The National Overseas Scholarship is one of the lesser-known scholarships offered by the Indian government to students who wish to study abroad. It stands out from most others because it’s specifically meant for students from low-income and marginalized groups, such as Scheduled Castes, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers, and Traditional Artisans, among others. The goal is to help deserving students secure the funding they need to pursue meaningful education abroad, without their financial background standing in the way.
Also read: Indian Government Scholarships to Study Abroad: Full List and How to Apply, for a broader list of government-backed options beyond NOS.
What is the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme?
NOS is a Central Sector Scheme administered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, aimed at giving students from marginalized sections of society an opportunity to study abroad at the Master’s or PhD level; it does not cover Bachelor’s-level study.
Important, and often missed: NOS is not a single scheme. There are parallel schemes covering different communities, run by different ministries:
- NOS (MoSJE), via nosmsje.gov.in: for SC, DNT/SNT, Landless Agricultural Labourers, and Traditional Artisans. For the 2026-27 selection year, 125 fresh awards are available (115 SC, 6 DNT, 4 LAL/TA), subject to fund availability. Per official guidelines, 30% of the awards for each year are earmarked for women candidates.
- NOS-ST, run separately by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs: 20 awards specifically for Scheduled Tribe students, split as 17 for ST candidates and 3 for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), per the Ministry’s own published figures. This scheme has its own separate eligibility criteria, including a lower family-income threshold (commonly cited around Rs 6 lakh, versus the MoSJE scheme’s roughly Rs 8 lakh) and its own application window (the 2026-27 window closed 30 June 2026). If you’re from an ST community, check this scheme specifically at overseas.tribal.gov.in rather than assuming the MoSJE numbers above include you.
- NOS-OBC: some sources reference a separate, smaller OBC-focused scheme, but this guide could not independently confirm current details against an official government source for this update. If you belong to an OBC category, check directly with the relevant ministry or nosmsje.gov.in for current OBC-specific provisions rather than relying on this guide for that specific scheme.
Confirm which specific scheme applies to your category on the official portal before assuming general MoSJE figures apply to you.
Top expenses covered by the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme
NOS offers coverage for almost all direct and indirect costs of studying abroad:
- Annual Maintenance Allowance: helps with living expenses. For the US and most other countries (excluding the UK), this is commonly cited around USD 15,400 a year; for the UK, around GBP 9,900 a year. Confirm the current figure on the official portal, since these are reviewed periodically.
- Annual Contingency Allowance: covers unexpected expenses; commonly cited around USD 1,500 a year (or the equivalent for the UK), though figures vary slightly across sources and cycles, so confirm the current amount directly.
- Tuition Fees: NOS covers tuition fees as charged by the institution, one of the largest components of overall cost; exact coverage rules can vary by scheme and destination country, so confirm the specific provision that applies to your situation rather than assuming identical treatment across all destinations.
- Visa Fees: reimbursed in Indian Rupees based on actual fees paid.
- Medical Insurance Premium: actual cost covered.
- Incidental Journey and Equipment Allowance: a smaller allowance to cover incidental expenses.
- Air Passage: economy-class airfare from the nearest airport in your Indian hometown to your place of study, and back after course completion.
Given this level of coverage, competition for NOS is genuinely intense relative to the number of awards available. Confirm you meet the eligibility criteria in detail before investing time in your application.
Eligibility criteria for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme
The specifics below reflect the general pattern from recent cycles (including 2026-27); always confirm exact current criteria on the official portal before applying, since scholarship guidelines are reviewed each cycle.
