What is the Khorana Program and how much does it pay?

The Khorana Program for Scholars is a bilateral US-India exchange programme funded by the US Department of State and administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and WINStep Forward. It places Indian undergraduate and graduate students at US universities for 10-week summer research internships. The programme covers a stipend of approximately USD 2,200 (around INR 1,83,000) for the 10-week period, round-trip economy airfare from India, health insurance, and a housing allowance. About 75 scholars are selected per year from across all disciplines, though life sciences and engineering dominate.

What is the difference between Khorana Program and IUSSTF S.N. Bose Scholars?

Both are administered by the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) but target different directions. The Khorana Program places Indian students in the US. The S.N. Bose Scholars Programme places Indian Master's and PhD students at US universities and labs for 3 to 4 months, with a monthly stipend of approximately USD 2,000-2,200 plus travel and health insurance. S.N. Bose is specifically for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and is named after the Indian physicist Satyendra Nath Bose. Khorana is broader in scope and also covers agricultural and environmental sciences.

When is the Khorana Program application deadline for 2026?

The Khorana Program typically runs on a January to February application deadline for placements beginning in May or June of the same year. For summer 2026 placements, the application window likely closed in January or February 2026. Applications for summer 2027 will open in late 2026. Check the official WINStep Forward website (winstepforward.org) and the IUSSTF portal (iusstf.org) for exact 2027 dates as they are announced.

Which universities host Khorana scholars in the US?

Khorana scholars are placed at a network of US partner universities that have signed agreements with the programme. These include major research universities such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison (the programme's home institution), University of Illinois, Purdue University, Cornell University, and other R1 research universities. The host institution depends on the match between the scholar's research interests and available lab positions. You indicate preference during application but do not choose the host university directly.

Do I need a US visa for the Khorana Program?

Yes. Khorana scholars typically enter the US on a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa, which is sponsored by the host university. The programme provides a DS-2019 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status) which you need to apply for the J-1 at the US Embassy in New Delhi, Mumbai, or Chennai. The J-1 visa application fee is approximately USD 160 plus a SEVIS fee of USD 220. Some scholars receive reimbursement for these fees. Allow 4 to 8 weeks for visa processing after receiving your DS-2019.

Can engineering students apply for the Khorana Program?

Yes. The Khorana Program accepts students from all STEM disciplines including engineering, computer science, materials science, agricultural engineering, and environmental engineering. It is not limited to life sciences, though biology, biochemistry, and agricultural sciences have historically been prominent fields. The S.N. Bose Scholars Programme is a better fit for pure physics, chemistry, and mathematics students if you want a programme specifically designed for those fields.

Khorana Program and IUSSTF Internships for Indian Students 2026: Eligibility, Funding, Deadlines

US-India research internship programmes: the landscape

The US and India have one of the most active bilateral science and technology exchange relationships in the world, formalized through the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF), established in 2000. IUSSTF administers several programmes that fund Indian students for research positions at American universities. The two most prominent for undergraduates and early-graduate students are the Khorana Program for Scholars and the S.N. Bose Scholars Programme.

Both programmes are particularly significant because they take the financial risk out of pursuing a US research internship. The J-1 visa process, flight costs, and US living expenses can easily total INR 4 to 6 lakh for a self-funded student. These programmes eliminate or substantially reduce that barrier.

The Khorana Program for Scholars

Programme overview

Named after Har Gobind Khorana, the Nobel Prize-winning Indian-American biochemist, the Khorana Program was established in 2007 through a partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Government of India (through the Department of Biotechnology, DBT). Since 2016, WINStep Forward, a US non-profit, has been co-administering the programme.

The programme places approximately 75 Indian scholars per year at US partner universities for 10-week summer research internships (typically late May to early August). This is highly competitive: the acceptance rate is generally below 5 to 8 percent of applicants.

What the Khorana Program covers

Stipend: Approximately USD 2,200 (roughly INR 1,83,000 at current exchange rates) for the full 10-week period, paid in instalments
Round-trip economy airfare: From a major Indian city to the US host university city
Health insurance: US-standard health coverage for the duration of the programme
Housing assistance: The host university typically provides on-campus or university-affiliated housing (the cost is often covered or heavily subsidized)
Pre-departure orientation: A virtual briefing on US university culture, research expectations, and safety
J-1 visa sponsorship: DS-2019 form provided by the host university; some programmes reimburse the SEVIS fee

Khorana Program eligibility

Indian nationals enrolled at an Indian university (undergraduate or graduate)
Undergraduate students must be in their second or third year at the time of application
Graduate students (Master's or PhD) at any stage are eligible
Fields: life sciences, agricultural sciences, food and nutrition sciences, environmental sciences, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, chemical engineering, and materials science are all eligible. Computer science and engineering are also accepted in some cohorts
GPA: strong academic record expected, typically top 10 to 15 percent of class
English language proficiency: demonstrated through academic record (no formal TOEFL requirement for most cohorts)
Research experience: prior lab or research project experience strongly preferred

Application process and 2026 timeline

For summer 2026, the application window opened in November to December 2025 and closed in January to February 2026. Scholars begin their placements in late May or June 2026.

