50 Best Fellowships in India for 2026-2027 (After Graduation, BSW & MSW)

If you are a graduate, BSW or MSW student looking for a paid way into the social sector, these 50 fellowships in India are the strongest starting points for 2026–27. Each one below tells you who it is best for, what it involves, and where to apply.

A fellowship is a fixed-term, structured programme (usually 1–2 years) where you work on a real problem, get mentored, and are paid a stipend. Unlike a job, it is built to train you. Unlike a degree, you learn on the ground.

Open or opening this month (November): Teach For India, Gandhi Fellowship, LAMP Fellowship, iTeach, TFIx, Inlaks Social Engagement, Piramal School Leadership, Anant Fellowship for Climate Action, plus every fellowship marked Rolling. Windows shift a little every year, so always confirm on the official site before you plan around a date.

How to pick the right fellowship

Fifty options is too many to apply to. Narrow the list to 5–6 with four questions:

1. What problem do you want to work on? Education, health, livelihoods, governance, climate, justice. Pick one theme, then use the sections below.
2. Where do you want to be? A village, a district office, a city school, or a policy room in Delhi. Many fellowships place you; few let you choose.
3. What stage are you at? Fresh graduates fit most programmes. Founders with an idea should look at Section 4. Mid-career people should look at Acumen and Ashoka.
4. Can you commit 1–2 years full time? Most fellowships here are full time and residential. Plan finances around the stipend, not your last salary.

1. Grassroots, rural and urban development fellowships

These suit you if you want to learn by living and working with communities. Most take fresh graduates and BSW/MSW students.

1. Teach For India Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates who want to teach and build leadership skills in a city classroom.
• Summary: A two-year, full-time paid fellowship where you teach children in low-income government and low-fee private schools across nine Indian cities, with training before you start. No B.Ed. needed.
• Application window: Rounds run Aug – Mar
• Know more: apply.teachforindia.org

2. Gandhi Fellowship (Piramal Foundation)

• Best for: Young graduates who want to work inside government systems at the district and block level.
• Summary: A two-year residential fellowship focused on improving public systems such as education and health, working alongside government officials.
• Application window: Sep – Dec
• Know more: gandhifellowship.org

3. SBI Youth for India Fellowship

• Best for: Urban graduates and young professionals who want a year in a village.
• Summary: A 13-month rural fellowship placing you with a grassroots NGO on one of 12 themes, from water and health to livelihoods and technology.
• Application window: Feb – Apr
• Know more: youthforindia.org

4. India Fellow Social Leadership Program

• Best for: Anyone under 30 who wants deep, hands-on NGO experience before choosing a career path.
• Summary: An 18-month immersion with a grassroots non-profit in education, health or livelihoods, with structured reflection and travel.
• Application window: Dec – Mar and Jul – Sep
• Know more: indiafellow.org

5. AIF Banyan Impact Fellowship (American India Foundation)

• Best for: Indian and diaspora youth who want a structured year with an established NGO partner.
• Summary: A service fellowship placing fellows on projects in public health, education, livelihoods and social justice.
• Application window: Jan – Apr
• Know more: aif.org/fellowship

6. Azim Premji Foundation Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates passionate about improving government schools.
• Summary: A field-based programme where fellows work with district teams of the Foundation on public school education.
• Application window: Sep – Nov
• Know more: azimpremjifoundation.org

7. Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF) Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates interested in women's empowerment and village governance.
• Summary: A rural fellowship working on livelihoods, local governance and community institutions in central and eastern India.
• Application window: May – Jun
• Know more: trif.in

8. Bhumi Fellowship

• Best for: Young people who want to transform a primary school from the inside.
• Summary: A two-year fellowship focused on whole-school change and holistic learning for children in Chennai's schools.
• Application window: Jan – Apr
• Know more: fellowship.bhumi.ngo

9. Kshamtalaya iDiscover Fellowship

• Best for: Educators drawn to tribal and rural classrooms.
• Summary: A residential fellowship that builds child-centred learning in rural and tribal schools in Rajasthan.
• Application window: Jan – Mar
• Know more: kshamtalaya.org

10. Head Held High Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates interested in youth skilling and rural enterprise.
• Summary: Work on poverty reduction by training rural youth and helping them start small businesses.
• Application window: Mar – May
• Know more: headheldhigh.org