|
Criteria |
Details |
|
Nationality |
Must be an Indian citizen living in India |
|
Social Category |
SC, DNT/SNT, Landless Agricultural Labourers, or Traditional Artisans (under MoSJE); a separate scheme (NOS-ST) covers Scheduled Tribes |
|
Age |
Commonly cited as not older than 35 years as of a specified date in the selection year (this reference date has varied across cycles/sources; confirm the exact current date on the official portal) |
|
Family Income |
Commonly cited as not exceeding roughly Rs 8,00,000 from all sources in the relevant financial year; confirm the current threshold and which financial year applies for your specific application round |
|
Education Level |
Bachelor’s degree for Master’s applicants; Master’s degree for PhD applicants |
|
Marks Required |
At least 60% marks or equivalent grade in the qualifying exam (general benchmark; confirm current requirement) |
|
Subjects Allowed |
Preference for Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Medicine; limited slots for Humanities, Social Science, Fine Arts, and Management |
|
Prior Study Abroad |
Candidates already studying abroad, or who have previously studied abroad on any government, state, private scholarship, or self-funded basis, are generally not eligible; confirm the exact current rule, since this has been described slightly differently across sources and cycles |
|
Other Scholarships |
Should not have previously received another scholarship for overseas education |
|
Admission Status |
Should have an admission offer, though conditional admission may be accepted in some rounds, with unconditional offers generally prioritized in the merit list; confirm current rules for your specific round |
|
University Ranking Requirement |
A minimum global ranking threshold applies (commonly cited around the top 500-1,000 institutions in a recognized ranking such as QS, though the exact cutoff has been described differently across sources); confirm the current, exact requirement on the official portal before assuming your target university qualifies |
|
Language Skills |
Should meet the English language requirements of the foreign university |
|
Return Commitment |
Must agree to return to India after finishing studies |
|
Lifetime Limit |
The scholarship can generally be awarded only once in a lifetime |
|
Eligible Countries |
Generally any country except India’s immediate neighboring countries; confirm the current list |
Documents required for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme
- Passport or Aadhaar card, to verify Indian citizenship
- A recent, clear passport-sized color photograph
- Caste/category certificate (SC, DNT, or the relevant category for your specific scheme)
- Evidence of total annual family income from all sources
- Educational certificates from class 10th onward
- Work experience certificate/document, if applicable
- No-objection certificate from your employer, if currently employed
- Evidence of university application or acceptance
- A research statement, particularly for PhD candidates
- Two letters of recommendation from teachers or professors
- IELTS/TOEFL scores, if required by your target university
- A medical fitness certificate
- Bank details for scholarship disbursement
- A signed commitment to return to India after completing studies
Also read: Scholarships for Indian Students in Canada, if you’re considering Canada as a destination alongside NOS eligibility.
Application process for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme
- Confirm your eligibility, including which specific parallel scheme (MoSJE NOS, NOS-ST, or NOS-OBC) applies to your category.
- Gather academic certificates from classes 10th, 12th, and graduation.
- Prepare your caste certificate, income certificate, passport-size photographs, and other required documents.
- Visit the official NOS portal at nosmsje.gov.in (for the MoSJE scheme) and register, setting a strong password.
- Complete the application form and upload all required documents in the specified format and size.
- Retain a copy of your submission/transaction record for your files.
- Review your complete application carefully before final submission.
- Print your final acknowledgment after submission.
For the 2026-27 selection year, Round 1 applications ran from late April to early June 2026, with a short correction window shortly after; a second round, if slots remain vacant, has typically run in September-October in recent cycles. The 2027-28 cycle has not been notified as of this update; monitor the official NOS portal (nosmsje.gov.in, or overseas.tribal.gov.in for the ST scheme) directly for the 2027-28 notification rather than waiting for a specific assumed date.
Selection process for the National Overseas Scholarship
Applications are first reviewed for eligibility; incomplete or incorrect submissions are rejected at this stage. A merit list is then drawn based on academic performance, with the ranking of the admitting foreign university also playing a role (per current guidelines, an interview-based merit list prepared by an expert committee is used for at least the NOS-ST scheme specifically). Shortlisted candidates are generally invited for a personal interview as part of final selection.
With only 125 fresh MoSJE awards (plus 20 under NOS-ST) against a large applicant pool each year, the process is genuinely competitive. Some students may also explore an education loan to fund the portion, or the gap years, that a scholarship like this doesn’t cover.
GradRight lets you compare education loan offers from 18+ lending partners in one place. Explore Loans on GradRight
Sources
- 2026-27 NOS award numbers (125 fresh awards: 115 SC, 6 DNT, 4 LAL/TA) and application dates: confirmed via multiple current 2026-dated sources referencing official NOS/MoSJE guidelines.
- NOS-ST split (17 ST + 3 PVTG awards), 2026-27 application deadline (30 June 2026), and family-income threshold (Rs 6 lakh): confirmed directly via the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ own official site (tribal.nic.in and overseas.tribal.gov.in).
- Women’s reservation (30% of awards earmarked for women candidates, per official guidelines): confirmed via current sources referencing MoSJE NOS guidelines.
Disclaimer: eligibility criteria, benefit amounts, and application dates for government scholarship schemes are reviewed and can change each cycle. This article is for general information only and is not financial or legal advice. Verify current details directly on nosmsje.gov.in or the relevant ministry’s official scheme page before applying.
Australia 
Canada 
France 
Germany 
India 
Ireland 
UAE 
United Kingdom 
United States 
