Scholarships for Indian Students 2025 – Complete List & How to Apply

Education funding should never be a barrier to achieving your dreams. This comprehensive guide lists major scholarships available for Indian students at various levels – from school to higher education and study abroad.

National Scholarships (Government)

1. National Scholarship Portal (NSP) Scholarships

The NSP is a one-stop platform for various government scholarships.

Pre-Matric Scholarships:

For students in Class 1-10
Minority students, SC/ST/OBC categories
Amount: Rs. 1,000 – 6,000 per year
Apply at: scholarships.gov.in

Post-Matric Scholarships:

For Class 11 to PhD level
Based on income and category
Covers tuition, maintenance, books
Amount: Rs. 2,000 – 30,000 per year

2. INSPIRE Scholarship (DST)

Program	For	Amount
INSPIRE Award	Class 6-10 students	Rs. 5,000
SHE Scholarship	BSc/BS/Int. MSc students	Rs. 80,000/year
INSPIRE Fellowship	PhD scholars	Rs. 25,000-28,000/month

3. KVPY Fellowship

For: Science students (Class 11 to BSc)
Amount: Rs. 5,000-7,000/month + contingency
Duration: Until pre-PhD
Website: kvpy.iisc.ac.in

4. NTSE Scholarship

For: Class 10 students (for higher studies)
Amount: Rs. 1,250/month (Class 11-12), Rs. 2,000/month (UG/PG)
Selection: Two-stage exam

5. Central Sector Scheme

For: Top 20% students in Class 12 boards
Amount: Rs. 12,000/year (UG), Rs. 20,000/year (PG)
Income Limit: Below Rs. 8 lakh/year

Merit-Based Scholarships

1. Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY)

For science stream students
Monthly fellowship + annual contingency
Prestigious scholarship for research careers

2. SOF Scholarships

Through NSO, IMO, NCO, IEO Olympiads
Cash prizes and medals for toppers
International level recognition

3. CBSE Merit Scholarship

For single girl child
Amount: Rs. 500/month for Class 11-12

College/University Scholarships

IIT Fee Waiver

Full fee waiver for income < Rs. 1 lakh
66% waiver for income Rs. 1-5 lakh
Based on family income

MCM Scholarship (IITs)

Merit-cum-Means based
Covers tuition + pocket money
For SC/ST and economically weaker students

NIT Scholarships

Institute-specific merit scholarships
Fee concession for SC/ST/OBC
Free ship for top performers

Private/Corporate Scholarships

1. Tata Trusts Scholarships

For: UG and PG students
Amount: Up to Rs. 50,000/year
Criteria: Merit + financial need

2. HDFC Educational Crisis Scholarship

For students facing financial crisis
Covers tuition fees
Class 6 to Postgraduate

3. LIC Golden Jubilee Scholarship

For: Class 10 passed, pursuing higher education
Amount: Rs. 20,000/year
Duration: 3 years

4. Reliance Foundation Scholarships

For UG students in India
Amount: Up to Rs. 4 lakh
Merit-based selection

5. Aditya Birla Scholarships

For: Students of IIMs, IITs, BITS, XLRI, Law schools
Amount: Rs. 65,000 – 1,80,000/year
Selection: Based on interview

6. Sitaram Jindal Foundation Scholarships

For students from Class 9 to PG
Amount: Rs. 1,000 – 3,500/month
Income limit: Rs. 2.5 lakh/year

Study Abroad Scholarships

For USA:

Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship: For Master’s and PhD
Inlaks Scholarship: Covers tuition + living expenses
Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship: For MBA at Stanford

For UK:

Chevening Scholarship: Fully funded Master’s
Commonwealth Scholarship: For Master’s and PhD
Rhodes Scholarship: For Oxford University

For Germany:

DAAD Scholarships: Various programs for all levels
Deutschlandstipendium: €300/month
Heinrich Böll Foundation: Full scholarship

For Australia:

Australia Awards: Fully funded
Endeavour Scholarships: Research and study
University-specific scholarships

State-Specific Scholarships

Major State Scholarships:

Maharashtra: Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Scholarship
Karnataka: Vidyasiri Scholarship
Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu Government Scholarship
Kerala: E-Grantz
West Bengal: Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship
UP: Post Matric Scholarship

How to Apply – Step by Step

Research: Identify scholarships you’re eligible for
Check Deadlines: Note application deadlines (usually Aug-Nov)
Gather Documents:
- Income certificate
- Caste certificate (if applicable)
- Marksheets
- Bank account details
- Aadhaar card
- Passport size photos
Create Account: Register on NSP or respective portals
Fill Application: Complete all details carefully
Submit Documents: Upload required documents
Verify: Get institute verification
Track Status: Regularly check application status

Important Tips

Apply Early: Don’t wait till the last date
Multiple Applications: Apply to several scholarships
Maintain Grades: Many scholarships require minimum percentage
Keep Documents Ready: Have all certificates digitized
Check Renewal: Know renewal criteria for multi-year scholarships
Beware of Scams: Use only official websites

Important Websites

NSP: scholarships.gov.in
INSPIRE: online-inspire.gov.in
KVPY: kvpy.iisc.ac.in
AICTE: aicte-pragati-saksham.gov.in
UGC: ugc.ac.in

Note: Scholarship amounts and criteria may change. Always verify details from official sources before applying.