11. PRADAN Development Apprenticeship

• Best for: MSW, rural management and graduate freshers ready for a long-term rural career.
• Summary: A paid one-year apprenticeship with PRADAN, living in villages and working with women's collectives on livelihoods. Strong apprentices are offered roles.
• Application window: Rolling
• Know more: pradan.net

12. Swades Foundation Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates who want to work on water, health and rural empowerment in Maharashtra.
• Summary: Fellows support Swades programmes across Raigad and the Konkan region.
• Application window: Apr – Jun
• Know more: swadesfoundation.org

13. Pardhi Community Development Fellowship (TISS)

• Best for: MSW students interested in denotified tribes and urban social work.
• Summary: A TISS project-based role working on the rights of the Pardhi and other denotified communities in Mumbai.
• Application window: Project-based / Rolling
• Know more: tiss.ac.in

14. Prayas Criminal Justice Fellowship (TISS)

• Best for: Social workers who want to work in prisons, police stations and courts.
• Summary: Fellows with Prayas support people in the criminal justice system, including undertrials and those leaving prison.
• Application window: Project-based / Rolling
• Know more: tiss.ac.in

15. Resource Cell for Juvenile Justice (RCJJ, TISS)

• Best for: MSW graduates focused on child rights and protection.
• Summary: Work on juvenile justice reform and child protection systems with a TISS field action project.
• Application window: Project-based / Rolling
• Know more: tiss.ac.in

16. Tarasha Mental Health Fellowship (TISS)

• Best for: Psychology and social work graduates interested in community mental health.
• Summary: Support recovery and rehabilitation of women with mental health needs, with a focus on community reintegration.
• Application window: Project-based / Rolling
• Know more: tiss.ac.in

17. Integrated Rural Health Fellowship (TISS)

• Best for: Public health and social work graduates who want to work with Adivasi communities.
• Summary: Fellows work on tribal health interventions in Thane and Palghar districts.
• Application window: Project-based / Rolling
• Know more: tiss.ac.in

2. Governance, policy and legal fellowships

These suit you if you want to see how government works from the inside and shape policy, law or public service delivery.

18. Maharashtra Chief Minister's Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates who want a year inside Maharashtra's government.
• Summary: Fellows work with district and state offices on policy execution and welfare delivery.
• Application window: Apr – May
• Know more: mahades.maharashtra.gov.in

19. Ambedkar Policy Fellowship (Govt. of Maharashtra)

• Best for: Researchers focused on social justice and caste equity.
• Summary: A policy and research fellowship with the state's Social Justice Department.
• Application window: Aug – Sep
• Know more: sjd.maharashtra.gov.in

20. LAMP Fellowship (PRS Legislative Research)

• Best for: Graduates who want to work directly with a Member of Parliament.
• Summary: An 11-month fellowship where each fellow supports an MP with legislative research and policy analysis.
• Application window: Oct – Dec
• Know more: prsindia.org/lamp

21. Young Professionals Programme for Legal Empowerment (CLPR)

• Best for: Law and social science graduates interested in rights and legal literacy.
• Summary: Fellows work on grassroots legal empowerment, constitutional values and human rights advocacy.
• Application window: Feb – Apr
• Know more: clpr.org.in

22. Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship (Office of the PSA, GoI)

• Best for: Students and community workers already active in waste management.
• Summary: A Government of India fellowship that recognises and supports people running waste management and awareness work in their communities. Calls are cohort-based, so check whether a new call is live.
• Application window: Jul – Aug (when a cohort is announced)
• Know more: wastetowealth.gov.in

23. NITI Aayog Young Professionals and Fellowship Programme

• Best for: Postgraduates who want national-level policy exposure.
• Summary: Contract roles at NITI Aayog supporting policy formulation, monitoring and state engagement.
• Application window: Rolling
• Know more: niti.gov.in

24. National Innovation Foundation (NIF) Fellowship

• Best for: People passionate about grassroots innovation and traditional knowledge.
• Summary: Work with NIF to scout, document and support innovations by ordinary citizens.
• Application window: Rolling
• Know more: nif.org.in

25. CMGGA Fellowship (Haryana Govt / Ashoka University)

• Best for: Graduates who want district-level administrative experience.
• Summary: Fellows are placed with district administrations in Haryana to improve public service delivery.
• Application window: Mar – May
• Know more: cmgga.in

26. Delhi Assembly Research Centre (DARC) Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates interested in legislative research and urban governance.
• Summary: Fellows support Delhi legislators and assembly committees with research.
• Application window: Jun – Aug
• Know more: delhiassembly.delhi.gov.in

3. Education fellowships

These suit you if you want to teach, coach teachers or build a new education organisation.

