Kamal Ghorui
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has opened applications for the Research Internship in Science and Engineering (RISE) programme for the 2025–26 cycle. The initiative allows foreign undergraduate and postgraduate students to participate in research activities with faculty members at IITK.Selected participants will work on specific research problems under the supervision of an IITK faculty mentor. The programme allows students to take part either through an online winter internship or an in-person summer internship on the institute’s campus.The programme is open exclusively to non-Indian nationals who are currently enrolled in bachelor’s or master’s programmes at universities outside India. Applications for the current round must be submitted before March 20, 2026.Programme structure and internship timelinesThe RISE programme includes two internship tracks scheduled across the academic year. The winter internship is conducted online and runs from December 1 to December 31, 2025.The summer internship is conducted offline at IIT Kanpur and lasts between six and eight weeks. It takes place between May 1 and July 31, 2026, depending on the schedule finalised with faculty mentors.The number of available positions varies between the two tracks. For the winter internship, the number of participants depends on the availability of research positions with faculty members.For the in-person summer internship, IITK will support up to 12 selected students.Eligibility requirements for applicantsApplicants must be non-Indian nationals and currently enrolled in either a bachelor’s or master’s programme at their home university. Students must have at least one semester remaining in their academic programme after completing the internship.Candidates are expected to have a strong academic record and a clear interest in research. They must also meet the requirements of the research project they select from the published project list and should be comfortable communicating in English.Additional requirements apply to the summer internship. Undergraduate students must have completed at least four semesters before the internship begins, while master’s students must have completed at least two semesters.Financial support and expensesThe students who are selected for the in-person summer internship program would be provided with an air-conditioned twin-sharing room facility on campus. The students would also receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 15,000 during the internship program.The students would also receive taxi pick-ups from Lucknow or Kanpur airport.The students are also required to bear some expenses during the program, which include travel expenses to Lucknow or Kanpur airport from their home countries, visa fees, health insurance, food, etc. The students who are selected for the online winter internship program should arrange for high-speed internet connectivity on their own.Application process and required documentsWhen the application process is initiated, a list of available research projects is published on the institute’s website. The students can apply for a maximum of two projects by filling out an application Google form provided by RISE.The faculty reviews the application received by the students. The faculty might also conduct an online interview with the students. The final selection is intimated to the students by the Office of International Relations.Applicants must submit a statement of purpose of up to 400 words, a CV, official academic transcripts from their home university, proof of nationality, a letter of recommendation, and a passport-size photograph. Queries related to the programme can be directed to the Office of International Relations at oir@iitk.ac.in.