For summer 2027, monitor the WINStep Forward website (winstepforward.org) from October 2026 for the opening announcement. The application requires:

Online application form through the WINStep Forward or IUSSTF portal
Statement of purpose (typically 500 to 750 words): your research interests, why the US, and what you hope to contribute
Academic transcripts (unofficial acceptable at application stage)
Two letters of recommendation: at least one from a faculty member who has supervised your research
CV with publications or conference presentations if applicable
Research area preference (you indicate subject areas, not specific professors)

IUSSTF S.N. Bose Scholars Programme

Programme overview

The S.N. Bose Scholars Programme, also administered by IUSSTF and WINStep Forward, focuses specifically on Indian students in pure and applied sciences. Named after Satyendra Nath Bose (the physicist whose work on quantum mechanics led to the Bose-Einstein condensate), this programme places Indian Master's and PhD students at US universities for 3 to 4 month research internships.

Approximately 40 to 50 scholars are selected per cohort. The longer duration (compared to Khorana) makes it more suitable for students working on thesis-adjacent research where 10 weeks would not be sufficient to make meaningful progress.

What S.N. Bose Scholars covers

Monthly stipend: Approximately USD 2,000 to 2,200 per month (INR 1,67,000 to 1,83,000 at current rates) for 3 to 4 months
Round-trip economy airfare from India
Health insurance for the duration of the placement
Housing assistance: University-provided or subsidized accommodation
J-1 visa sponsorship

S.N. Bose Scholars eligibility

Indian nationals enrolled in a Master's or PhD programme at an Indian university
Fields: physics, chemistry, mathematics, atmospheric and earth sciences, and materials science. More specialized than Khorana
Strong publication or conference record preferred for PhD applicants
Undergraduate students are not eligible (this distinguishes it from Khorana)

Khorana vs S.N. Bose vs DAAD WISE: comparison

Factor	Khorana Program	S.N. Bose Scholars	DAAD WISE (Germany)
Destination	United States	United States	Germany
Duration	10 weeks (summer)	3 to 4 months	1 to 6 months
Stipend	~USD 2,200 total (~INR 1,83,000)	~USD 2,000-2,200/month (~INR 1,67,000-1,83,000/mo)	EUR 650-700/month (~INR 58,500-63,000/mo)
Eligible levels	UG (2nd/3rd yr) and PG	Master's and PhD only	UG and Master's
Fields	Life, agricultural, env sciences, STEM broadly	Physics, chemistry, maths, atmospheric sciences	Engineering, natural sciences, maths
Scholars per year	~75	~40-50	Variable (150-300)
Application deadline	Jan-Feb for summer	Nov-Dec for summer	Oct-Dec for next summer
Travel covered	Full round-trip airfare	Full round-trip airfare	EUR 200-400 subsidy

IUSSTF Build a Dream Programme

Beyond Khorana and S.N. Bose, IUSSTF also runs the Build a Dream Programme, which places Indian student entrepreneurs at US universities and entrepreneurship hubs for exposure to the US startup ecosystem. This is less of a research programme and more of an innovation and entrepreneurship immersion. It is funded through IUSSTF's bilateral mandate but has a narrower focus on students with demonstrated entrepreneurship interests (startup experience, business plan competitions, etc.).

How to build a competitive application

Both Khorana and S.N. Bose are competitive with acceptance rates below 10 percent. Applicants who succeed typically share these characteristics:

Existing research output: At least one published paper, conference abstract, or poster presentation. Even a preprint on bioRxiv or arXiv signals research maturity.
Specific research narrative: The statement of purpose does not just explain what you have done but what you want to do at the US institution and why that exact intersection of topics matters.
Strong faculty recommendations: Letters from professors who have supervised actual research (not just taught courses) and who can speak to your independent thinking and lab skills, not just your exam performance.
Institutional support: Some Indian universities have designated contacts for IUSSTF programmes. Check if your university has a prior relationship with IUSSTF, as institutional familiarity helps.

Also read: DAAD WISE and Charpak Lab Scholarship: funded research internships in Germany and France → and Stipend internships in Europe: which countries pay the most →

Practical advice on the J-1 visa process

Both Khorana and S.N. Bose scholars travel on J-1 Exchange Visitor visas. Once accepted, the host university issues a DS-2019 form. With that document, you apply at the US Embassy in New Delhi, Mumbai, or Chennai:

SEVIS fee: USD 220 (I-901 fee, paid online at fmjfee.com before the visa interview)
Visa application fee (MRV fee): Approximately USD 160
Required documents: DS-2019, valid passport, visa application form (DS-160), SEVIS fee receipt, financial evidence that you can cover expenses (the programme stipend letter usually serves this purpose)
Processing time: 3 to 8 weeks from interview date. Book your appointment as soon as you receive the DS-2019, which is usually 6 to 8 weeks before programme start

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