The South Asia Policy Fellowship is a prestigious 12-month academic programme for early career researchers and practitioners dedicated to producing impactful, policy-relevant research in the South Asian region. The Fellowship is administratively located at the Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, and is a programmatic initiative that provides exposure to, and interaction with, an intellectually lively and interdisciplinary research community focused on the four pillars of democratic governance; sustainable, inclusive economic growth and development; regional security; and climate change adaptation.
Participants will be integrated into the academic and policy life of the Institute, which will include participation in independent and directed research agendas aligned with the Institute’s goals. Participants will participate in high-level policy dialogues, academic roundtables, and strategic briefings. Participants will co-write policy briefs and academic articles that the Institute may publish as part of its sanctioned research output.
Participant, including research, responsibilities are that participants have privileged access to the Institute’s vast sovereign and rights-based scholarly resources, in person and online, and receive close academic mentoring from world-leading researchers in South Asian studies, public policy, ethics, and international affairs. The Fellowship seeks to select individuals who illustrate both academic excellence and a principled commitment to public service, critical ethical reflection, and evidence-based policymaking.
Eligibility and Terms
Application Deadline: 15 March 2026
Eligibility: Applicants must hold a completed Master’s degree or terminal qualification in a relevant discipline. Will consider strong applicants with relevant professional or lived experience in lieu of formal academic qualifications. Prior experience working on South Asian policy research and development is strongly preferred.
Compensation: In addition to a monthly stipend, fellows receive full access to the Institute’s physical and digital research infrastructure and are given opportunities to participate in both international workshops and public events.
Location: Although research can be conducted flexibly, fellows are expected to engage regularly with the work of the Institute’s programmes and events.
Why Join the Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies?
Convergence of Research and Impact
Fellows join a vibrant cohort of global scholars and practitioners looking to advance research that connects with lived experiences of South Asia. The Institute seeks to build an ecosystem in which critical inquiry, innovation in policy, and ethical engagement meet.
Policy Relevant Research with Global Impact
Fellowship projects will be directed at influencing local policy and international conversations. Research outputs may engage institutional partners, civil society actors, and public agencies across South Asia and beyond.
Professional Development through Mentorship
Each Fellow will be paired with a senior academic mentor with whom they will receive sustained support and feedback for their intellectual work and professional development. This relational approach maintains alignment between the research a Fellow is conducting as well as the overall objectives of the Institute.
Location for Academic and Public Exchange
Fellows will publish peer-reviewed publications, some will write policy white papers for their regional constituencies while others will provide input to international consultations, not as a place for their research, but place for it to modify conversations among in the academy, policy, and civil society.
Whether someone is seeking to build a career at the intersection of scholarship and policy, or further an already distinguished professional existence, the South Asia Policy Fellowship is an opportunity to become something transformative.
Through the depth of engagement with the Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, fellows will make measurable contributions toward the building the future of South Asia, whilst maintaining the rigour of academia and ethics in their work.