What is Graduate Student?
1. A student enrolled in post-undergraduate or post-Bachelor’s degree
studies
2. A student who has completed and earned an undergraduate degree.
3. A scholar who has been admitted and enrolled at a university or
degree awarding institution on full-time or part time basis to pursue
graduate studies.
How do we apply for scholarship?
There’s no dearth of scholarships for graduate students in India. Government
and other organisations introduce various scholarship schemes and grants from
time-to-time to meet the financial needs of students. We have listed below some
of the popular scholarships for graduate students. Have a look at them and apply
for those that match your requirements and credentials.
1) Post Matric Scholarships Scheme for Minorities
Purpose: To provide financial assistance to students of minority communities
(Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Zoroastrian/Parsi and Jain so as to enable
them to pursue higher education.
Award: Up to INR 10,000 per annum
Eligibility: Applicant must be from a minority community (Muslim, Sikh,
Christian, Buddhist, Parsi & Jain); studying in class 11, 12, graduation, post
graduation, MPhil, PhD; annual family income from all sources must not exceed
INR 2 Lakh.
Apply: Online
Application period: September/October
For more information, read ‘Post-Matric Scholarship for Minorities: Here’s why
you shouldn’t miss this MOMA scholarship’
2) HDFC Educational Crisis Scholarship
Purpose: To financially support to students who belong to the socially and
economically disadvantaged group of the society.
Award: Up to INR 10,000 per annum to school students and up to INR 25,000
per annum to college students
Eligibility: Class 6 to 12, Diploma, Graduate, Postgraduate students; applicant
must be facing an unfortunate event/crisis that occurred in the preceding two
years
Apply: Online
Application period: July/August
For more information, read ‘HDFC Scholarship: All You Need to Know’.
3) Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY)
Purpose: To encourage meritorious students to pursue career in research
Award: Up to INR 7000 per month and contingency grant up to INR 28000 per
annum
Eligibility: Class 11 & 12 students of Science stream with a score of at least 75%
marks in Class 10 board exam; 1st year students of
B.Sc./B.S./B.Math./B.Stat./Int. M.Sc./M.S. with a score of at least 60% marks in
class 12 board exam
Apply: Online
Application period: July/August
For more information, read ‘KVPY – Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana 2018’.
4) Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child
Purpose: To promote girls’ education and compensate direct costs of girl
education
Award: INR 36,200 per annum for two years
Eligibility: Girl student of maximum 30 years of age; must be the only child of
her family; must have secured admission in regular, full-time 1st year Master’s
Degree course in any recognised university or a postgraduate institute
Apply: Online
Application period: October/November
5) Inlaks Fine Arts Award
Purpose: To offer financial support to emerging young artists so as to develop
their creative talent in their formative years
Award: INR 3 Lakh for a period of one year
Eligibility: Recent graduate/postgraduate or final year students of visual arts;
must be under the age of 30 years; in case of applicant not having any formal
degree in visual arts, he/she must have participated in organised art exhibitions
Apply: By email
Application period: May to October
6) Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Professional and Technical Courses CS
(Minorities)
Purpose: To provide financial assistance to the poor and meritorious students
belonging to minority communities so as to enable them to pursue professional
and technical courses
Award: Course fee, maintenance allowance
Eligibility: Applicant must be pursuing graduation/post graduation in a
professional or technical course; taken admission in college through competitive
entrance exam or have secured at least 50% marks in class 12/graduation; a
minimum 50% marks in the previous final exam; must belong to minority
community, i.e., Muslim, Christian, Parsi, Buddhist, Sikh & Jain; annual family
income not more than INR 2.5 Lakh
Apply: Online
Application period: September/October
For more information, read ‘MOMA scholarships: Minority scholarships’.
7) Post Graduate Merit Scholarship for University Rank Holders
Purpose: To promote education and nurture meritorious students at
undergraduate level so as to encourage them to pursue education at
postgraduate level.
Award: INR 3,100 per month for 2 years
Eligibility: First & second rank holders at UG level and admitted in any regular,
full-time PG course; must have scored at least 60% marks at UG level; must not
be more than 30 years of age at the time admission in PG
Apply: Online
Application period: October/November
For more information, read ‘UGC Scholarships – All You Need to Know’.
