Nowadays, students opt for higher education abroad to ensure quality education, unique experiences, and lucrative career opportunities. However, pursuing their study abroad dreams might be challenging for students with financial restrictions. To make things accessible, the Government of India offers various scholarships to help every student get an education.
Today, our focus will be on one of the schemes launched by the Central Government called the National Overseas Scholarships, which solidified the chances for overseas education. For more details, stay tuned with us until the end of the article.
National Overseas Scholarships: An Overview
Being one of the most popular Indian Government scholarships for studying abroad, National Overseas Scholarships aim to support students pursuing higher education abroad in science, engineering, humanities, social sciences and more. It may cover tuition fees, living expenses and sometimes even the travel caste.
Find below a detailed overview of this government scheme for distinct categories.
1. For Scheduled Tribe:
Under this Central Sector Scheme by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, scholarship assistance is offered to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students with exceptional academic backgrounds. The scheme is taken care of by the Indian Embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs. Remember that this scheme does not cover bachelors programs in any specialization. It is provided mainly for masters and doctoral levels in renowned universities globally.
20 awards (slots) are sanctioned in the National Overseas Scholarships Scheme, of which 17 are reserved for the ST candidates, and 2 are sanctioned to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG). In any particular year, if no successful candidates are available, the awards open for other categories as well.
Eligibility Criteria:
Find below the minimum qualifications required for the students under this category.
- Students pursuing a master’s degree need to have at least 55% marks or equivalent grades in a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
- Students pursuing a doctoral degree need to have at least 55% marks or equivalent grades in a master’s degree from a recognized university.
Income Criteria:
Scholarships are available only to those students whose income from all sources does not exceed Rs.6,00,000/- (Rs. Six lakhs only) per annum.
2. For Scheduled Caste and More
The Central Sector offers the National Overseas Scholarship for Scheduled Caste students to make higher education abroad accessible to students from Schedules Castes, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Laborers and Traditional Artisans. It is also provided at masters and doctoral levels in the institutions accredited by the government-authorized body of that country. Every year, over 125 awards, depending on the availability of the funds, will be sanctioned under the scheme.
The Scheduled Castes get 115 awards, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes have 6 awards under their category, and 4 are allotted to the Landless Agricultural and Traditional Artisans. If, in a particular year, there are not enough successful candidates, then the awards are accessible by other categories.
Eligibility Criteria:
Find below the minimum qualifications required for the students under this category.
- To be eligible for this scholarship, students pursuing master’s must have at least 60% in the bachelor’s degree or equivalent grade from a recognized university.
- For doctoral courses, the qualifying exam would be a master’s degree with a 60% score from a recognized university.
Income Criteria:
The total income from all sources shall not exceed Rs. 8.00 lakh per annum in the preceding fiscal year.
The National Overseas Scholarship for Indian students to study abroad comes with invaluable opportunities. These scholarships support academic excellence and foster global collaboration and cultural exchange. By investing in the education of its citizens, India continues to strengthen its position in the international educational arena while empowering individuals to contribute positively to global society.
We understand that due to the convenience of numerous scholarships, choosing and understanding the right fit can be challenging for aspirants. In that case, they can contact an overseas education loan advisor for more information on distinct scholarships for studying abroad.