27. iTeach Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates who want to teach in a public secondary school.
• Summary: A two-year, full-time teaching fellowship in free, English-medium municipal schools in Pune.
• Application window: Nov – Mar
• Know more: iteachfellowship.org

28. TFIx Incubation Fellowship

• Best for: Local leaders who want to start their own education fellowship.
• Summary: An incubator that helps entrepreneurs design and launch fellowship models in their own regions.
• Application window: Aug – Nov
• Know more: tfix.org

29. Wipro Education Fellowship

• Best for: Early-stage founders building an education organisation that works with public schools.
• Summary: Wipro Foundation supports up to three core team members of a young education organisation for three years, with mentoring and capacity building. Preference goes to rural and non-metro work.
• Application window: Typically mid-year; check the site
• Know more: wiprofoundation.org

30. Simple Education Foundation (SEF) Fellowship

• Best for: People who want to support teachers and school leaders in government schools.
• Summary: Fellows work on pedagogy and school system change in Delhi government schools.
• Application window: Feb – May
• Know more: simpleeducationfoundation.org

31. Transform Schools Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates focused on secondary school completion.
• Summary: Work on improving learning outcomes and reducing dropouts in secondary schools.
• Application window: Feb – May
• Know more: transformschools.in

32. Mantra4Change Educational Leadership Fellowship

• Best for: Aspiring education leaders who want to work with school heads and systems.
• Summary: A leadership fellowship that strengthens under-resourced school ecosystems through school leaders and education officials.
• Application window: Dec – Mar
• Know more: mantra4change.org

4. Social entrepreneurship and leadership fellowships

These suit you if you already have an idea, an organisation, or several years of experience and want funding, mentors and a peer network.

33. Acumen India Fellowship

• Best for: Mid-career leaders and founders of social enterprises.
• Summary: A year-long, part-time leadership programme built around moral leadership, seminars and a strong peer cohort.
• Application window: Sep – Oct
• Know more: fellowship.acumenacademy.org

34. Ashoka Fellowship

• Best for: Established social entrepreneurs with a system-changing idea.
• Summary: Lifetime membership of Ashoka's global network, with a living stipend for early fellows. You are nominated and go through a multi-stage review.
• Application window: Open year-round
• Know more: ashoka.org

35. Buddha Fellowship

• Best for: Young founders who want to build rural enterprises in India.
• Summary: A three-year incubation that funds and mentors development entrepreneurs working with rural communities.
• Application window: Dec – Feb
• Know more: buddhafellowship.org

36. Echoing Green Fellowship

• Best for: Early-stage founders of social ventures anywhere in the world.
• Summary: Seed funding, leadership support and a global network for bold first-time founders.
• Application window: Oct – Nov
• Know more: echoinggreen.org

37. BIRAC SPARSH Fellowship

• Best for: Innovators building health or sanitation technology for social good.
• Summary: A Government of India programme that supports social innovators in healthcare, maternal health and sanitation.
• Application window: May – Jul
• Know more: birac.nic.in

38. Social Alpha Incubation Fellowship

• Best for: Science and tech founders working on deep social problems.
• Summary: Incubation, lab access and funding links for innovations in health, agriculture, energy and climate.
• Application window: Rolling
• Know more: socialalpha.org

39. Inlaks Social Engagement Fellowship

• Best for: Young people with a grassroots project idea, including in the arts and rights.
• Summary: Funding for individuals to run a community intervention of their own design.
• Application window: Oct – Dec
• Know more: inlaksfoundation.org

40. Young India Fellowship (Ashoka University)

• Best for: Graduates who want a year of interdisciplinary learning before choosing a career.
• Summary: A one-year residential postgraduate diploma in liberal studies, with experiential projects and a large social-sector alumni network.
• Application window: Multiple rounds, usually Oct – Apr
• Know more: ashoka.edu.in

5. Climate, health and specialised fellowships

These suit you if you already know your issue — climate, public health, culture, data or cities — and want depth.

