Kulkarni Foundation Summer Research Fellowship

Dr. Ashok Kulkarni, a distinguished alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland, generously endowed the Kulkarni Fellowships. They are intended specifically to help graduates of IIT enrolled in post-graduate studies at the University of Maryland to achieve their academic goals.

Eligibility Information
To be eligible, the applicant must:

• Be currently enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Maryland, College Park.
• Have graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology.
• Be mid-way through their program (just before, at, or just after reaching candidacy).
• Demonstrate that a summer dedicated to a specific research project or benchmark work will support advancement toward the degree.

The Kulkarni Foundation Summer Research Fellowship provides full support over the summer. Fellows may not hold both the Kulkarni Summer Research Fellowship and a graduate assistantship concurrently. Awarded students must arrange to end their graduate assistantship for the summer.

Students may receive the Kulkarni Summer Research Fellowship only one time. Fellowships may not be deferred. Fellowships are awarded to specific students and are not transferable to other students.

Application Requirements
A complete application must include:

1.  A student-written proposal, 2-page maximum, that include:

   a. the nature of the work to be accomplished during the summer;

   b. a plan for its execution;

   c. the specific benchmark(s) that this award will enable the student to meet; and

   d. a clear indication of how the summer project fits within the program’s timetable for completing graduation requirements
   **Students are asked to write for an educated lay audience.
   Please do not use ChatGPT or other AI software.

2.  The student’s CV (2-page maximum).
3. Letter of support from the student’s academic advisor describing the accomplishments and eligibility of the student. 2-page limit (Advisor to submit separately).
4. Recommendation Surveys from the program’s Director and Coordinator that collect information about programmatic standards and norms. (Program to submit separately).

Application Instructions: To apply for the Kulkarni Foundation Summer Research Fellowship, students must submit their student-written statement and CV on Scholarship Universe (SU) by the deadline.

Please note, upon logging on to Scholarship Universe, students will be directed to the SU student dashboard. Once on the student dashboard, click on “Scholarships” on the left sidebar to view matched opportunities. (Answering additional questions is optional.) To apply, find the award in the matched opportunities list and click the “Apply” button, then click the box to verify eligibility.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 3, 2027

Contact Information: For questions, please contact Ms. Robyn Kotzker, Program Director for Office of Funding Opportunities (rkotzker@umd.edu |  301-405-0281).

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