Complete Guide: Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad in 2026

Every year, thousands of Indian students dream of studying abroad but give up, believing:

“Studying abroad is only for rich people.”

This is simply not true. In 2025, Indian students have access to numerous fully funded scholarships that cover tuition, living expenses, flights, health insurance, books, and research costs. These scholarships are available for:

Bachelor’s (Undergraduate)

Master’s

PhD / Doctorate

The real barriers are awareness and strategy, not money. With proper planning, studying abroad for free is a realistic goal.

Why Most Students Don’t Apply

Most scholarships go unused every year because students:

Don’t know they exist

Assume eligibility is too strict

Lack a clear application strategy

A student with purpose, leadership, and impact often beats one with perfect marks and generic applications. That’s why scholarships evaluate clarity, consistency, impact, and career vision.

Fully Funded Scholarships for Indian Students

Here’s a curated list of top scholarships for Indian students at the undergraduate, master’s, and PhD levels.

1. National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) – Government of India

https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/36121743507504.pdf

Best For: Master’s & PhD

Funding: Fully Funded

Countries: USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Europe

What It Covers:

Full tuition fees

Monthly living allowance

Books & study materials

Research allowance

Round-trip airfare

Visa & contingency expenses

Eligibility:

SC, Denotified Tribes, Landless Labourers & Traditional Artisan backgrounds

Family income under ₹8 lakh/year

Admission in a top-ranked foreign university

Note: NOS does not fund undergraduate programs. Check official notifications for yearly updates.

2. Fulbright–Nehru Fellowship – USA

https://www.usief.org.in/fulbright-fellowships/fellowships-for-indian-citizen/fulbright-nehru-masters-fellowships/

Best For: Master’s, Research & PhD (3+ years of work experience)

Funding: Fully Funded

Focus Areas: Leadership, Public Policy, Education, Technology, Social Impact

What It Covers:

Tuition fees

Monthly living expenses

Travel

Health insurance

Books

Eligibility Tips:

Strong leadership & professional experience matter more than perfect marks

Master’s applicants require 3+ years of experience

3. Commonwealth Scholarship – United Kingdom

https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/upload_document/countries.pdf

Best For: Master’s & PhD

Funding: Fully Funded

Covers:

Tuition

Monthly living allowance

Airfare

Research grants

Strong Fields: Public Policy, Education, Sustainability, Technology, Healthcare, Economics

4. MEXT Scholarship – Japan

https://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/education/japanese_government_scholarships.html

Best For: Bachelor’s, Master’s & PhD

Funding: Fully Funded

Medium: English programs available

What It Covers:

Tuition

Monthly living allowance

Round-trip airfare

Japanese language foundation course

Accommodation support

Highlights: No Japanese required for many English-taught programs; ideal for undergraduates.

5. Tata Scholarship at Cornell University – USA

https://admissions.cornell.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-international-applicants#info-tata

Best For: Bachelor’s Only

Eligibility: Indian Citizens

Funding: Fully Funded (Need-Based)

Covers:

Tuition, room & food

Books

Personal expenses

Why It’s Unique: Need-based, not marks-based; low-income students can pay zero tuition.

6. Need-Based Financial Aid at Top U.S. Universities

https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works

Best For: Bachelor’s

Funding: Up to 100%

Universities Include: Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Stanford, Amherst, Dartmouth

Covers: Tuition, room, food, books, health insurance. Only admitted students are eligible.

7. Charpak Scholarship – France

https://www.inde.campusfrance.org/charpak-scholarships

Best For: Bachelor’s & Master’s

Funding: Partial to High Coverage

What It Covers: Living allowance, tuition support, visa fee waiver, health insurance, sometimes travel support

Note: Coverage varies by track.

8. Eiffel Excellence Scholarship – France

https://www.campusfrance.org/en/france-excellence-eiffel-scholarship-program

Best For: Master’s & PhD

Funding: Fully Funded (Living + Travel)

Covers: Monthly stipend (~€1,181 Master’s), travel allowance, health insurance, cultural activities

Note: Tuition is usually not included.

