National Scholarship Portal 2026-27: List of Schemes, Eligibility, Amount, Last Date and Apply Online

National Scholarship Portal hosts 18 major scholarship schemes for the 2026-27 session. Check scheme-wise eligibility, scholarship amount, application dates and required documents in one place before you apply.

National Scholarship Portal 2026-27 applications are open for most schemes. 18 schemes come under this portal. They cover categories from OBC, EBC and DNT to SC and ST. They also cover students with disabilities and wards of Railway, CAPF and Police personnel. Income limits range from INR 2.5 lakh to INR 8 lakh per year. The limit depends on the scheme. For most schemes, the last date for student applications is October 31, 2026. Two UGC schemes have not opened yet for this session. Applications are submitted at scholarships.gov.in. You must complete One Time Registration first.

National Scholarship Portal 2026-27 Latest Updates

The National Scholarship Portal opened for the 2026-27 academic session on June 1, 2026. Applications for most schemes are being accepted through the same portal.

Latest Update: One Time Registration is mandatory before applying for any scheme. Students need an Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Face authentication is also needed to generate the OTR number. Complete this step first. Then select and fill the scheme form.

What is the National Scholarship Portal?

NSP is run by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It brings Central Government scholarship schemes onto one website, scholarship.gov.in. Students register once and apply through the same login. The portal handles the full process. You submit the form. Your institution verifies it. After that, the District, State or Ministry Nodal Officer clears it. Money reaches your bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer. Institutions across the country are listed on the portal, from IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur to state universities and government colleges.

Most schemes on NSP need three things without exception. A valid Aadhaar number, an Aadhaar-linked mobile number, and an NPCI-seeded bank account. Missing any one of these will stop your application.

National Scholarship Portal Schemes

18 schemes are covered under NSP for 2026-27. Each one is separate. The rules of one scheme do not apply to another.

Which NSP Scheme Should You Apply For?

Your category and course level decide your scheme. You cannot choose between them freely.

Category-wise Schemes

Check NSP Schemes available to your needs:

• OBC, EBC or DNT certificate holders apply for PM YASASVI Top Class.

• SC certificate holders apply for the Top Class SC scheme.

• ST certificate holders apply for the National Fellowship and Scholarship. This applies at graduate or postgraduate level.

• Students with 40 per cent or more benchmark disability apply for the DEPwD scheme. For technical courses, they can apply for AICTE SAKSHAM instead.

• Wards of RPF/RPSF personnel apply for the Railways PMSS.

• Wards of CAPF, Assam Rifles or martyred Police personnel apply for the respective Home Affairs PMSS category.

• Students from Beedi, Cine, IOMC, LSDM or Mica worker families apply for the Labour Ministry scheme.

• Students from the North East apply for NEC Merit or Ishan Uday. General schemes also apply, depending on course level.

• Students from J&K or Ladakh apply for SSSJKL. This goes through the AICTE portal, not NSP directly.

Students of every recognised board are covered under Class 12th linked schemes. This includes state boards and CBSE. It also includes institutions such as Delhi University and other central universities at the degree stage.

National Scholarship Portal Eligibility 2026-27

Some conditions are common across schemes. Others change from scheme to scheme.

Am I Eligible for NSP Scholarship?

Run through this NSP scholarship eligibility checklist before you start your application form.

National Scholarship Portal Amount 2026-27

Each scheme has its own amount table. The amount depends on your scheme and category. Sometimes it also depends on your course year.

PM YASASVI Top Class Education

The PM YASASVI Top Class scholarship amount 2026-27 covers five separate components.

Fresh applications are accepted only in the first year. Students already holding a similar Centre or State scholarship cannot apply.

Top Class Education Scholarship, SC Students

The Top Class Education scholarship amount for SC students has three components. The structure is different from PM YASASVI.

Only first-year students can apply fresh. Girls get 30 per cent of the slots. Students often use this scholarship for admission into Jawaharlal Nehru University, Aligarh Muslim University, Hyderabad Central University. These offer SC-reserved seats.

National Fellowship and Scholarship, ST Students

The National Fellowship and Scholarship for ST students covers four funding components.

There is no fixed seat cap under this scheme. Every eligible ST student gets covered. The student must be admitted to a notified institute on merit.

DEPwD Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

The Post Matric Scholarship for disabled students amount 2026-27 covers seven separate components.

This scheme has around 17,000 slots per year. This includes renewal cases. Half the slots are reserved for girl students. Meeting the eligibility does not guarantee the scholarship. The slots are fixed.

