The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is pleased to announce the 2026 Tibetan Scholarship Program (TSP) opening. Sponsored by ECA, the program is administered through a Cooperative Agreement with The Tibet Fund (TTF) and implemented in partnership with the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Department of Education (DoE), the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, and the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Around six or seven applicants will be selected to participate in the 2026 TSP from India and Nepal, with one seat reserved for candidates from Nepal. If there are four or more candidates from Nepal, the final selection interview will proceed as usual, conducted by the Nepal Selection Committee. However, if there are three or fewer candidates from Nepal, the India Selection Committee will hold an additional separate final interview to select a candidate from Nepal. However, even after giving due special consideration, if no suitable candidate from Nepal is identified, the available seat will be offered to the highest-ranked alternate candidate from India following the final interview.

Applications are invited from eligible Tibetan refugees residing in India and Nepal to pursue master’s degree programs in the United States for up to two years, subject to funding availability and the issuance of a J-1 visa.

The application form is available below. The application deadline is Friday, February 28, 2025, by 11:59 p.m.

A. Tibetan Scholarship Program APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Applicants must have been born on or after January 1, 1990. A copy of the birth certificate must be submitted as proof of age.
2.  Applicants must have completed at least four years of post-secondary academic study following Class XII. This must include a three-year bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. The fourth year of study may comprise a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) qualification or the first year of a master’s degree. Alternatively, one year of vocational training, a diploma, or an accredited online program from a recognized educational institution in India or Nepal will also be accepted as fulfilling the fourth-year requirement.
3. Competitive applicants should have achieved a minimum of 55% in their bachelor’s degree.
4. Applicants who have completed or are currently pursuing an M. Phil or Ph.D. are not eligible for the TSP.
5.  Submission of Class X and XII academic credentials is not required.
6.  During the pre-selection process, TSP applicants are not required to submit TOEFL scores.
7.  Eligible TSP applicants will take the Institutional TOEFL (ITP) test on the same day as the General Written Test in Tibetan (GWTT). The TOEFL ITP evaluates English language proficiency before the final interview, and applicants must achieve a minimum score of 550. Applicants who obtained the required score in the previous year are exempt from retaking the TOEFL ITP, as the score is valid for two years from the test date. Applicants from Nepal are exempt from taking the TOEFL ITP test.
8. Applicants with a valid TOEFL iBT score of 85 or higher are exempt from retaking the TOEFL ITP.
9. Upon meeting the necessary academic qualifications and other criteria, the Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Education and the Tibetan Scholarship Program Selection Committee in Nepal will notify eligible applicants about the document verification process and the dates for the GWTT and TOEFL ITP test (for India only).
10. CTA’s DoE and TSP SSC will inform applicants via email and telephone regarding the locations for document verification, GWTT and TOEFL ITP test center.
11. To advance to the next round of the selection process, applicants must score a minimum of 30 points out of 50 on the GWTT, which consists of multiple-choice questions and a translation section. The test may be taken in either Tibetan or English.
12. The TOEFL ITP test is paper-based and lasts two hours. To move forward in the selection process, applicants must obtain a minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL ITP.
13. CTA DoE and The Tibet Fund expect to receive TOEFL ITP scores from the Educational Testing Service within 30 days.
14. No points will be awarded for the GWTT and TOEFL ITP tests in the selection process. However, applicants must meet the minimum score requirements in points 11 and 12 to be eligible.
15. CTA DoE will finalize a list of the top 30 applicants based on their academic performance in their bachelor’s degree after they complete the GWTT and TOEFL ITP tests.
16. These top 30 applicants from India will be invited to a final interview in Dharamsala, while applicants from Nepal will be interviewed in Kathmandu. CTA DoE and TSP SSC Nepal will coordinate the interviews.
17. The final selection panel, chaired by the designated Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Embassy, will interview all eligible final applicants nominated by CTA DoE and the TSP SSC in Nepal.
18. Based on the strength of their applications and interview performance, approximately five to six applicants from India and one from Nepal will be selected.
19. The TSP Final Selection Panel will list two to three alternate candidates from India and two from Nepal.
20. All selected finalists will be required to take the TOEFL iBT test.
21. To be accepted into the program, the final selectees must score 85 out of 120 on the TOEFL iBT. The Tibet Fund will not consider my best scores total as part of the TOEFL score requirement. If any finalist fails to meet this requirement, an alternate candidate will be invited to take the test.
22. When taking the TOEFL iBT, applicants must instruct ETS to forward a copy of their score report to The Tibet Fund using the institutional code 9892.
23.  Final selected participants will be required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), depending on their field of study and the admission requirements of the U.S. graduate programs to which they apply.

B. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS AND CRITERIA FOR AWARDING SCHOLARSHIP:

 1. Photo: Applicants must attach a passport-size photograph to the TSP application form.

 2. Resume and Short Essay: Applicants must submit a resume along with a 500- 700-word short essay explaining their reasons for applying to the TSP, their goals for the program, and how they intend to contribute to their community upon returning.

 3. Identity Certificate (IC) and Travel Document: To be eligible for the program, candidates must provide a valid Identity Certificate (IC) or IC renewal receipt.

 4. Green Book (GB) and Registration Certificate (RC) / Refugee Certificate (RC):

• TSP Applicants from India: Applicants must have a valid Green Book and Registration Certificate. Green Book contributions for the applicant and their parents must be current through March 2024. Applicants must provide all relevant details regarding their RC and Green Book, including reasons for any discrepancies if their parents are in Tibet, separated, or deceased. This information should be detailed in “Form-A” and attested by the concerned Tibetan Settlement Officer. (Download Form-A).
• TSP Applicants from Nepal: Applicants must have a valid Green Book and Refugee Certificate. The applicant and their parents’ Green Book contributions must be current through March 2024. A letter from the Tibetan Settlement Officer must be provided if the applicant’s parents are in Tibet, separated, or deceased. Those without a Refugee Certificate must submit one of their parents’ RCs, which should list the applicant’s name. A letter from the appropriate Tibetan Settlement Officer must also confirm the applicant’s status as a Tibetan refugee in Nepal.

 5. Academic Certificates: Applicants must submit copies of their academic records, including degrees and mark sheets, from college and university.

 6. U.S. Visa: If selected, participants will apply for a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi or the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu. Selection for the TSP does not guarantee a J-1 visa. Applicants with prior U.S. visa denials must inform The Tibet Fund, CTA’s DoE, and Nepal’s Tibetan Student Selection Committee.

 7. No Objection Certificate: Applicants currently employed must submit a “No Objection Certificate” from their employer to apply for the scholarship.

 8. Program Selection: Applicants must select one field of study from the following list. If a candidate’s field of interest is not explicitly mentioned, they should choose the nearest relevant field and specify their area of interest. These fields have been determined by the Central Tibetan Administration (in consultation with the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs):

Fields of Study

Computer Science	Education	Environmental Studies / Science
Law	Journalism	Library Science and Information
MBA	Neuroscience	Public Health
Intelligence Science	International Relations	Gender Studies
Psychology	Science	Economics

 

Note: For applicants choosing clinical-related programs: Under J-1 visa regulations, TSP participants are not permitted to engage in internships involving direct patient contact.

 1. Application Deadline: All application materials and supporting documents must be submitted by Friday, February 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

 2. Applicants from India: Applicants from India must submit their applications online using the provided link and upload all required documents in PDF format before the deadline. CTA’s DoE will manage the TSP selection process in India and conduct the pre-selection process. In contrast, The Tibet Fund and the U.S. Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Section in New Delhi will coordinate the post-selection process.

 3. Applicants from Nepal: Applicants from Nepal must submit their applications and supporting documents to the TSP Student Selection Committee in Nepal, which will administer the TSP selection process. The TSP Student Selection Committee will manage the pre- and post-selection process in Nepal under the direction of The Tibet Fund in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu. If no applicant from Nepal meets the program’s minimum qualifying requirements an alternate applicant from India may be selected.

 4. Point System: Eligible candidates’ total scores will be calculated using the following point system:

   a) Academic Performance with maximum allotted points of 10

Academic Performance in Bachelor’s Program (Percentage scored)	Allotted points
55 – 65	5
66 – 75	6
76-80	7
81 – 85	8
86 – 90	9
91 – 100	10

For inquiries regarding the Tibetan Scholarship Program, please contact:

• TSP Program Director at The Tibet Fund: Tenzing Choephel Chumeego at [email protected]

• Head of CTA’s DoE Scholarship Section: Sonam Sangmo at [email protected] or [email protected]

• For Nepal TSP Application Process: Email [email protected] or contact Doma (+977 9818255536), Tsering Topgyal (+977 9851046397), or Ms. Nima (+977 9808206979).

Find Application Form and Google Form here: TSP 2026 Application Form and Google Form

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