8) Sahu Jain Trust Loan Scholarship
Purpose: To provide financial support to students who wish to pursue UG/PG in
technical subjects like Engineering, Infotech, Medical, MBA, etc.
Award: Up to INR 25,000 per annum
Eligibility: Graduation/Post graduation in technical subjects
Apply: By post
Application period: August
9) Loan for Professional/Educational/Training Courses to Disabled
Persons
Purpose: To provide loan to differently-abled students so as to enable them to
pursue higher education in India or abroad
Award: Up to INR 10 Lakh to study in India; Up to INR 20 Lakh to study abroad
Eligibility: Graduation/ Post graduation/ Professional/ Others courses; An
Indian national with 40% or more disability
Apply: Online
Application period: December/January
10) Gaurav Foundation Scholarship
Purpose: To provide financial assistance to those students who wish to pursue
higher education
Award: Tuition fee assistance of up to INR 3 Lakh for studying in India and up to
INR 10 Lakh for studying abroad
Eligibility: Class 12 Passed and above; must have scored at least 60% marks in
all exams since school days; must fall within the age group of 17 to 35 years
Apply: By post
Application period: September/October
11) Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B)
Purpose: To encourage women scientists and technologists to pursue research
in Basic/Applied Sciences
Award: Up to INR 55,000 per month
Eligibility: Women Scientists/UG/PG/PhD, must be within the age of 27 to 57
years, having a break in career
Apply: Online
For know more about such scholarships, read ‘Scholarships for Indian Girls &
Women’.
12) Inspire Fellowship
Purpose: To attract and retain talent in scientific studies and research
Award: A research grant of up to INR 28,000 and other benefits
Eligibility: Graduation/ Post graduation
Apply: Online
Application period: September/October
For more information, read ‘INSPIRE Scholarship: Scholarship for Higher
Education (SHE)’.
13) K.C. Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad
Purpose: To provide monetary support to those students who wish to pursue
post-graduate studies abroad
Award: Interest-free loan scholarships of worth INR 8 Lakh
Eligibility: Graduates to pursue post-graduate studies abroad
Apply: Online
Application period: March/April
14) Lok Sabha Internship Programme
Purpose: To expose the candidates to the constitutional and legal provisions
and encourage them to acquaint themselves with the workings of the Parliament
Award: Monthly stipend of INR 20,000 and other expenses
Eligibility: UG/PG students within the age group of 21 to 30 years
Apply: Online
Application period: April/May
15) Gandhi Fellowship
Purpose: To inculcate and cultivate leadership qualities in young change leaders
who would cause large-scale social and public systems change
Award: A grant of INR 14,000 per month, phone allowance, rent-free
accommodation, medical insurance
Eligibility: Graduates/Post graduates below the age of 26 years
Apply: Online
Application period: March/April
16) ONGC Scholarship to Meritorious SC/ST Students
Purpose: To provide financial assistance to meritorious students of SC/ST
category
Award: Scholarship amount of INR 48,000 per annum
Eligibility: 1st year graduate & postgraduate students
Apply: By Post
Application period: January
17) Teach for India Fellowship
Purpose: To cultivate knowledge and skills to candidates so as to enable them
to impart education to children from low-income communities in some of India’s
most under-resourced schools
Award: A monthly stipend of INR 19,000 & housing allowance of up to INR
10,000
Eligibility: Graduates
Apply: Online
Application period: December to March
18) Young India Fellowship
Purpose: To encourage and mentor bright young individuals for leadership
roles so as to enable them to become socially committed agents of change
Award: Full & part-time need-based scholarships
Eligibility: Graduate and postgraduates under the age of 28 years
Apply: Online
Application period: November to March
19) Glow and Lovely Foundation Scholarship
Purpose: To encourage girls to pursue higher education by providing them
financial assistance
Award: INR 25,000 to INR 50,000 per student
Eligibility: Girl candidates, class 12 passed, graduation, post graduation &
coaching
Apply: Online
Application period: September to November
For more information, read ‘Glow and Lovely Scholarship: Glow and Lovely
Foundation Scholarship’.
20) Sitaram Jindal Foundation Scholarship
