Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad in 2027-28

The cost of studying abroad is a top concern for most Indian students and often students are looking for opportunities for financial aid and scholarships. There are various Indian government scholarships to study abroad for students from humble backgrounds and with limited resources. The best Indian government scholarship for students to study abroad is the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS).

The Indian government has several scholarship schemes for meritorious and needy students. Rather than operating purely on a merit basis, these scholarships are designed to support meritorious students from economically weaker and marginalised segments - allowing them to attend prestigious global universities without financial limitations. The selection for these Indian government scholarships relies heavily not just on academic performance, but also on strict financial limits (family income must be below ₹8 L per annum) and demographic targeting (specifically earmarked for SC, Denotified/Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans). Furthermore, a candidate must secure an unconditional offer from a QS Top 500 ranked university to even be eligible.

The Indian government also offers several fellowships and scholarships in close ties with foreign governments and top universities abroad. These scholarships are generally fully funded scholarships to study abroad, as they have the potential to cover the whole tuition costs, living costs and other additional costs for students abroad. This article presents the top Indian government scholarships to study abroad for Indian students in 2027-28.

Top Indian Government Scholarships for Studying Abroad 2027

The Indian government, through various ministries and departments, administers a suite of scholarships specifically designed to support postgraduate studies abroad. Below is a list of the most popular scholarships to study abroad offered by the Indian government.

1. National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) 2027

This prestigious scholarship, offered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, is for students belonging to SC/ST, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), Landless Agricultural Labourers (ALALs), and Traditional Artisans (TAs). It provides financial assistance for pursuing Master's or PhD programs at foreign universities. To be eligible for the National Overseas Scholarships, applicants must score at least 60% marks or an equivalent grade in their qualifying examinations. They must not be more than 35 years old as of the first day of April of the selection year. Check more details in the video below 👇

Applications: Official application dates for the 2027–28 National Overseas Scholarship cycle have not been formally announced yet, but based on previous years, the application window for the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment scheme on the Official MoSJE NOS Portal typically opens in late April 2027. Students must keep visiting the website www.nosmsje.gov.in to stay informed.

Seat Distribution: The distribution of the total number of National Overseas Scholarships among different marginalised communities is given below.

Eligibility Criteria: Students must fulfil the following scholarship requirements in order to be considered for the scholarship. Students, however, may also read about what kind of student profile is required for scholarships abroad.

• Secure 60% or above marks in the qualifying examinations.
• For any university, mark sheets for all semesters should be provided. However, if the university provides only a CGPA and not numerical marks then, a university-acknowledged conversion formula must also be provided along with submitting the CGPA. Failing to abide by any of these two conditions will result in the cancellation of the candidature of the student for the scholarship in the concerned year.
• The candidate should not be more than 35 years of age as of the first day of April in the year of application.
• The total family income of the scholarship candidate (from all sources) must not exceed 8 lakhs per annum.

Coverage: The scheme covers:

• Tuition
• Visa
• Health insurance fees as charged by the respective organisations
• An annual maintenance allowance of USD 15,400 for the USA and other countries except the UK and GBP 9900 for the UK
• Contingency allowance
• Equipment allowance
• Airfare in economy class from recognised and authorised agents only
• Local travel

Meanwhile, you must also read Scholarship Interview Questions-answers to Study Abroad

2. Fulbright-Nehru Master's and Doctoral Research Fellowships 2027-28

This is one of the most prestigious scholarships offered by the Indian government in collaboration with the US-India Educational Foundation (USIEF). This program fosters academic exchange between the two nations. It offers scholarships for outstanding Indian students to pursue Master's and PhD degrees in a wide range of fields at accredited American universities.

These scholarships are awarded for a maximum of two years to pursue courses such as public health, women and gender studies, environmental sciences, etc. at US universities.

Applications: To apply for a Fulbright-Nehru Scholarship, candidates must fill out an online application form by visiting the website https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2027. The applications for the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships for the year 2027-28 are closed now.

Eligibility Criteria: To avail of a Fulbright-Nehru scholarship, students must fulfil the following scholarship requirements:

• Students must have completed an equivalent of the USA’s bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 55% marks.
• A minimum of 3 years of work experience,
• Students must not have any other degree from a university in the USA and are committed to returning to their home country after the successful completion of their higher education abroad.

Coverage: The scholarship covers the following for the assistance of students:

• Round-trip air travel fare for economy class from the student’s host city to the city of the institution in the destination country.
• Complete tuition; however, the scholarship does not provide financial aid for students - as Fulbright-Nehru is a form of complete institutional financial aid..
• Accident and illness coverage

There are many more Fulbright-Nehru Scholarships for Indian students; some of them are listed below.

1. Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships,
2. Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships,
3. Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, and more.

Interested students can visit the website www.usief.org.in/Fellowships/Fulbright-Nehru-Fellowships.aspx to get complete details on all these scholarships.

Important Note:- Employees of the Government of India or State Governments (including civil servants and ministerial bureaucratic staff) are strictly ineligible to apply for Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships.

For complete details, check the Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowship.

3. Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Doctoral Research 2027-28

Administered by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) on behalf of both the US and the Indian governments, the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships are offered to Indian students to conduct research in a US-based institution in the fields of earth, atmosphere and environmental sciences.

