Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad 2025

Edited By Prabhjyot Kaur | Updated on Oct 22, 2024 12:47 PM IST

Numerous Indian government scholarships for studying abroad are offered to Indian aspirants seeking higher education in a foreign country to reduce their financial burden. These scholarships are generally fully funded and the aspirant’s eligibility is considered based on their economic background and academic excellence. Here, the question is how to get a government scholarship to study abroad? To find the right scholarships for studying abroad by the Indian government, it requires a lot of research, exploring eligibility criteria, gathering relevant documents, preparing compelling SOPs and LORs, and submitting them prior to the application deadlines.

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Does Indian Government give Scholarships for Studying Abroad?
Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad 2025
How to get Scholarship to Study Abroad in India?

Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad 2025

Prospects are advised to check different official scholarship websites and check the deadlines, requirements, availability, and more. Often students with the most meritorious calibre find it challenging to afford higher education abroad. Hence, Indian government took the initiative to provide government scholarships for studying abroad and provide better opportunities for students. Some of the top scholarships to study abroad that the Indian government offers include National Overseas Scholarships, Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loan for Overseas Studies, GREAT Scholarships, Fulbright- Nehru Master’s Fellowship, and more.

Interested students can look into the article to learn more about the scholarships for studying abroad by the Indian government after 12th or for masters, their academic requirements, application deadlines, selection criterion, and more.

Does Indian Government give Scholarships for Studying Abroad?

Yes, the Indian government offers scholarships for studying abroad. However, one must note that these awards are quite challenging and the nomination process is selective. Some of the notable government scholarships for Indian students include National Overseas Scholarships, Fulbright- Nehru Master’s Fellowship, Cornell University Tata Scholarships, National Overseas Scholarship for Scheduled Cast Students, and many others.

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The majority of scholarships for studying abroad by the Indian government after 12th or for masters are fully funded offering full financial assistance to eligible students. Each Indian government scholarship has its own selection criterion which can include academic merit as well as economic needs.

Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad 2025

Here, we have mentioned the top scholarships for studying abroad by the Indian government. Prospective students can explore different aspects of each award including the eligibility,

List of Top Indian government scholarships for studying abroad 2025

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships
JN Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians
Dr Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loan for Overseas Studies
Great Scholarships
Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship
Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust
Indian Global Leaders Scholarship
Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships
National Overseas Scholarship for Scheduled Cast (SC) Students

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships

This study abroad scholarship by the Indian government is for Indian students seeking higher education in USA.

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships Overview:

Particulars	Details
Type of Scholarship	Merit-based Scholarship
Eligible country	USA
Eligible courses	All masters courses offered by US Universities
Eligible fields of study	Economics Environmental Science/Studies Higher Education Administration International Affairs International Legal Studies Journalism and Mass Communication Public Administration Public Health Urban and Regional Planning Women’s Studies/Gender Studies
Student’s eligibility	Bachelor/master/full time master diploma At least 55% in previous studies 3-year work experience (paid) Applicant must demonstrate experience in leadership and community service English proficiency with minimum IELTS 6.0 or above. Applicant must not be a US degree holder Working professionals require an employer’s endorsement stating that leave is provided for the fellowship duration.
Benefits	Airfare (India to the university location in USA) Course fees Living expenses in USA Accident/Sickness coverage as per US guidelines

JN Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians

This Indian government scholarship for studying abroad was launched in 1892 by Jamsetji Nusserwanjee Tata for Indian students seeking higher education in PhD or a Post-doctoral program of any academic field. Each year, around 90 to 100 scholars are granted this award.

JN Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians Overview:

Particulars	Details
Type of Scholarship	Loan based, Need based, Study abroad destination based
Eligible country	It is applicable to more than 240 countries
Eligible courses	PhD or a Post-doctoral
Student’s eligibility	Applicant must be an Indian resident They should hold a bachelor's degree Minimum score requirement is 60% or above Applicant’s maximum age must be 45 or less
Benefits	The government covers the 2% simple interest rate on the loan. Travel grants (Allied Tata Trusts) Gift awards (Allied Tata Trusts)

Dr Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loan for Overseas Studies

Students are eligible for this kind of government scholarship for studying abroad after 12th and bachelor's only. It is specifically offered to brilliant students from other backward classes (OBC) and economically backward classes (EBC) seeking higher education abroad.

Dr Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loan for Overseas Studies Overview:

Particulars	Details
Type of Scholarship	Need based Scholarship
Eligible country	All countries abroad
Eligible courses	All masters courses offered in universities worldwide
Student’s eligibility	Students must have been admitted to an eligible course at masters/M.Phil/Ph.D levels abroad Applicant must avail of a bank loan under the Education Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks Association (IBA) Students must be either OBC or EBC OBC: Family income must be less than Rs 8,00,000 EBC: Family income must be less than Rs 2,50,000 An income certificate is required such as ITR, FORM 16, etc.
Benefits	Interest during the moratorium period is payable by the government of India.

