Studying abroad has always been an attractive proposition but one thing that remains a challenge is the cost of studying. Scholarships are a boon for students who want to study abroad but need financial assistance. Scholarships to study abroad can provide substantial financial support. Indian government has introduced several scholarship schemes  to encourage Indian students to study abroad and access to better education. These programs cover their living expense, tuition fee, and other related charges.

1.  Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships are awarded to extraordinary Indian students for MS in the US. The scholarship aims to nourish future leaders and philanthropic professionals who would work for the welfare of their communities.

Areas of interest are Arts and Culture Management including Heritage Conservation and Museum Studies; Economics; Environmental Science/Studies; Higher Education Administration; International Affairs; International Legal Studies; Journalism and Mass Communication; Public Administration; Public Health; Urban and Regional Planning; and Women’s Studies/Gender Studies.

 eligibility criteria :

• The candidate must have a U.S. equivalent bachelor's degree from an acknowledged Indian university with a minimum of 55% marks.
• The candidate must have a minimum of three year's full-time (paid) professional work experience relevant to the specified field of study.
• The candidate should have leadership qualities and community service experience.
• The candidate must not be enrolled in a U.S. degree program or have another degree from any U.S. university.
• The candidate, if employed, should follow the instructions carefully regarding the employer's endorsement.

Benefits:

• Funding for tuition fees, living, and other associated expenses
• J-1 visa support
• Round-trip economy class air travel from the candidate's home city to the U.S.
• Accident and sickness coverage as per the guidelines of the U.S. government.

2.  National Overseas Scholarship

One of the popular Indian government scholarships to study abroad 2023 is the National Overseas Scholarship for uplifting the economic and social status of low-income students from the Scheduled Castes, de notified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Laborers, and Traditional Artisans categories through higher education abroad.

It is a need based foreign scholarship for Indian students of Master’s and Ph. D in the following fields - Engineering and Management; Pure Sciences and Applied Sciences; Agricultural Sciences and Medicine; International Commerce, Accounting and Finance; Humanities and Social Science

 eligibility criteria:

• The candidate should not be more than 35 years old.
• The candidate must have scored a minimum of 60% in the qualifying examination. The Bachelor's degree is the qualifying examination for the Master's Degree course, and Master's Degree is the qualifying examination for the Ph.D. courses.
• The family income from all sources should be less than INR 8,00,000 in the previous financial year.
• The scholarship can be awarded to a maximum of two members of the family.
• 30% of seats are reserved for female candidates.

Benefits:

• Tuition fees, visa fees, book costs, and living expenses
• Medical insurance premium
• Poll tax
• Air tickets and incidental journey allowance
• Maintenance fee
• Contingency allowance

3.  Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s degree

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree is a fully funded scholarship for Indian students pursuing integrated master’s programs, funded by the European Union. The applicant is allotted admission to a particular university while applying for the scholarship, and all eligible applicants of any nationality can apply for this scholarship. Areas of study are Psychology, Business Management, Nursing and Health, History, archaeology, and more. It’s duration is 1-2. it is Merit-based scholarship.

eligibility criteria:

• The candidate must be an Indian national. 
• The candidate should not have resided in any European country for more than a year in the last five years.
• The candidate should not have been awarded a similar scholarship under the Erasmus Mundus Action 2 scheme.
• The candidate should have a bachelor's degree and relevant work experience.

Benefits:

• Monthly stipend of up to 1500 Euros
• Full tuition fee.
• Traveling allowance.
• Round-trip air travel
• Job Visa after completing Master’s/Ph.D.

4.  Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship

Ministry of Human Resource Development administers the Ms Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship which is fully funded scholarship for Indian students by the Government of India. The status of the candidate would be equivalent to that of a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. Areas of Study are History, Economics, and Political Science.

eligibility criteria:

• The candidate must be a permanent citizen of India.
• The candidate should be between 30 to 40 years of age.
• The candidate should have scored a minimum of 60% marks at the Master's degree level.
• The candidate should have a Ph.D. degree in the subject field or published works of equal merit.
• The candidate must have a specialization in history, economics, or political science.
• The candidate should have at least three years of teaching experience at the Graduate or Postgraduate level.

Benefits:

• Round-trip economy class airfare for the candidate and spouse (if the spouse stays in the U.K. for one year).
• Stipend
• Travel allowance
• College lunch allowance
• Administration charges

5. The Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust

It’s a merit-based-overseas program established in 1933 for women who have a bachelor’s degree in social science, public health, social work, and the welfare of women and children. The selected candidate has to submit a copy of the 'Financial Capacity' document, reflecting her ability to support her education. This scheme is for Sociology, Psychology, Law, Education, Gender studies, Child health, Mental health, Public health, Needs of adolescents, Communication for development, Community Development, Rural Development, Public Policy, Public Administration, and Social work in areas like Women in Prison.

eligibility criteria:

• The candidate must be a female Indian citizen.
• The candidate must be a graduate of a reputed university with an excellent academic record.
• The candidate must have applied or secured admission to reputed U.S., U.K., or Europe universities.
• The candidate must have a minimum of two years of relevant work experience.

Benefits:

• A tuition fee of up to INR 3,60,000

6. The JN Tata Endowment – Higher Education of Indians

This scholarship can be availed if you have planned to do a PhD or a Post-doctoral program in countries like the USA, Canada, Ireland, etc. The candidates have to undergo an online test and interview to be eligible for selection. The online test is not subject-specific; it is based on the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA). The final selection depends on the candidate's test score, interview performance, and academic results scores.

eligibility criteria:

• The candidate should be an Indian citizen and below 45 years of age.
• The candidate must have a graduate degree from a recognized Indian university with a minimum of 60% marks.
• Candidates who could not avail of the loan scholarship previously are also eligible to apply.

Benefits:

• Scholarship loan ranging between INR 1,00,000 and INR 10,00,000.
• Partial travel grant of up to INR 50,000.
• Gift award worth INR 2,00,000 to INR 7,50,000.

Studying abroad with a scholarship is a dream of study-abroad aspirants. But many think of it as unattainable, mainly because of not knowing how to get a scholarship to study abroad. It is crucial to understand how to apply for a scholarship since there are many things to keep in mind while you apply for a scholarship. These scholarships can be of different types such as merit-based, destination-based, subject-based, and student-centric. All you need to do is research well for the perfect program. Then check out their official websites. Also, if you need any more information  and any help on applying for scholarships or studying abroad, then get in touch with our experts at OEC.