in the application form. Students without a passport can select “Applied for” and should apply for one at the earliest.

To apply for the Khorana Scholarship, students must register on the IUSSTF Online Application Portal for Visitation Programs, complete the online form, and upload the required documents before the deadline. Applications are accepted only through this portal, and hard copies or emailed application forms are not considered.

Here are the steps to apply for the Khorana Scholarship:

• Step 1: Check the Programme Call: Read the latest call and guidelines on the IUSSTF Khorana Program page to confirm the eligibility rules and deadline. For the 2025 call, the programme was announced in the first week of September 2024.
• Step 2: Register on the IUSSTF Portal: Create an account on the IUSSTF Online Application Portal for Visitation Programs, which is linked from the Khorana Program page. Use an active email ID, since all programme communication is sent to it.
• Step 3: Verify the Email Account: Open the verification link sent to the registered email ID to activate the account. If the email does not arrive, check the spam or junk folder for mail from iusstf.info@gmail.com.
• Step 4: Fill in the Application Form: Log in and complete the online application for the Khorana Program with academic, research, and passport details. Read all programme instructions carefully before filling in each section.
• Step 5: Upload the Required Documents: Upload scanned copies of the latest marksheet, NOC, and two letters of recommendation, strictly as per the checklist in the application form. If referees prefer to send their letters directly, they must email them to scholar@iusstf.org.
• Step 6: Submit Before the Deadline: Submit the completed application before the deadline, which was 07 October 2024 for the 2025 call. No documents, including recommendation letters, are accepted after the deadline.

The Khorana Scholarship follows a three-tiered screening process in which subject experts review applications on academic background, research experience and proposed project ideas. There is no interview, and selected candidates then work with WINStep Forward to secure a host professor at a US university.

Here are the stages and key points of the Khorana Scholarship selection process:

• Stage 1: Preliminary Screening: Applications are checked for eligibility and completeness from the second week of October.
• Stage 2:Review Process: Subject experts review and shortlist eligible applications through November.
• Stage 3: Final Screening and Selection: The committee selects the final list of scholars in the third week of December and announces the awards by the end of December.
• Selection criteria: Academic background, research interests and career goals, research experience and lab work, proposed project ideas, the need to conduct research in the US, and publications or poster presentations, if any.
• Interview and reservations: No personal interview is conducted at any stage. Selection is based purely on merit, with no reservation or preference for SC, ST, OBC or economically weaker section candidates.
• Host placement: Selected candidates identify their own US host by naming up to 3 US professors, in order of priority, whose research matches their interests. WINStep Forward then contacts these professors and invites them to host the scholar, between January and March.
• Final confirmation: The list of selected candidates is provisional and is updated based on successful placement at a US host institution.

IUSSTF has not announced a new Khorana Scholarship call since the summer 2025 cycle, whose application deadline was 07 October 2024, and WINStep Forward currently lists the programme as on hold. If a new date is announced, it is likely to follow the schedule of the last cycle, with applications opening in September and closing in the first week of October.

The table below shows the tentative timeline of the Khorana Scholarship:

Since the Khorana Scholarship has no interview, the written application, the two recommendation letters and the shortlist of US professors carry the full weight of selection and placement. The tips below are based on what IUSSTF and WINStep Forward assess at each stage.

Here are some useful tips for the Khorana Scholarship application:

• Lab experience before applying: One of the two recommendation letters must come from a supervisor who mentored the student during a lab training or internship. Students should complete at least one lab internship before the application window opens in September, so this letter is available on time.
• Clear reason for research in the US: IUSSTF lists “the need to conduct research in the US” as a selection criterion. The application should name a specific technique, facility or research area in the US that is not available at the student’s institution in India, instead of general praise for US universities.
• Shortlist of US professors in advance: After selection, scholars name up to 3 US professors in order of priority, and placements take place between January and March. WINStep Forward notes that students who already have a list of mentors are at an advantage, so the shortlist should be ready before the results are announced.
• Planning for uncovered costs: The scholarship does not cover accommodation, visa fees or bench fees. When a host professor is confirmed, scholars should ask the host institution whether it can help with housing or waive bench fees, as IUSSTF notes that hosts may do so.
• Academic calendar check: The internship usually runs from mid-May to the end of July, which can clash with semester exams in India. Students should confirm the dates with their institution before requesting the NOC, since any change in dates must be agreed with both the parent and host institutions.

The Khorana Scholarship being on hold does not have to delay a research plan, because its key requirements take time to build. A lab internship for the supervisor’s recommendation letter and a shortlist of US professors with matching research are both useful when a new call opens, and they also help with other research internships and future master’s or PhD applications in the USA.

Yocket Premium can help with shortlisting research opportunities and US universities, preparing application documents and planning a profile for higher studies in biotechnology. It also helps compare funding options, so the plan does not depend on the Khorana Scholarship alone.