Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad 2025 – Eligibility, Benefits & Application Process

Many Indian students have a dream to study abroad for higher education due to the good quality of education and global career opportunities. But the high tuition fees and living expenses abroad are a big hurdle in planning the budget. Due to high education costs, many talented students missed the chance of studying abroad. To support these talented students, the Indian Government Scholarships for studying abroad play a major role in handling the tuition fees and other costs. 

From Fully Funded Scholarships for Indian students to partial fee waivers, they all cover tuition fees, living costs, airfare, and other academic expenses. There are multiple scholarships for Indian students to make their education more accessible, whether they are planning to study postgraduate, doctoral, or research programmes abroad.

This blog covers some popular Indian government scholarships for studying abroad, along with eligibility for Indian students.

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Why Apply for Indian Government Scholarships to Study Abroad?

We have mentioned below some benefits of applying for a scholarship to study abroad for indian students:

• These scholarships will reduce or eliminate the burden of high tuition fees and living costs abroad.
• It will allow talented students to study abroad who are financially weak.
• Securing a scholarship allows students to study at top universities in the world and gain international experience.
• An international degree, supported by a scholarship, enhances employability and global career prospects.

Top Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad

The Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education simplify the process of scholarships provided by foreign countries under Cultural/Educational Exchange Programmes. Most of these scholarships are available for Research, Master’s, and Doctoral studies. Below is the list of popular international scholarship for indian students to study abroad:

National Overseas Scholarship

National Overseas Scholarship is offered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to empower low-income students from marginalised communities. The scholarship supports students who wish to study a Master's degree or Ph.D. courses.

Requirements for Indian Students

• Secure 60% or above marks in the qualifying examinations.
• The age limit is under 35 years old as of the first day of April in the year of application.
• The total family income must be under INR 8 L per year.
• It is open for SC, ST, ALALs, TAs, and DNTs castes.

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships is one of the expensive scholarships offered by the Indian government. This scholarship is offered in partnership with the US-India Educational Foundation and the Government of India for highly motivated Indian students to pursue Master's and Ph.D. degrees at US universities.

Requirements for Indian Students

• Students must have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree.
• They must have at least three years of professional work experience to be eligible for the scholarship.
• Students must not have any other degree from a university in the USA.
• Must demonstrate experience in leadership and community service.

Note: Employees of the Government of India and Indian State Governments are not eligible for any Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships.

Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans

Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans is available for economically weaker sections, OBC, and EBC students to study abroad. This free scholarship for Indian students is to award an interest subsidy to meritorious students to provide them with better opportunities for higher education abroad and enhance their employability.

Requirements for Indian Students

• This scholarship is available only for higher education abroad.
• It is available to the eligible students only once, either for the Master's or Ph.D levels.
• Applicants must provide an income certificate, ITR, Form 16, etc.
• A caste certificate is required for OBC candidates.

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Doctoral Research

Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Doctoral Research is a UNICEF-sponsored fellowship program available for doctoral, academic, and professional researchers. This popular scholarship is available for a period of 6-9 months and is available for a pre-doctoral research level only.

Requirements for Indian Students

• Available for students who registered for the PhD course at a recognised Indian institution.
• Applicants must have sufficient research in the required fields of the fellowship.
• Must upload a copy of their original published paper while submitting the scholarship application.

The Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships

The Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships are offered to students who want to study in USA. This popular scholarship covers up to USD 100,000 for tuition fees, living expenses, and travel.

Requirements for Indian Students

• Applicants must hold an Indian passport and must be resident in India at the time of application.
• The applicant must be born on or after 1st January 1995 for the 2025 scholarship applications.
• Must have a recognised degree from a recognised university in India.
• Applicants must meet the program requirements with English language proficiency requirements.

Above are some popular All India Scholarships opportunities, eligibility criteria, and benefits for Indian students who wish to study higher education abroad.

How to Maximise Your Chances of Getting a Scholarship?

For many students, pursuing a higher education abroad can be challenging due to the high cost. So, applicants must apply for scholarships to reduce the burden of high costs while studying abroad. Mentioned below are some tips to maximise the chances of getting an abroad scholarship for Indian students:

• Start Your Scholarship Application Early: Every scholarship has its own deadline. So, students must start the scholarship application before the deadline.
• Maintain Strong Academic Performance: Most of the scholarships require a minimum GPA or percentage cut-offs. Therefore, students must maintain strong academic performance.
• Standardised Test Score Required: Some scholarships require high scores on tests like GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, or IELTS.
• Write a Strong SOP: Your Statement of Purpose or SOP tells about you in detail, and it becomes the major factor in securing scholarships abroad.   

Conclusion

The Indian government scholarships for studying abroad are a golden opportunity for Indian students who are planning to study abroad for higher education at top universities in the world. These scholarships allow students to choose any country and university without any financial worries. From the National Overseas Scholarship to the Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships, there are a number of scholarship to study abroad for indian students. Whether you are looking for an All India Scholarship, a fully funded scholarship for Indian students, or any international scholarship for Indian students, there’s a program that matches your academic goals.

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