Requirements vary by country. Carefully review instructions for each country.
• Bhutan: Invitation letters are preferred. An invitation letter may help facilitate placement at that institution but is not a guarantee of final placement. The Government of Bhutan will decide and approve all final affiliations in consultation with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, with preference given for projects outside the capital city of Thimphu.
• India: Invitation letters are preferred. Scholars are encouraged to make contact with a potential host institution but an invitation letter is not required. Affiliations with think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and research centers in the respective areas of specialization will be considered. The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) will finalize all affiliations but applicants may indicate a preference.
• Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan: Invitation letters are preferred. Consult Fulbright contacts at the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section of the host country on appropriate host institutions for each country before seeking an invitation letter. Refer to each country’s U.S. Scholar Fulbright Award description for contact information.
• Maldives: Invitations letters are preferred. Applicants are encouraged to initiate contact with prospective hosts and local academics during the application process and discuss the parameters of the research they are proposing. Prior contact and communication between the applicant and the host ensure greater buy-in and grantee success once in country.
• Nepal: Invitation letters are preferred. Candidates must make the effort to obtain them from a Nepali scholar or affiliate institution indicating willingness to collaborate or provide support for the proposed project. However, should the candidate encounter difficulty in obtaining the letter, the Commission can still consider the application. Please contact Reshu Aryal Dhungana, Executive Director (reshu@fulbrightnepal.org.np) or Rakchhya Maharjan, Senior Program Officer (rakchhya@fulbrightnepal.org.np) of Fulbright Commission in Nepal, for affiliation-related questions.
• Pakistan: Invitation letters are preferred. Consult the Fulbright commission on host institution affiliation before seeking an invitation letter. Awards are restricted to Islamabad, Karachi, and possibly Lahore. Applications for other cities or regions of Pakistan will not be considered. The Fulbright commission in Pakistan will finalize all affiliations.
• Sri Lanka: Invitation letters are preferred. Scholars are encouraged to contact a potential host institution and the United States-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission (US-SLFC) can facilitate the process if applicants indicate a preference. US-SLFC will finalize all affiliations.
• Uzbekistan: Invitation letters are required. Consult Fulbright contacts at the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent in the Public Affairs Section for guidance on this process. Refer to Uzbekistan’s U.S. Scholar Fulbright Award description for contact information.