9. DAAD Scholarship – Germany

https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/

Best For: Master’s & PhD

Funding: Fully Funded

Covers: Tuition (often free), monthly living allowance (~€934–€1,300), travel allowance, health insurance, research grants

Languages: English or German

10. IE University Scholarship For Indian Students

https://www.ie.edu/financial-aid/wemakescholars-ie-university-scholarship/

Best For: Bachelor’s, Master’s & MBA aspirants

Funding: Partial tuition-based (10%–70% fee waiver)

What It Covers:

Tuition fee reduction

Merit-based financial aid

Diversity & leadership scholarships

Special India-focused awards

Who Can Apply:

Indian citizens applying to IE University

Strong academic record

Leadership & extracurricular profile

Demonstrated financial need (for need-based awards)

11. Erasmus+ / Erasmus Mundus (EMJM) – Europe

https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/

Best For: Master’s & PhD

Funding: Fully Funded

Unique Feature: Study in 2–3 countries during one degree

Covers: Tuition, monthly stipend (~€1,000+), travel, visa costs, health insurance

12. KAIST International Undergraduate Scholarship – South Korea

https://admission.kaist.ac.kr/intl-undergraduate/support/scholarships/kaist

Best For: STEM undergraduates

Funding: Full Tuition + Stipend (~350,000 KRW/month)

Highlights: Automatically awarded to admitted international students

13. Türkiye Bursları Scholarship – Turkey

https://fthm.uniri.hr/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Turkiye-Burslari-INFO.pdf

Best For: Undergraduate & Postgraduate

Funding: Fully Funded

Covers: Tuition, accommodation, health insurance, 1-year Turkish course (if needed), monthly stipend, flights

14. Émile Boutmy Scholarship – France (Sciences Po)

https://www.sciencespo.fr/students/en/fees-funding/bursaries-financial-aid/emile-boutmy-scholarship/

Best For: Bachelor’s at Sciences Po

Funding: Tuition grants (€6,500–€14,720/year)

Why It’s Good: Merit-based for non-EU international students

15. HKUST Joint School International / Olympiad Scholarship – Hong Kong

https://science.hkust.edu.hk/academic_programs/undergrad_prog/about_ug/admissions/fees/jointschool_international

Best For: High-achieving STEM students / Olympiad medalists

Funding: Full Tuition + Living Allowance (HK$30k–60k/year)

16. GKS Scholarship (KGSP)

https://gksscholarship.com/

Best For: Bachelor’s, Master’s & PhD

Funding: Fully Funded

What it Covers:

Full tuition fees

Monthly living allowance

1-year Korean language training (if required)

Medical insurance

Research & thesis support (for PG)

Round-trip airfare

Settlement allowance

Who Can Apply:

Strong academic record (≈ 80%+)

UG: Under 25 years

PG/PhD: Under 40 years

Medically fit

Apply via Embassy Track or University Track

17. Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/scholarships/jj-wbgsp

Best For: Master’s only (Development-focused fields)

Funding: Fully Funded

Countries: Study in USA, UK, Europe, Japan, Australia & select partner universities worldwide. Applicants from World Bank developing countries (India eligible)

What it Covers:

Full tuition fees

Monthly living allowance

Round-trip airfare

Travel allowance

Basic medical insurance

Who Can Apply:

Citizens of World Bank–listed developing countries

Bachelor’s degree completed

Minimum 3 years of full-time work experience after graduation

Employed in a development-related role

Admitted to a JJ/WBGSP partner Master’s program

No prior World Bank scholarship funding

18. ADB–Japan Scholarship Program

https://www.adb.org/what-we-do/funds/japan-scholarship-program-jsp

Best For: Master’s in development-related fields (Economics, Engineering, Public Policy, Environment)

Funding: Fully Funded

What it Covers:

Full tuition fees

Monthly living/subsistence allowance

Housing support

Books & study materials

Medical/accident insurance

Round-trip airfare

Thesis/research allowance (if applicable)

Who Can Apply:

Nationals of ADB developing countries

Bachelor’s degree with strong academic record

Minimum 2 years of work experience

Age under 35 years

Medically fit

Must secure admission at an ADB-JSP partner university

Must return home after graduation

19. Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC)

https://www.chinesescholarshipcouncil.com/

Best For: Bachelor’s, Master’s & PhD in China

Funding: Fully Funded

What It Covers:

Full tuition fees

On-campus housing / housing allowance

Monthly living stipend (~CNY 3,000–3,500)

Medical/health insurance

Books / study materials

Travel/settlement allowance (in some cases)

Who Can Apply:

Bachelor’s: high-school graduate, <25 yrs

Master’s: bachelor’s degree, <35 yr

PhD: master’s degree, <40 yrs

Apply via embassy or approved university

20. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship – University of Toronto, Canada

https://future.utoronto.ca/pearson-scholarships

Best For: Undergraduate (all disciplines)

