5 Indian Scholarships to Study Abroad: Eligibility and Rewards

This probably won’t come as a shock to you – studying abroad is expensive.

What may be shocking is that you can apply for scholarships even if you aren’t a gold medal holder.

Yes, there are many scholarships awarded to average scoring students as well. Here’s a non-exhaustive list.

• National Overseas Scholarship
• The Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust
• Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme
• Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship
• Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
• Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship
• Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
• N. Bose Scholars Student Exchange Program for Indian Students
• The Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships
• GLOBIS Scholarships For International Students
• International Student Accommodation Scholarships
• India Global Leaders Scholarship

Finding the right fit may be the tricky part. That’s where this guide can help. We’ve collated a list of 5 of the, rather unknown, scholarships available to Indian students to study abroad. We’ll take you through the eligibility and application process.

If you have any other questions regarding university applications, you can reach out to our experts at SelectRight. Use the power of AI to find the institution where you can realize your dreams. Write to us at grad@gradright.com for queries.

But now, let’s talk about the finances.

5 Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad

1. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarship

a. Features of the Scholarship

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters programs are integrated master’s courses that encourage a high level of study. It is a fully-funded scholarship for Indian students for masters. The courses are offered by a partnership of higher education institutions (HEI). The program is offered by three HEIs. Two of them must be in the EU and one can be in a partner country.

b. Eligibility

• Must have completed or are in the last year of your bachelor’s program.
• Should have applied for or taken IELTS or TOEFL exams. You need a minimum of 6.5 in your IELTS
• Must have completed 16 years of education

c. Instructions to apply

Go to the Erasmus Mundus website to look at the catalog of programs offered. The links will give you course instructions and an application link.

You will need two letters of reference, a statement of purpose, and your past academic records to apply for the course.

There is no specific preference given to high-scoring students or those from weak economic backgrounds. This is an equal-for-all scholarship.

2. The Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust

a. Features of the Scholarship

This is a scholarship granted to Indian women who’ve completed their undergrad from a prestigious institution. This is a merit-based scholarship that covers the tuition fees for the course. You may not use this scholarship amount to cover other portions of your expenses.

b. Eligibility

• Indian women graduates from a reputed institution
• Consistently well-performing academic records
• Preferably secured admission, or should have applied to a reputed institution in USA, UK, or Europe.
• 2 years of work experience preferred
• Must be applying to a full-time program.

c.  Instructions to apply

Step 1: Request the link to the application form by emailing igpedulmdtet@tatatrusts.org. You are also required to submit the following documents.

• Course, specialization, and duration of the program
• Name(s) of universities applied to ranked in the order of choice. If you’ve secured admission, enclose the offer letter.
• Course fee
• Source of funding
• Professional biodata

Step 2: The scholarship Trust office will share the application link at their discretion. If you’ve received the link, submit the form. If selected, you’ll receive an email inviting you to attend a personal interview.

3. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme

a. Features of the Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to meritorious postgraduate students from developing countries. The Aga Khan Foundation gives part of this scholarship as half loan-based.

Students must begin repayment 1 year after the completion of the course or 6 months after securing a job. An annual service charge of 5% is levied and the students have 5 years to repay the loan.

b. Eligibility

• Open for students originating from developing nations around the world (Indian students may apply)
• Preferably a postgraduate student applying to a reputed university
• This is a merit and need-based scholarship. So the applying candidate must have good academic records in order to apply.
• Preference for students under 30 years of age
• Work experience in the related field is preferred

c. Instructions to apply

Students can obtain application forms from an AFK office in their country. Once filled in, submit the application to the same office.

Along with the application, students must submit academic and extra-curricular achievement records.

Preference is given to candidates who have secured a secondary source of funding.

4. S.N. Bose Scholars Student Exchange Program for Indian Students

a. Features of the Scholarship

This is an Indian Scholarship to Study Abroad that aims to give Indian students a chance to pursue the field of science and research. It is an exchange program where the student will get the opportunity to intern at an American university for 10-12 weeks.

b. Eligibility

• Indian student currently pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s level degree from a recognized Indian institution
• Must be studying Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Mathematical and Computational Sciences, or Physical Sciences.

(If you’re studying in the biology field, consider applying to the Khorana program)

• Must have at least one more year to complete the degree

c. Instructions to apply

You can find the application form on the IUSSTF website. Attach all of the supporting documents like your past academic records, your project proposal, and a statement of purpose.

The S.N. Bose scholarship does not give preference to economically weak candidates. This is a merit-based scholarship.

5. India Global Leaders Scholarship

a. Features of the Scholarship

This is a scholarship to study abroad for Indian students applying to the University of Queensland. This scholarship is awarded to both undergraduate and postgraduate Indian students by UQ. Students will also get privileged access to seminars and employment opportunities.

b. Eligibility

• Indian student, residing in India with a good academic record. You can’t be enrolled in a different Australian university.
• Received an offer letter to study a business, economics, or law program at UQ.
• Students who’ve been selected for the Master of Business Administration, Master of Business Analytics, and Master of Leadership in Service Innovation courses may not apply.

c. Instructions to apply

Fill out the online application form on UQ’s website. You will also need to submit

• Your resume
• A statement of purpose that states your personal and career goals
• A reference letter from your past employer or professor

This is but the tip of the iceberg. Indian students have a lot more scholarships available to them to study abroad without the financial stress.

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