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Funding

Scholarships to Study in India

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) gives scholarships to students from other countries. You apply on A2A, ICCR's scholarship website. Some Study in India (SII) partner institutes also cut your fees.

India Scholarship Overview

Government scholarships and institute fee cuts for international students

How Scholarships Work in India

ICCR is the Indian government council that gives scholarships to foreign students.

Study in India partner institutes are the colleges on the Study in India website. They also give their own fee waivers to students with good marks.

Scholarship Overview

  • More than 3,000 ICCR scholarships a year
  • 21 scholarship plans
  • Students from more than 180 countries

Why Apply for Scholarships?

  • Some plans cover tuition.
  • Fee waivers (a fee cut) lower what you pay to the institute.

Types of Funding

Three main kinds of help.

ICCR and government plans

Paid for by ICCR or by India's government departments for foreign affairs and for Ayurveda-type medicine (AYUSH).

  • Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme
  • Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme
  • AYUSH scholarship plans

Institute fee waivers

A fee cut of 10% to 100%, based on your marks.

  • Study in India partner institute waivers

Money for PhD study

For PhD study at the IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology).

  • Doctoral Fellowship in India for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Government Scholarship Plans

Some of the government scholarship plans.

Some plans are for one country or region only.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme

An ICCR plan for bachelor's, master's and PhD study.

Africa Scholarship Scheme

For students from African countries. Malawi had 30 places under it for 2026-27.

Doctoral Fellowship in India for ASEAN

PhD at an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Money paid each month: INR 31,000 (Indian rupees) for the first 2 years and INR 35,000 for the last 3.

COMPEX (Nepal)

For students from Nepal, for bachelor's study in engineering, agriculture, nursing and pharmacy. Ages 17 to 22.

Institute Fee Waivers

Study in India partner institutes can cut part or all of your fees.

Based on marks

Each partner institute decides the fee cut by your earlier school or college marks.

Study in India partner institute waivers

The result shows on your Study in India (SII) account page.

How to Find University Scholarships

Where to Look

  • Your Study in India account page
  • The ICCR A2A website
  • The Indian embassy in your country

Application Tips

  • Ask the institute about waivers when you get your offer.

Application Tips

Simple steps for an ICCR application.

Check the dates

For 2026-27, the form closed in April 2026 in many countries. Ask your Indian embassy for the date in your country.

Get papers ready

Get your mark sheets stamped as true copies and translated into English.

Pick 5 choices

Browse the participating universities and pick your top 5.

Check your passport

It should last for your whole study period.

Fill in the form carefully

If the A2A form and your papers do not match, your application can be cancelled.

Frequently Asked Questions

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