Funding: Fully Funded (~37 international students/year)

Covers: Full tuition, books, incidental fees, housing for 4 years

21. Higher Education Scholarship Test for Indian Students HEST

https://hest.wemakescholars.com/

Best For: Indian students planning to study abroad (UG, PG, MBA)

Funding: Up to ₹3,00,000 (partial scholarship)

What It Covers:

Part of tuition or study expenses

Supports education loan applicants

Who Can Apply:

Indian citizens

55%+ in academics

Planning overseas study within 12 months

Not fully self-funded

22. David Thompson Scholarship at University of Melbourne

https://scholarships.unimelb.edu.au/awards/david-thompson-scholarship

Best For: Students (domestic or international) enrolled in an engineering program at University of Melbourne who demonstrate financial need.

Funding: One-time award of up to AUD 270.

What It Covers: A small cash grant (i.e. modest financial aid) — not a full tuition waiver or living-cost scholarship.

Who Can Apply:

Students (domestic or international) currently enrolled full- or part-time in an Engineering course at University of Melbourne.

Must be able to show financial hardship / need.

23. Global Achievement Scholarship at Full Sail University

https://www.fullsail.edu/scholarships/global-achievement-scholarship

Best For: International (non‑US) students applying for a campus degree program at Full Sail University.

Funding: Up to USD 5,000 toward tuition.

What It Covers: Part of the tuition cost for the chosen campus degree program at Full Sail

Who Can Apply:

Must be a non‑US citizen / non‑permanent resident.

Must apply for a Full Sail campus degree program (bachelor’s level).

Must complete and submit the Global Achievement Scholarship application and a 250‑word essay on “How My Full Sail Education Will Help Me Achieve My Career Dream” before the first day of class.

24. Vice-Chancellors International Scholarships at Newcastle University

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-funding/scholarships-bursaries/vc-international/

Best For: International students (including from India) — undergraduate or postgraduate — seeking to study at Newcastle University.

Funding:

For undergraduate students: £7,000 off tuition fee (per year) for 2026‑27 entry

For postgraduate (Master’s) students: £8,000 off tuition fee for 2026‑27 entry

What It Covers: Tuition‑fee reduction.

Who Can Apply:

Must be assessed as an international student for fee purposes.

Must have received an offer for an eligible degree programme at Newcastle University’s city‑centre campus for the relevant academic year.

For undergraduate entry: applicants from certain countries (including India) are eligible.

25. University of Toronto Scholars Program

https://future.utoronto.ca/university-of-toronto-scholars-program

Best For: High‑school (secondary school) students — domestic and international — applying for first‑year undergraduate studies at U of T.

Funding: CA $10,000 (one‑time award in the first year)

What It Covers: Reduction of tuition / credited toward your fee account — after your fees are calculated; any leftover amount is disbursed to you.

Who Can Apply:

Outstanding high‑school students entering first‑year undergraduate studies (direct‑entry) at U of T.

Both domestic (Canadian) and international applicants are automatically considered — no separate application required.

Students must be entering university directly from secondary school (i.e., those who have previously attended a post‑secondary institution aren’t eligible).

26. Academic Merit Scholarship At University Of Wollongong Dubai

https://www.uowdubai.ac.ae/join-uowd/scholarships

Best For: Students at UOWD

Funding:

Undergraduate (Bachelor’s): 15% – 50% tuition‑fee waiver each trimester.

Master’s: 15% – 25% tuition‑fee waiver per trimester.

What It Covers: Reduction or waiver of tuition fees only.

Who Can Apply:

Students of any nationality (international or domestic) eligible to enroll at UOWD.

For new Bachelor’s applicants: must meet specified academic thresholds (e.g. high school or equivalent grades as per UOWD’s curriculum) to qualify for 50%, 25%, or 15% waiver.

For continuing students (undergraduate): typically need a minimum cumulative Weighted Average Mark (WAM) (for example, ≥ 75) and a minimum number of completed credits.

26. Pure Family Scholarship At Kelley School Of Business

https://kelley.iu.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/scholarship-details.html?id=356

Best For: Incoming first‑year business students at Kelley (direct‑admit freshmen).

Funding: Variable — “partial funding” / scholarship amount varies by recipient.

What It Covers: Tuition (or part of tuition) / general scholarship aid for business undergraduates.

Who Can Apply:

Incoming freshmen admitted directly into Kelley School of Business for a business major.

Automatic consideration — no separate application needed.

Must maintain academic and degree‑progress standards if the scholarship is renewed.

