Study in India Scholarships - Application, Eligibility, Dates

Study in India scholarships

It is well known that there are countless scholarship opportunities for Indian students to study abroad. But, with India’s recent emergence as a growing education hub, opportunities for students to avail study in India scholarships have grown exponentially. These scholarships programs come from various providers: government grants, foundations, corporations, private organizations and universities.

Here’s a list of study in India scholarship programmes which can help you finance your study in India to the greatest extent possible. The scholarships listed here cover a range of disciplines at both the undergraduate and graduate levels:

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students

The Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students is one of the premier scholarships to study in India. It is offered by the Indian government’s Department of Higher Education, MHRD. It provides financial assistance for meritorious students who wish to pursue their higher education (bachelor’s or master’s) in India.

Expenses Covered: Selected scholars are awarded 10,000 for the first three years for undergraduate study, and INR 20,000 for postgraduate study. Scholars pursuing a professional degree are awarded INR 20,000 for the fourth and fifth years.

Eligibility: You’re eligible to apply for this scholarship if you score in the top 20th percentile of your education board exam (or) are pursuing a regular course,have family income of less than INR 6,00,000 per annum and have not received any other scholarship.

Areas of Study: The Scholarship covers multiple areas and programs of study across science, humanities, and commerce.

Deadline: The application period runs between July and October each year.

Website: Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships for College and University Students

Aditya Birla Scholarship

Each year, the Aditya Birla Scholarship is awarded to a select group of students attending select business, law and engineering campuses. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious among study in India scholarships, as a result of its exclusivity and generous amount.

Expenses Covered: The scholarship covers a significant amount of tuitions for scholars admitted to IITs and IIMs, XLRI Jamshedpur, BITS Pilani, and select few Law campuses.

The costs covered are as follows:

  • IIMs/XLRI :           INR 1,75,000 per annum
  • IIT/BITS Pilani:    INR 1,00,000 per annum
  • Law:                     INR 1,80,000 or fees in actuals, whichever is lower.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the scholarship, you must have an admit at one of the following institutions:

Any one of the IITs and IIMs, XLRI Jamshedpur, BITS Pilani, National Law School of India University Bangalore, NALSAR University of Law Hyderabad, The WB National University of Juridical Sciences, National Law University Jodhpur and Gujarat National Law University.

Moreover, you should be among the top 20 students (as per entrance exam ranking at the time of admission) to be invited to apply for the scholarship. If you satisfy all the requirements, you can apply through the Dean of your institution.

Once selected, your application (for which you have to write an essay) will be evaluated, and determine eligibility for the interview round.

Areas of Study: The study in India scholarship covers engineering, management and law degrees

Deadline: Students should approach their institution to begin the scholarship application process as soon as possible after admission.

Website: Aditya Birla Scholarship

Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarship For Post-Graduation

Delivered by the Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation, this scholarship program grants selected scholars an interest free loan to pursue a postgraduate program in India.

Expenses Covered: The maximum amount for the interest free scholarship loan is INR 20,00,000.

Eligibility: To qualify for this study in India scholarship, you must not be older than 30 years, hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited Indian institution and plan to pursue a postgraduate degree at an Indian institution. 

Areas of Study: You can avail this scholarship to pursue a program in Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, Architecture, Law, Engineering, Management, Social Studies and Humanities.

Deadline: The application period runs between January and March each year.

Website: Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarship For Post-Graduation

Indian Oil Academic Scholarship

The Indian Oil Academic Scholarship is a study in India scholarships offered annually by Indian Oil to 2600 meritorious Indian students who wish to pursue their higher educational degree (bachelor’s or master’s) at Indian institutions.

Expenses Covered: The scholarship awards fixed amounts for different programs:

Stream

Scholarship Duration

Qualifying Examination

Amount Per Month

10+ITI

2 years

10th

INR 1000

Engineering

4 years

12th

INR 3000

MBBS

4 years

12th

INR 3000

MBA

2 years

Graduation

INR 3000

Learn more here

Eligibility: To be eligible to apply, you should be older than 15 and not older than 30. You will need a score of 65% (General), 60% (SC/ST/OBC/Girl child) or 50%(PC/PH) in the qualifying examination. Moreover, you family income sould not include INR 1,00,000

Areas of Study: The scholarship is open to students wishing to enroll in ITI, Engineering, Medical and Management programs.

Deadline: Applications commence in August of every year for the next year.

