National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2025-26
Scholarship Amount
About This Scholarship
The National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2025-26 is a significant initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. It aims to provide crucial financial assistance to students from specific marginalized categories, enabling them to pursue higher education abroad.
This scheme targets students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers, and Traditional Artisan categories. The primary goal is to support these deserving students in undertaking Master's or Ph.D. degrees at accredited international universities across various fields of study.
Selected candidates benefit from comprehensive financial aid, including an annual maintenance allowance of USD 15,400 (or GBP 9,900 for the UK). The scholarship also covers tuition fees, visa fees, medical insurance, and air passage. Additional allowances for contingency, incidental journey, and equipment are also provided.
The application deadline for this scheme is March 31, 2026. This scholarship opens doors for academic and professional growth on a global scale for eligible students.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme, an applicant must fulfill the following criteria:
• The applicant must be below 35 years of age as of the first day of April for the selection year.
• They must belong to one of the specified categories: Scheduled Castes (SC), Denotified Nomadic Tribes (DNT), Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers, or Traditional Artisans.
• Applicants must be willing to pursue a master's level course or a Ph.D. degree abroad from a recognized university or institution.
• For Ph.D. applicants, a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent grades in a relevant master's degree is required.
• For Master's applicants, a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent grades in a relevant bachelor's degree is required.
• The applicant's annual family income must not exceed ₹8,00,000 per annum.
Note: In the case of a student who completes a Bachelor of Engineering through lateral entry after a diploma, the percentage of marks obtained in the Bachelor's degree will be considered for eligibility.
Required Documents
Required Documents at the Application Stage:
• Class 10 board certificate
• Caste certificate
• Photograph
• Scanned signature
• Current address proof or permanent address proof (if different)
• Qualifying degree certificate or Provisional certificate
• Marksheet of the qualifying examination
• A valid document regarding admission to a Foreign University (Application, Registration, or Admission-related document)
• Income documents of all family members
• Employer's NOC certificate (if applicable)
• Gap certificate (if there is a gap of more than 6 months after completing the qualifying degree)
• Income Tax Return (ITR) acknowledgement
• Aadhaar card
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Documents Required Upon Issuance of Provisional Award Letter:
If selected, candidates must submit the following documents upon issuance of the Provisional Award Letter under the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SC, etc.:
• Attestation form
• Self-declaration/Undertaking regarding total annual family income
• Self-declaration regarding any pending case/Non-conviction of offense
• Copy of Passport
The Ministry will process the Confirmation of the Award Letter after verification of the offer letter by the concerned Embassy and original documents as sought by the Department.
Note: Candidates must visit the Ministry personally on any working day, with prior permission/appointment, to submit original documents for verification.
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Documents Required for Confirmation of Award Letter:
After verification of original documents by the Ministry and approval from the Financial Department (IFD), the awardee will be issued a Confirmation of Award Letter. The candidate must submit the following:
• Two Bonds on at least ₹100 non-judicial stamp paper, executed before a Notary Public, with two sureties, as per the Scheme's regulations.
• Solvency certificates for both sureties.
• Health Certificate
• Two copies of the Passport and Visa
• An undertaking/declaration on non-judicial stamp paper stating that the awardee has not acquired the qualification for which they have been selected and has not obtained any other scholarship.
• The desired date of departure to join the foreign university.
Note:
• Candidates must visit the Ministry personally on any working day, with prior permission/appointment, to submit original documents and copies of the above-mentioned documents. They should also submit PDF copies of all documents via email.
• Specimen copies of the bond, solvency certificate, and undertaking will be issued with the Confirmation of Award Letter. The undertaking must be submitted on ₹10 non-judicial stamp paper, sworn before a Notary Public.
How to Apply
Eligible applicants can apply for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme by following these steps:
1. Step 1: Click on the 'Apply Now' button on the official website.
2. Step 2: If you are a new user, click on the 'Register' button and fill in the required details to create an account. (If already registered, log in using your Gmail, Mobile number, or Email ID).
3. Step 3: Navigate to the 'Candidate Registration' button located at the top-right side of the dashboard and click on it.
4. Step 4: Fill in the necessary details to complete the registration process.
5. Step 5: After successful registration, proceed to enter your personal details, address, and foreign university information.
6. Step 6: Input your educational and employment history, along with any relevant visa details.
7. Step 7: Upload all the required documents as specified in the scheme guidelines and finally submit your online application.