Great Scholarships

This Indian government scholarship for studying abroad 2025 is only offered to students who want to pursue studies in UK. There are around 20 participating universities in UK that accept this scholarship. It is only offered for PG courses.

Great Scholarships Overview:

Particulars	Details
Type of Scholarship	Study abroad destination based
Eligible country	United Kingdom
Eligible courses	All PG courses offered by around 20 eligible universities in UK
Student’s eligibility	Applicant must be an Indian citizen They must hold a bachelor's degree They must be accepted to UK university They must meet the English language requirements Attended GREAT scholars networking event for UK Maintained contact with British Council as a GREAT scholarship ambassador
Benefits	Course fees Health Allowances Airfare (one time) Living expenses in UK Maximum award granted in USD 10,000

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship

This Indian government scholarship for studying abroad is a UNICEF-sponsored fellowship offered to students with academic calibre in the doctoral, academic, and research fields.

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship Overview:

Particulars	Details
Type of Scholarship	Course specific scholarship
Eligible country	USA
Eligible courses	Doctoral, academic, and professional research courses
Student’s eligibility	Applicants must have been accepted for PhD courses and have relevant research expertise. Employed applicant must obtain employer’s endorsement Along with the online application form, applicants are requested to upload a softcopy of their Master’s/M.Phil. thesis and its published paper for consideration Note: It is not available for students who hold a PhD degree or are completing a thesis for PhD. It is only offered to students for pre-doctoral level research.
Benefits	J-1 visa support Monthly stipend Professional Allowances Accident/Sickness coverage as per government guidelines

Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust

This Indian government scholarship for studying abroad 2025 is offered to women with great minds. This trust was started in 1933 for women in the fields of social science, public health, social work, and the welfare of women and children. They must hold a bachelor's degree to obtain this Indian government scholarship

Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Overview:

Particulars	Details
Type of Scholarship	Study abroad destination based, merit based Scholarship
Eligible country	USA, UK, and Europe
Eligible courses
Eligible fields of study	Social science Public health Social work
Student’s eligibility	Applicant must be an Indian citizen Bachelor degree Excellent academic record At least 2 years work experience Acceptance from a university in USA, UK or Europe Must hold all mark sheets and results from the previous course of study
Benefits	Course fees Other women benefits

Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships

These Indian government scholarships for studying abroad 2025 are introduced in 1976 and there have been thousands of recipients till now. This government scholarship is offered to students who want to pursue higher education in mathematics, science, humanities, law, fine arts, social science, and architecture in any of the universities in USA.

Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships Overview:

Particulars	Details
Type of Scholarship	Study abroad destination based, Course specific
Eligible country	USA
Eligible courses	Masters level
Eligible fields of study	Mathematics Science Humanities Law Fine arts Social science Architecture
Student’s eligibility	Applicant must be an Indian resident They must have been born after January 1, 1994 Students opting for mathematics, science, and related studies: A minimum of 70% score or above is required Students opting for humanities, law, fine arts, social science, and architecture: A minimum of 65% score or above is required. They must have secured admission into the selected university
Benefits	Health allowance Course Fees Living expenses in USA One-way Airfare

How to get Scholarship to Study Abroad in India?

One can avail a number of scholarships for study abroad offered by Indian government by following the steps below:

Application process for Government Scholarships in India

Research different scholarships: Explore scholarships offered in the Indian government for international students as per their academic profile, financial needs and intended course of study.
Meet the relevant requirements: Students must adhere to the eligibility requirements as per the selected scholarship to study abroad by the Indian government by exploring the specific scholarship eligibility criteria. It includes factors such as academic performance, extracurricular records, passion, skills, and many more.
Apply: Fill out the required information in the specific application form for the selected scholarship for Indian students. Attach the relevant documents and submit them at the portal or defined website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does India government give scholarships for studying abroad?

Yes, the Indian government give scholarships for studying abroad; however, these awards are quite competitive for students. There are a limited number of scholarships and thousands of applications. Some of the Indian government scholarships include Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships, JN Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians, and many more.

2. How can I get a 100% scholarship to study abroad?

It is quite challenging for international students to get a 100% scholarship to study abroad; however, some competitive yet chance-worthy scholarships are present that cover 100%. Some of these include the Cornell University Tata Scholarship, Commonwealth Scholarships, Felix Scholarships, and Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowship.

3. Which government scholarship is best?

Some of the best government scholarships include Dr Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loan for Overseas Studies, Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust, JN Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians, Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships, and many more.

4. How can Indian students study abroad for free?

Indian students can study abroad for free by either getting enrolled in a tuition free university such as in Germany or by receiving full tuition covering scholarships.

5. Who is eligible for foreign scholarship?

Every student with the right qualification that is up to the entry requirements of the concerned scholarship is eligible to apply for it. Generally, students need to be academically excellent, be under the age limit, comply with financial requirements, achieve relevant scores, and many more to obtain a scholarship.