41. Anant Fellowship for Climate Action

• Best for: Graduates from any discipline who want a career in climate and sustainability.
• Summary: A one-year programme at Anant National University on climate mitigation, adaptation and the built environment, with field projects.
• Application window: Nov – Mar
• Know more: anu.edu.in

42. Antara Foundation Fellowship

• Best for: Public health graduates focused on mothers and children.
• Summary: Fellows work inside government health systems to improve maternal and child health in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Application window: Jan – Mar
• Know more: antarafoundation.org

43. LEAD India Fellowship

• Best for: Professionals interested in sustainable development and conservation.
• Summary: A leadership programme on environment, development and social equity.
• Application window: Rolling
• Know more: leadindia.org

44. Girish Sant Memorial Fellowship (Prayas)

• Best for: Researchers in energy, climate policy and environmental justice.
• Summary: Supports independent work on energy equity and public interest advocacy, in memory of Prayas co-founder Girish Sant.
• Application window: May – Jul
• Know more: prayaspune.org

45. Anahad Fellowship

• Best for: People who love folk music and want to work with artist communities.
• Summary: Work on preserving folk traditions and improving livelihoods for vulnerable folk artists.
• Application window: Open year-round
• Know more: anahad.org

46. ISDM Research / Digital Public Goods Fellowship

• Best for: Data and management graduates interested in social sector research.
• Summary: A research fellowship at the Indian School of Development Management on data, digital public goods and social sector management.
• Application window: Apr – Jun
• Know more: isdm.org.in

47. Vardhishnu Community Collectives Fellowship

• Best for: Grassroots changemakers from marginalised communities.
• Summary: Supports community work with waste-picker families and former child labourers in Jalgaon, Maharashtra.
• Application window: Sep – Nov
• Know more: vardhishnu.org

48. UNICEF YuWaah Intrapreneur Fellowship

• Best for: Young people interested in youth employment and civic action.
• Summary: Fellows work with YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India) on youth-focused social innovation.
• Application window: Aug – Oct
• Know more: yuwaah.org

49. Piramal School Leadership Fellowship

• Best for: Graduates who want to coach government school headmasters.
• Summary: Fellows mentor school leaders to improve the running and outcomes of government schools.
• Application window: Oct – Dec
• Know more: piramalfoundation.org

50. IIHS Urban Fellows Programme

• Best for: Graduates from any field who want a career working on Indian cities.
• Summary: A 10-month, full-time, residential programme in Bengaluru on urban practice, with costs covered by scholarships for selected fellows.
• Application window: Typically early in the year; check the site
• Know more: iihs.co.in

Fellowship application calendar

Use this to plan a year of applications. A fellowship appears in every month its window usually opens.

Frequently asked questions about fellowships in India

Which is the best fellowship after MSW?

For field careers, look at PRADAN, the TISS project fellowships, Gandhi Fellowship and SBI Youth for India. For policy, look at LAMP and CMGGA. The best one is the one that matches the issue and setting you want to work in next.

Which fellowships can I apply to right after graduation?

Most of this list. Teach For India, Gandhi Fellowship, SBI Youth for India, India Fellow, LAMP, iTeach and the Young India Fellowship all take fresh graduates.

Are fellowships in India paid?

Most full-time fellowships pay a monthly stipend, and some add housing or travel support. Teach For India, for example, pays a stipend of Rs 25,344 a month plus a city allowance (source). Always check the current figure on the official site.

Do I need work experience?

Not for most. Acumen, Ashoka and the founder-focused programmes in Section 4 expect experience or an existing organisation.

Can I apply to more than one fellowship?

Yes. Apply to 5–6 that fit your theme and timeline, and track deadlines with the calendar above.

Is a fellowship better than a job?

A fellowship trades a higher salary for structured learning, mentorship and a strong alumni network. If you are unsure which part of the social sector fits you, a fellowship is the lower-risk way to find out.

Do fellowships lead to jobs in NGOs?

Often, yes. Fellowship alumni are some of the most sought-after hires in the social sector because they come with field experience and a network.

After your fellowship: find your next social impact role

A fellowship is a starting line. When you are ready for a full-time role in an NGO, foundation or CSR team, Ground Zero connects people with mission-driven organisations across India and South Asia. Browse open NGO and CSR roles on 1JobBoard, and read more career guides here on Chitti.