Education opens doors not just to job opportunities but also, wider glocal perspectives. In a diverse country like ours, it is vital that fair opportunities reach every corner. The Indian Central government has many opportunities in the form of scholarships for students. From partial to complete financial support, there are a number of scholarship opportunities that students can apply for. Here are the top 10 student grants you need to know for higher education in India.
1. INSPIRE Scholarship | Student grants
Duration: valid for 5 years
No. of Applications: 10,000
Minimum Eligibility: 10+2
Selection criteria: Based on applications
Scholarship amount: Rs 80,000 per annum
Official website link: http://online-inspire.gov.in/
Important dates: Application opening- 1st November; Application deadline- 31st December; Selection release date- April-May
An initiative by the Science and Technological Department of Government of India. INSPIRE helps students who are pursuing bachelors and masters in Science, Technology and R&D to further pursue their studies.
2. Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY)
Duration: 11th grade, 12th grade and 1st year of college
No. of Applications: 300-700
Minimum Eligibility: enrollment in higher secondary school
Selection criteria: scoring a minimum of 60% in the aptitude test
Scholarship amount: Bsc-Rs 5000 per month; Msc- Rs 7000 per month
Official website link: Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) – Scholarships …http://www.kvpy.iisc.ernet.in
Important dates: Application starts every July
Another initiative from the Science and Technology Department under the GOI. The KVPY examination conducted by IISc for students in 11th grade until their 1st year of under graduation is an opportunity for students to explore their interests in the field of Science, especially R&D.
3. Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access (FAEA) | Student grants
Duration: Depends on the duration of study
Minimum Eligibility: 10+2
Selection criteria: Shortlisted candidates based on application
Scholarship amount: Covers total cost of the study
Official website link: http://www.faeaindia.org
Important dates: Application starts between May-June every year
An initiative by BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) provides for an economically weaker section for undergraduate studies. It aims to organise seminars, workshops, discussions etc to promote the aims and objectives of the society. They believe in ‘Access and Equality’ to all by providing quality education, revamping undergraduate education, providing a global perspective and forging international links and opportunities.
4. Indian Oil Academic Scholarships
Duration: For the complete duration of study
No. of seats: 2600 seats
Minimum Eligibility: The candidature must be between ages 15-20 years. It can be increased by 3 years for candidates from OBC, 5yrs for ST/SC and upto 10 years for PwDs (Persons with Disabilities)
Selection criteria: Need base
Scholarship amount: Rs 1000 per month for 2 years, Rs 3000 per month for 4 years, Rs 3000 per month for 2 years
Official website link: IndianOil Educational Scholarship Scheme 2014https://www.iocl.com › Scholarships
Important dates: between July to October
Available to students who want to avail scholarships for 11th and 12th grade education, Engineering & MBBS or MBAs in India. This is for families whose annual income is under Rs 1 lakh. There is no separate entrance exam for those who want to apply for this scholarship.
5. Aditya Birla Scholarship | Student grants
Duration: For the complete duration of study
No. of seats: 20 seats as per the entrance examination for their respective institutions.
Scholarship amount: For Management – INR 1,75,000 each year, For Engineering – INR 65,000 each year, For Law – Up to INR 1,80,000 each year
Official website link: http://www.adityabirlascholars.net/about/Eligibility.aspx
Important dates: July- August
This scholarship is applicable for those students who have enrolled into premier government institutions like:
- Management: IIMs Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode & Shillong,
XLRI – Jamshedpur - Engineering (B. Tech): IITs Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Guwahati, BITS Pilani: All campuses
- Law: National Law School of India University, Bangalore, NALSAR University of Law – Hyderabad,
The WB National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, National Law University – Jodhpur
6. Symbiosis Institute of Design
The Under Graduation course for this stream has a certain fee waiver.
The Merit Scholarship that is provided for the topper in the 1st semester, which is subject to change according to the guidelines provided by the Institute for that academic year.
Jayatee Deshmukh Scholarship is a scholarship for girls who acquire the highest score in SET. There is a fee waiver of Rs 25,000.
University Sports Scholarship for students who have participated in state, national or international level tournaments can avail this opportunity. Only 5 students can receive this scholarship with a fee waiver of Rs 24,000.
7. Tata Scholarship
Eligibility criteria: Must be an Indian citizen, they must have submitted an application to Cornell, financial support is provided based on need.
Expenses covered: Tuition fee for 8 semesters, living cost, travel expense, medical assistance and food.
No. of applications available: 20 scholarships offered every year.
Field of studies: Architecture and Planning, Engineering, Applied Economics, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical and Social Sciences.
Official website link: https://admissions.cornell.edu/apply/international-students/tata-scholarship
Important dates: October-November every year.
This scholarship is for Indian students who want to pursue undergraduate studies at Cornell University.
8. UBC International Leader of Tomorrow Award | Student grants
Eligibility criteria: Requirements for the program to be satisfied, need-based financial assistance.
Expenses covered: Tuition, living expenses, Renewal after 3 years of undergraduate studies.
Field of study: All undergraduate programs
Official website link: https://you.ubc.ca/financial-planning/scholarships-awards-international-students/international-scholars/
Time of Application: November every year
This scholarship is awarded to international students who want to apply to the University of British Columbia for their undergraduate studies. Students who show high academic achievement, exceptional leadership skills, and who serve the community through various achievements are awarded this scholarship.
9. Australia Awards Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Candidates from specific Indian universities
Covered Expenses: Tuition, living expenses, Return air ticket.
Website link: https://australiaawardsindia.org/how-to-apply-2020/
Field of study: Undergraduate and postgraduate courses
Time of application: February every year.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has offered fully-funded scholarships to students from 50 developing countries all over the world.
10. Chinese Government Scholarships | Student grants
Eligibility criteria: A score of 60% marks in their previous degree, adequately informed about China with a training in the Chinese language for 1 year before admission.
Covered expenses: Tuition fee for 8 semesters covered, living cost, travel expenses, Airfare to and from China given by the Indian government.
Field of Study: Science, Literature, languages, humanities and social sciences.
No. of scholarships: 20 every year.
Website link: http://www.csc.edu.cn/laihua/
Time of Application: March every year
Provided by the India-China cultural exchange program for students applying to universities in China for undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses.
Obtaining a formal education with a sense of partial or complete independence financially, intellectually or through any form of labour adds value to the student’s complete experience at university. Although the concept of Grants and scholarships have fared well in countries abroad, this idea could possibly be actively incorporated into the nation’s NEP by the Central and State governments to make them more responsible and accountable during their studies at university.
References
www.examsplanner.in. (n.d.). Top 10 Scholarships for Financially Deprived Students of India. [online] Available at: https://www.examsplanner.in/articles/top-10-scholarships-for-indian-students/
Mindler Blog. (2017). Top 7 Prestigious (And Popular) Scholarships For Indian Students – Mindler. [online] Available at: https://www.mindler.com/blog/popular-scholarships-indian-students/
CollegeDekho.com. (n.d.). All About Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) 2021: Eligibility, Application Form, Test Centres & Admission Process | CollegeDekho. [online] Available at: https://www.collegedekho.com/articles/all-about-common-entrance-examination-for-designceed/
Leading Global Education, Learning and Investment Services. (2020). 15 Scholarships For Indian Students to Study Abroad in the UK, USA, China, Canada Australia. [online] Available at: https://tcglobal.com/15-best-international-scholarships-for-indian-students/