27. The City Law School Deans Scholarship For Academic Excellence

https://www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/prospective-students/finance/funding/law-school-deans-scholarship-for-academic-excellence

Best For: Postgraduate or professional‑law students (masters or conversion/entry programmes) at The City Law School.

Funding: Full‑fee scholarship — tuition fees covered.

What It Covers: Full waiver of tuition fees for eligible courses.

Who Can Apply:

Applicants (home or international fee status) who hold an offer (conditional or unconditional) for one of the eligible courses at The City Law School.

Must have at least an upper‑second class (2:1) degree or equivalent

Can be full-time or part-time students.

Eligible Courses:

LLM (Master of Laws)

Graduate Entry LLB (GE‑LLB)

Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)

Bar Vocational Studies (BVS) full‑time or part‑time

Solicitors’ Practice Programme (SPP)

28. Exeter Excellence Scholarships At The University Of Exeter

https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/exeterexcellence/

Best For: International students (self-funded) — undergraduate or postgraduate (taught Master’s) — who have received an offer to study at Exeter.

Funding:

Undergraduates: £3,000 or £5,000 per year, payable as a reduction in international tuition fees each eligible year.

Postgraduate Taught (Masters): £3,000, £5,000 or £10,000 — as a discount on the first‑year international tuition fees (non‑recurring).

What It Covers: Tuition‑fee reduction (partial scholarship). Not a full fee waiver or living‑cost grant.

Who Can Apply:

International fee‑status students

Must hold a conditional or unconditional offer for an eligible undergraduate or eligible postgraduate taught programme (depending on entry cycle).

Must be self-funded (i.e. scholarship does not apply if tuition is financed by an external sponsor/agency).

29. Michael Fagan Scholarship At Kelley School Of Business

https://kelley.iu.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/scholarship-details.html?id=338

Best For: Incoming first‑year undergraduates at Kelley who have direct admission and plan to study business.

Funding: Partial funding — the amount varies depending on the recipient.

What It Covers: A partial tuition (or scholarship aid) — helps reduce the overall cost of the Business degree.

Who Can Apply:

Students admitted as freshman (direct‑admit) into a business bachelor’s program at Kelley.

All nationalities are eligible (i.e. open to international students).

No separate application needed — eligible incoming students are automatically considered.

30. Gary And Pamela Whitlock Scholarship At Kelley School Of Business

https://kelley.iu.edu/undergraduate/scholarships/scholarship-details.html?id=335

Best For: Incoming first‑year business students at Kelley (direct‑admit freshmen in a business major).

Funding: Partial scholarship — amount varies by recipient.

What It Covers: Reduction in tuition (or partial scholarship aid) for eligible business undergraduates.

Who Can Apply:

Must be an incoming freshman directly admitted to Kelley.

Must major in business at Kelley.

No separate application — consideration is automatic if criteria are met.

Scholarship is renewable, subject to meeting any required conditions.

What Scholarship Committees Look For

Clarity: Why this degree? Why now? Why abroad?

Consistency: Steady academic/work record

Impact: Leadership, volunteering, research, social projects

Career Plan: How will the degree change your future?

A student with purpose and vision beats a student with 98% marks and generic applications.

Can Indian Students Really Study Abroad for Free?

Yes — if they plan carefully. With early research, strategic applications, and strong purpose, most of these scholarships can cover all major expenses, from tuition to living costs.

Key Takeaway: Money is not the barrier — awareness and planning are.

Every year, billions in scholarships go unclaimed simply because students don’t apply.

FAQs: Study Abroad Scholarships for Indian Students

Q1: Are there scholarships for Indian undergraduates abroad? Yes, programs like MEXT (Japan), Tata Cornell (USA), Lester B. Pearson (Canada), KAIST (South Korea), Türkiye Bursları (Turkey), and Charpak (France) are fully funded options.

Q2: Do I need work experience for all scholarships? No. Undergraduate scholarships generally do not require work experience. Fellowships like Fulbright or JJ/WBGSP require 2–3 years of professional experience.

Q3: Can scholarships cover living expenses? Yes, most fully funded scholarships provide a monthly stipend, accommodation support, and health insurance.

Q4: How do I improve my chances? Focus on:

Leadership roles

Volunteering & social impact projects

Strong essays showing clarity and purpose

Consistent academic/work record

Q5: Are there scholarships for PhD students? Yes — NOS, Fulbright, DAAD, MEXT, Eiffel Excellence, and CSC support doctoral studies.