PM-USP CSSS

The PM-USP CSSS scholarship amount depends on your course level and year.

This scheme covers regular degree and postgraduate courses. Institutions include Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University and Jamia Millia Islamia. The scheme is open for renewal only in 2026-27. It closes on September 30.

NEC Merit Scholarship

The NEC merit scholarship amount for NER students rises with course level.

A total of 1,600 fresh scholarships are distributed state-wise. This scheme is renewal-only for 2026-27. Many NEC scholars use this support to enrol in NIT Silchar, IIT Guwahati, Tezpur University or other regional institutions.

PMSS, Railways

Male students receive INR 2,500 per month. Female students receive INR 3,000 per month. Only 150 scholarships are given each year. The split is 75 male and 75 female. Only professional degree courses qualify. Master's degrees are excluded, except MBA and MCA.

PMSS, CAPF and Assam Rifles / Police Martyred

Both PMSS CAPF and Assam Rifles categories under Home Affairs follow the same base structure. The slot counts are different.

Selection under the CAPF/AR category follows seven priority categories, from A to G. Wards and widows of those killed in action come first.

Beedi, Cine, IOMC, LSDM and Mica Workers, Post Matric

The Beedi worker scholarship assistance amount rises by class or course level.

This is a welfare-based scheme. You can hold it along with one merit-based scholarship. Most other schemes on this list do not allow that.

National Scholarship for PG Studies and Ishan Uday

Both the National Scholarship for Post Graduate Studies and Ishan Uday share the same UGC structure. The payout is different.

Check the portal for the 2026-27 notification. Do not assume either scheme is live yet.

AICTE-Routed Schemes

Each AICTE scholarship scheme, including PRAGATI, SAKSHAM and SWANATH, has its own amount and slot structure.

SSSJKL applications go through the AICTE web portal, not NSP directly. The BA LLB benefit under SSSJKL applies at National Law Universities. These include NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad and NLU Delhi.

What Expenses Do NSP Schemes Cover?

Across most schemes, the fee component covers compulsory non-refundable fees. This includes tuition fee, admission fee, library fee and examination fee. Refundable deposits are excluded. Caution money and security deposits are also excluded, in every scheme that lists this distinction.

Living or maintenance allowance components are paid separately from fee components. These typically differ for hostellers and day scholars, where the scheme specifies a stay type.

National Scholarship Portal Important Dates 2026-27

The table below lists the timeline for each scheme. This is as per the NSP scheme directory.

AICTE-routed schemes follow their own notification schedule. This is separate from the NSP timeline above.

National Scholarship Portal OTR Registration

One Time Registration is the first step. You cannot apply for any scheme without it. The OTR number is a 14-digit lifetime ID. You use the same number every year, including for renewal.

Follow these steps to generate your OTR.

1. Go to scholarships.gov.in and click on the OTR option.

2. Enter your Aadhaar number and Aadhaar-linked mobile number.

3. Verify the OTP received on your mobile.

4. Complete face authentication using the NSP OTR app.

5. Fill your basic details as they appear on Aadhaar.

6. Submit and note down your 14-digit OTR number.

Keep this number safe. You will need it for renewal in later years. You will also need it if you forget your login.

How to Apply for National Scholarship Portal 2026-27

Apply online after your OTR is ready.

How to Select the Right Scheme

Log in and use the scheme search option. Enter your category, course level and income. The portal shows the schemes you are eligible for. Pick the scheme that matches your category certificate. Do not pick the one with the highest amount.

How to Submit

Follow these steps for NSP Scholarship:

1. Log in to scholarships.gov.in with your OTR number.

2. Select the scheme that matches your category.

3. Fill your personal details. This includes name, date of birth and address.

4. Enter your academic details, course and institution details.

5. Enter your category, income and domicile details.

6. Fill your bank account details. These must be Aadhaar seeded.

7. Upload all required documents in the given format.

8. Check every entry once before final submission.

9. Submit the form and download the confirmation page.

Your application then goes to your institute for verification. After that, it moves to the district or state Nodal Officer.

Documents Required for National Scholarship Portal

Keep scanned copies ready before you start the form.