Website: IndianOil Academic Scholarship

Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme

The Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship is a merit-cum-means scheme offered by the Sant Nirankari Charitable Trust. It is open to meritorious students who wish to continue their higher education in India.

Expenses Covered: The scholarship amount covers the entire tuition amount for all selected candidates.

Eligibility: To be eligible for this scholarship, you need to be enrolled in a recognized institution, and planning to pursue a graduate program in India. Moreover, your family income should be no more than INR 3,50,000 per year and you should have a minimum score of 90% in your board exam. 

Areas of Study:  The Scholarship covers the following areas of study and programs: 

  • Graduate Degree in Medicine in Allopathic and/or Ayurvedic and/or Homeopathic
  • Graduate Degree in any discipline of Engineering
  • MBA/PGDM
  • Architecture
  • Chartered Accountancy after qualifying CPT conducted by Institutions of Chartered Accountants of India
  • CFA after qualifying Foundation Test
  • LLBafter passing Entrance Test for LLB or after qualifying Degree Exams

Deadline: The application period runs between May and September each year

 Website: Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship

Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship Programme

The Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship Programme is Reliance Foundation’s flagship scholarship programme awarded to young Indian students for their bachelor’s studies. If you’re a rising high school graduate planning to attend college, this scholarship is one you should very much consider!

Expenses Covered: Scholarship amounts vary based on course type. The maximum amount of scholarship offered is INR 41,000 per year.

Eligibility: You’re eligible to apply if you’re an Indian citizen under the age of 20, have secured a rank on the merit list of state/central 12th board examination and have an annual family income of INR 4,50,000 or less. 

NOTE: The income criteria does not apply to specially abled students who wish to apply for the scholarship.

Areas of Study: The scholarship covers any field of study that you may want to pursue. However, the amount awarded differs depending on the area of study and program.

Deadline: The application period for this scholarship runs between May and August every year.

Website: Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship

Yes Future Ready Scholarship

The Yes Future Ready Scholarship program is run by Yes Bank. The scholarship program has been initiated to help groom future business and technology leaders in India.

Expenses Covered: The program selects 30 scholars attending 25 institutes each year and awards them with INR 2,00,000 along with the following benefits:

  • Direct mentorship from Yes Bank’s top management
  • Pre-placement interview at Yes Bank
  • Project based internship
  • Access to curated ‘Future Ready’ courses

Eligibility: The scholarship is open to 1st year MBA students and engineering students from their 3rd year. To qualify for the programme, you’re required to have an admit from one of the following universities:

Engineering: Anna University, IIT Kharagpur, BITS Pilani, IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, VIT Vellore

Management: Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Management Development Institute, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, MICA, National Institute of Bank Management, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, National Institute of Industrial Engineering, SP Jain School of Management and Research, Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, XLRI Jamshedpur, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow, IIM Shillong.

Areas of Study: The Scholarship is open only for Engineering/Management courses.

Deadline: Application period for the scholarship is in February every year.

Website: Yes Future Ready Scholarship

College Board India Scholars Program

The India Scholars Program is a scholarship program run by College Board, a non-profit which operates the PSAT, SAT and AP tests. A relatively newer scholarship to study in India, this program offers students the opportunity to fund their undergraduate studies at some of India’s premier educational institutions.

Expenses Covered: The scholarship can help you fund up to 100% tuition fee at select member universities of the College Board India Global Alliance.

Eligibility: You have to reside in India, get a total SAT score of 1300 or higher and fall within the income bracket. You may then qualify for a merit-cum-need scholarship at participating universities. Scholarship amounts are based on the your annual family income

  • Full tuition scholarship through graduation: Family income less than ₹8 lakh
  • One-time scholarship of $1,500 (USD): Family income between ₹8 lakh and ₹15 lakh

Participating Universities: Ahmedabad University, Ashoka University, Azim Premji University, Flame University, Krea University, Ramaiah University, Manav Rachna Vidyanatariksha, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, OP Jindal Global University, Sri Sri University, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, World University of Design, Shiv Nadar University, BML Munjal University, Vijaybhoomi University.

Areas of Study: You can pursue any undergraduate major of your choice at any participating university.

Deadline: 31 December 2020

Website: College Board India Scholars Program

In this list, we’ve covered several prominent study in India scholarships which help you cover a large part of your educational expenses. However, you should NOT ignore other scholarship programs by the government, foundations and companies. Note that many universities offer students their own scholarships (regardless of level of education). Also, many states run their own scholarship schemes for students which you can check out and apply for. Be sure to check all of these out!

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