These fellowships are provided only for a period of 6-9 months and are available for a pre-doctoral research level only (exact fellowship timelines match institutional project templates allocated by USIEF Climate Grant Portals, which vary depending on whether the placement is doctoral or post-doctoral). This means that students in the last phase of their PhD or already having a PhD will not be considered for selection. The selected students will be affiliated with a host institution in the USA; however, applicants must indicate their preferred U.S. host institution.

Applications: Interested students can check the https://apply.iie.org/ffsp2027 portal for details. However, the registration for 2027 is closed now.

Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must fulfil the following requirements to avail of the Fulbright-Kalam Fellowship.

• Applicants must be registered for a PhD at a recognised Indian institution.
• Applicants must have conducted sufficient research in the required fields of the fellowship.
• Applicants must not be in the end phase of their PhD; the estimated final thesis submission date of the PhD student must be at least 3 months after the end date of the Fulbright-Kalam Fellowship grant.

Coverage: The fellowship covers the following benefits:

• J1 visa support
• Monthly stipend; please note that the grant is not sufficient to support family members
• Round-trip economy class air travel fare between India and the USA
• Professional allowance and a modest settling-in allowance
• Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges per U.S. Government guidelines

There are several Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships as listed below.

1. Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Doctoral Research
2. Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Postdoctoral Research
3. Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Academic and Professional Excellence

Below are some useful links for students seeking to get a scholarship to study abroad.

4. Raman Charpak Fellowships

These fellowships are co-funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the French Institute in India (IFI), Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Government of France.

The Raman Charpak Fellowship is a flagship bilateral program aimed at facilitating scientific cooperation between India and France. It is jointly funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the French Institute in India (IFI), Embassy of France. For the 2027 cycle, this fellowship is specifically designed for PhD students registered in an Indian university to carry out part of their research work (3 to 6 months) at a French university or research institute. However, the program has been expanded to allow French master's students to carry out research internships at recognised Indian institutions as well.

Coverage: The fellowship is highly comprehensive, covering almost all costs associated with the short-term research stay. It covers:

• Stipend: A monthly allowance of €1,500 (approx. ₹1.63 L) for living expenses.
• Travel: One return economy-class air ticket between India and France.
• Insurance: Comprehensive health, social security, and liability insurance.
• Visa: Assistance with the French visa process and waiver of visa fees.
• Local Support: Administrative support for finding accommodation in France.

Eligibility: To apply for the 2027 fellowship, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Academic Status: Applicants must be registered for a PhD in a recognised Indian university or research institution.
• Age Limit: Maximum 30 years as of April 1st of the application year.
• Subject Areas: Limited to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and some Social Sciences (Economics/Sociology related to health/environment).
• Language: Proficiency in English is required; French language skills are an added advantage but not mandatory.

Application: The submission call for the 2027 cohort will open in the second quarter of 2027 (typically between April and May).

You may also check the different Types of scholarships available for Study Abroad aspirants

5. Maharashtra's Foreign Scholarship Program

Funded by the Government of Maharashtra, this program offers comprehensive financial support for postgraduate and doctoral studies abroad to eligible students from economically weaker sections of the open category. The scholarship covers tuition fees, living expenses, return airfare, and insurance, requiring candidates to hold a Maharashtra domicile and a secured admission offer from one of the top 200 ranked universities.

Eligibility: Maharashtra's Foreign Scholarship Program is open to EWS Open Category residents of the state under 35 (Masters) or 40 (PhD), requiring at least 55% in an Indian degree and a confirmed, unconditional seat in a top-200 QS World University Ranking institution.

Coverage: The scholarship covers 100% tuition, travel and a fixed maintenance allowance for up to 40 students.

Application Deadline for 2027-28: For the 2027-28 cycle, the registration portal will launch on the state's official digital platform around May/June 2027, closing by late July 2027.

Why Should You Apply for Scholarships for Studying Abroad?

Getting a scholarship to study abroad is no harm. There is no bias from universities between students for this reason. Below are the top reasons why you must consider applying for a scholarship to study abroad.

1. Most scholarships cover your tuition and living expenses, or some provide a stipend towards living costs. This makes studying abroad relatively more affordable for students than when they have no scholarship.
2. Students with scholarships need not worry about getting part-time jobs to support their expenditures abroad. Instead, they can focus completely on their studies and build a bright future.
3. Scholarship students are recognised by employers worldwide and they even get access to the scholarship's alumni portal, where they can make valuable contacts.

How to Maximise Your Chances of Getting a Scholarship?

Here is what you can do to maximise your chances of getting a scholarship to study abroad:

• Demonstrate Your Academic Competitiveness: Maintain exceptional academic records throughout your undergraduate studies. Strong grades are a key factor in most scholarship selections.
• Ace Standardised Tests: If required by the scholarship program, strive for high scores on tests like GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, or IELTS. These scores can significantly strengthen your application.
• Craft a Compelling SOP: The statement of purpose (SOP).
• Apply Early: Most scholarships are released before the university's application deadline. For this reason, one must apply early, typically by April-June.

Also read:

• International Scholarships for Indian Students after 12th
• Scholarships for Bachelor's Abroad

This was all about the Indian government scholarships for studying abroad 2026. We have covered the top 4 scholarships offered by the Indian government for studying abroad along with their application deadlines, the application process, eligibility criteria and total coverage. If you wish to study abroad, then you can get assistance from Shiksha Counselling Services for free. You can also drop your queries in the comments section below.