Common Documents

Here are Documents required for NSP Scholarship:

• Aadhaar card, with mobile number linked

• Bank passbook of an NPCI-seeded account in the student's name

• Income certificate issued by a competent District or Tehsil authority

• Mark sheet of the last qualifying exam

• Bonafide certificate or admission proof from your institution

• Fee receipt of the current academic year

Scheme-Specific Documents

For certain schemes you need some extra documents.check below regarding this:

• Caste certificate, for PM YASASVI, Top Class SC and ST scheme applicants

• Disability certificate and UDID card, for DEPwD and AICTE SAKSHAM applicants

• Domicile certificate, for NEC, Ishan Uday and the J&K and Ladakh scheme

• Parent's worker identity card, for the Labour Ministry scheme

• Service or martyrdom certificate, for both PMSS Home Affairs categories

Self-declaration or an affidavit of self-assessed income is not accepted. The income certificate must come from a notified authority.

How to Check National Scholarship Portal Status

Log in to the portal with your OTR number. Check the dashboard. Your application ID shows the current stage.

If your status stays at pending verification for a long time, contact your institute's nodal officer.

National Scholarship Portal Payment

The payment comes through Direct Benefit Transfer. The amount goes straight into your Aadhaar-seeded bank account. Payments are processed through the Public Financial Management System.

Payment Process

Your application moves through institute verification first. Then it goes to district or state verification. After that, it is sanctioned. The amount is released through DBT.

Approved but Money Not Received

Check these points if the status shows approved but nothing has come:

• Confirm your bank account is active and not dormant.

• Check that your Aadhaar is seeded with that bank account.

• Check the NPCI mapping status of your account.

• Confirm the account number and IFSC code entered in the form.

• Check if the sanction has moved to payment stage on the portal.

Why Was My Application Rejected or Marked Defective?

Most rejections happen for reasons students can fix.

If your application is marked defective, read the reason shown on the portal. Correct it. Then resubmit within the allowed period.

Can You Apply for More Than One NSP Scholarship?

Consider these thing before applying:

Can You Apply for Two?

Generally no. Your category decides your scheme. An SC student applies only under the SC-linked scheme. An ST student applies only under the ST scheme. There is no overlap between most schemes.

Can You Receive Two at the Same Time?

Mostly no. A student who receives one scholarship usually cannot take another at the same time. The Labour Ministry welfare scheme is the exception. It can be combined with one merit-based scholarship. A student pursuing two courses together can generally take a scholarship for only one course.

National Scholarship Portal Renewal

Renewal is for students who already received a scholarship. They must be continuing the same course.

Who Needs to Renew

If you got a scholarship last year and are still in the same course, apply as a renewal case. If this is your first application, apply as fresh. Do not submit both.

Renewal Conditions

You must have moved to the next year or class. You should meet the attendance and marks requirement set by your scheme. NEC Merit and PM-USP CSSS are renewal-only categories for 2026-27. Fresh applicants cannot apply under them this session.

NSP Renewal 

Here are steps for your NSP Renewal:

1. Log in with your existing OTR number.

2. Select the renewal option instead of fresh.

3. Update your current class or course year.

4. Upload your latest marksheet and fee receipt.

5. Submit for institute verification.

NSP Fresh vs NSP Renewal

Match your situation to the correct NSP scholarship renewal route.

Login and Common Problems

How to National Scholarship Portal

Go to scholarships.gov.in. Click on the student login option. Enter your OTR number and password. Complete the OTP verification.

NSP Forgot Password

Use the forgot password link on the login page. Enter your OTR number. Reset the password using the OTP sent to your registered mobile number.

Unable to Login National Scholarship Portal

• Check that you are using the OTR number, not the application ID.

• Clear your browser cache and try again.

• Try a different browser if the page does not load.

• Wait and retry if the portal is busy near the last date.

Mobile or Aadhaar Details Incorrect

Your mobile number must be linked to your Aadhaar. If it is not, visit an Aadhaar centre and update it first. You cannot complete OTR without this.

10 Things to Check Before Applying

Here are few things that you need to consider:

• Your OTR number is generated and saved.

• Your Aadhaar-linked mobile number is active.

• Your category certificate is valid and issued by the correct authority.

• Your income certificate is from a notified Revenue Officer.

• Your family income is within your scheme's limit.

• Your bank account is Aadhaar seeded and active.

• Your institution is notified or recognised, as required by your scheme.

• Your course falls under an eligible category for your scheme.

• All document scans are clear and in the required format.

• You are not receiving any other similar scholarship.

National Scholarship Portal Contact and Helpline Details

Different schemes are handled by different departments. Contact the right one for your query.

Every institute has a Grievance Redressal or Nodal Officer. Contact that officer first for verification and application issues. If unresolved, it moves to the district level. Then it moves to the state level.

NSP Helpline Number: 0120-6619540 (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, all days except government holidays)

NSP Helpdesk Email: helpdesk@nsp.gov.in

PFMS Payment Helpline: 1800 118 111