Scholarships for Indian students to study abroad

There are a lot of things to think about when studying internationally, and one of the biggest things to consider is funding.

When searching for scholarships, it can be hard to know which one is the right one for you, but choosing one based on your location can be a good start.

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We’ve put together this list of scholarships specifically for Indian students to help you find a scholarship programme to suit you. This is by no means a definitive list, as there are so many scholarships and partial scholarships available for international students. Most universities will have scholarships for international students, and we haven’t listed all of those here.

To read more about scholarships for international students visit our comprehensive scholarship hub. 

Global

Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarships – These scholarships are available for students wishing to study a full-time master’s, MPhil or doctoral programme in the UK, the US or Europe.

The scholarships are offered for a range of different subjects and cover full tuition fees, adequate living expenses and one-way travel allowance and health allowance up to US$100,000.

UK and Ireland

Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships – These scholarships are aimed at Indians between the ages of 28 and 38 who wish to develop their careers in the arts. The scholarships, which usually last about 10 months, enable recipients to gain expertise in their chosen fields through a one-year postgraduate course at a UK university.

Chevening Scholarships – Chevening is the UK government’s international awards scheme. It offers a range of scholarships for Indian students including India (Chevening Scholarship) and the Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence among others. Recipients are personally selected by British embassies and high commissions across the world.

Commonwealth Scholarships for Developing Commonwealth Countries – There is a range of scholarships available for students from Commonwealth countries at master’s and PhD levels. The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme is available for international students from any Commonwealth country looking to do a master’s programme in the UK. The area of the study must aid the development of technology, economy or society within the student’s country of origin.

LSE Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme – The LSE Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme is awarded to students from developing Commonwealth countries to study at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

GREAT Scholarships India - GREAT scholarships are aimed at students from India wishing to pursue a postgraduate degree in the UK. Each scholarship is worth a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year postgraduate course.

Imperial College Future Leaders Scholarship - The Imperial College London Future Leaders Scholarship will support 30 Indian master's students over the next three years. . The scholarships will be for students in MSc programmes across Imperial's Faculties of Engineering, Natural Sciences, Medicine and the Business School and half of the scholarships will be reserved for female students. 

UCL India Excellence Scholarship - The UCL India Excellence Scholarship is designed to provide support for Indian students pursuing postgraduate studies in the UK. Valued at £5,000 for one year, this scholarship is for prospective postgraduate students from India with exceptional academic records. 

Scholarships in Canada for international students
Scholarships available in the UK for international students
Scholarships for international students in Australia and New Zealand
Scholarships available in the US for international students

United States

The Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship – These fellowships are designed for outstanding Indian students to pursue a master’s degree programme at a selection of US universities in a range of different disciplines. The fellowship offers a range of benefits including visa support and travel and living costs as well as funding for tuition fees.

The Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship – This programme provides a limited number of scholarships each year for outstanding students from selected developing countries to pursue postgraduate study. The scholarships are 50 per cent grants and 50 per cent loans.

Tata Scholarship for students from India - The Tata Scholarship fund is for Indian students applying to study at Cornell University. The scholarships aims to support students planning to study architecture, engineering, economics, sciences and social sciences. 

Scholarships in Canada

Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan – This scholarship is awarded to high-performing students from Commonwealth countries applying to programmes in Canada at master’s and PhD levels. The award covers travel, living allowance and tuition fees.

Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute – The Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute provides a range of fellowships for Indian students looking to study abroad in Canada. Eligible students are also able to pursue e-courses at Canadian institutions.

Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship – The aim of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship is to find top-tier talent nationally and internationally, develop the candidate’s leadership potential, and help them become the research leaders of the future. This award provides C$70,000 per year for two years to students enrolled in a postgraduate degree in environmental, social science or health studies.

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships – Vanier offers up to 166 scholarships each year to graduate students who demonstrate excellence in their studies, potential in their research and leadership abilities. Successful candidates will receive a grant of C$50,000 per year for three years to assist in their tuition fees and postgraduate costs.

Ontario Graduate Scholarships – The Ontario Graduate Scholarship encourages excellence for graduates and aims to financially assist students at public universities in Ontario. Students will be awarded C$5,000 per consecutive term, meaning that three consecutive terms can entail a student receiving C$15,000 in one year.  

Australia

Ashok Khurana University of Adelaide Scholarship for outstanding Indian students – This scholarship is valued at A$30,000 and can be used towards airfares, living expenses and tuition fees. Successful applicants may also receive a 50 per cent discount on tuition fees throughout their degree. This scholarship is available for candidates undertaking postgraduate coursework at the University of Adelaide that would then benefit India and their local community.

Global Leaders Scholarship – The Global Leaders Scholarship is for high-achieving Indian students applying to the University of Queensland’s Faculty of Business, Economics and Law. Successful applicants will receive between A$5,000 and A$20,000 at the discretion of the selection committee.

UNSW Sydney Future of Change Scholarships – Scholarships of A$10,000 per year for the duration of a degree programme are awarded to eligible students from India to study at UNSW Sydney. They are available for students in any discipline. There are also specific opportunities for students applying for undergraduate engineering programmes.

Destination Australia Scholarship – The Destination Australia Scholarship is awarded to domestic and international students who are enrolled in graduate, master’s or doctoral programmes in Australia. Up to 380 students are awarded A$15,000 per year.