Amount: Minimum £10,000 towards tuition fees (approximately Rs 10 to 11 lakhs)

Available to: Indian students applying for one-year taught postgraduate (Master’s) courses at participating UK universities. Over 140 scholarships offered by more than 60 UK universities for 2026/27, including Nottingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Kent, and many others.

Eligibility: Must be a citizen and permanent resident of India. Must have applied to or hold an offer for a one-year full-time taught postgraduate course at a participating UK university. Must be self-funding (not receiving another full scholarship). Strong academic record expected — minimum 65% in undergraduate degree typically required.

Deadline: Varies by university — each institution sets its own deadline. Typically between April and June 2026. Check the specific university page at the British Council India portal.

How to Apply: Apply to your university first and receive a Student ID or offer. Then complete the GREAT Scholarship application form through the participating university’s own portal. There is no single central application — each university manages its own GREAT scholarship process. Visit: britishcouncil.in — GREAT Scholarships India

Amount: Up to Rs 20 lakhs as an interest-free repayable loan scholarship. Repayment begins one year after course completion in easy instalments. No interest charged — ever.

Who can apply: Indian nationals residing in India. Must be below 30 years of age as of January 31, 2026. Must have graduated from a recognised Indian university (final-year students awaiting results are also eligible). Planning to pursue postgraduate studies from Fall 2026 in India or abroad. Working professionals and postgraduates are also eligible if planning to pursue further PG studies.

Fields supported: Engineering, Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, Architecture, Management, and other select disciplines at reputed institutions in India and abroad. Check the official portal for the current list of supported fields.

Selection process: Online application → Shortlisting → Document upload → Video interview (April to June 2026) → Final selection → Mandatory in-person Orientation in Mumbai in July 2026.

Application fee: Rs 500 non-refundable registration fee to unlock the application form.

How to Apply: Register at pg.nsfoundation.co.in. Pay the Rs 500 registration fee. Complete the full application form in three parts and submit. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to upload documents and attend an interview.

Amount: Up to USD 120,000 total — covering tuition fees, living expenses, one-way travel, visa costs, and a health allowance. Duration of supported study ranges from 9 months to 4 years.

Who can apply: Indian passport holders resident in India. Must be born on or after January 1, 1996 (i.e., maximum 30 years old). Must hold a degree from a recognised Indian university. If in final year and awaiting results, eligible to apply. Applicants who hold an undergraduate degree from a university abroad must have resided, been employed, or studied in India continuously for at least two years after graduation.

Academic requirement: Social Sciences, Humanities, Law, Fine Arts, Architecture: minimum 65% or CGPA 6.8/10. Mathematics, Sciences, Environment: minimum 70% or CGPA 7.2/10.

Not eligible: MBA applicants. Candidates already studying or who have started postgraduate education abroad. Candidates with a postgraduate qualification from an institution abroad.

2026 selection timeline: Applications reviewed in April 2026. Online preliminary interviews around May 2026. In-person final interview in Mumbai in the third or fourth weekend of May 2026.

Apply: inlaksfoundation.org. Applications for 2026 have closed — if you missed this cycle, the 2027 cycle opens early next year. Contact the foundation at applications@inlaksfoundation.org for further information.

Amount: Full coverage — tuition fees, living allowance, airfare, and health insurance. One of the most comprehensive government-funded scholarships for Indian students to study abroad.

Annual seats: 125 scholarships per year.

Who can apply: Indian students from SC, ST, Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT), and landless agricultural labourers and traditional artisans categories. Family income must be below Rs 8 lakhs per year. Must have secured admission to a university ranked in the top 500 of the QS World University Rankings. For Master’s or PhD level study abroad.

Academic requirement: Strong academic record. Admission to a top 500 QS-ranked university is a requirement, not just a preference.

How to Apply: Apply through the official portal at nosmsje.gov.in. Check the portal now for the exact 2026 deadline — it typically falls between April and May.

Amount: Rs 2 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs. The number and value of scholarships varies each cycle based on the quality of applications received.

Who can apply: Indian nationals with a valid Indian passport. Minimum 60% in both Class 10 and Class 12. Planning to study at a recognised university outside India. Course start date must be between January 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026. Must demonstrate need — the scholarship is targeted at students planning to fund at least 50% of their education through an education loan (i.e., not from wealthy families). UG and PG both eligible.

Deadline: Rolling — the earlier you apply, the better. Final results announced around the first week of September 2026.

How to Apply: Apply online at education-future.org. Submit your application as early as possible — rolling deadline means early applicants have more time to be reviewed before results.

Amount: £10,000 (approximately Rs 12.2 lakhs) — provided as a direct discount on your published international tuition fees.

Who can apply: Must be domiciled in India (passport holder and permanent resident). Must be self-funded (not receiving another full scholarship). Must hold a conditional or unconditional offer for a full-time, on-campus Master’s programme at the University of Manchester starting in September 2026. Over 330 awards available across the university totalling more than £6 million in funding for international students.

How to Apply: The online scholarship application form is automatically emailed to all eligible offer-holders starting from December 2025. If you have an offer from Manchester and have not received the form, contact the university’s international scholarships office. Deadline to submit: April 24, 2026.

Official link: manchester.ac.uk — International Scholarships

Amount: 50% or 100% of full-time Master’s tuition fees for one year. At Nottingham’s international fee rates this represents a very significant saving — potentially the entire tuition cost covered.

Who can apply: Must be domiciled in India and classified as an overseas student for fee purposes. Must hold an offer to start a full-time Master’s or MRes at the University of Nottingham in September 2026. Must demonstrate commitment to contributing to development in India after graduation.

Deadline: Wednesday April 15, 2026.

Official link: nottingham.ac.uk — Developing Solutions Scholarships

Amount: Fully funded — tuition fees fully covered, monthly living allowance of €1,400 (approximately Rs 1.27 lakhs per month), travel allowance up to €3,000 per year, health insurance. Total value approximately €33,600 to €50,000 over 2 years depending on programme.

What it is: A 2-year joint Master’s degree delivered across two or more European universities in different countries. India is a Partner Country — meaning Indian students receive the highest scholarship tier and are not competing against EU students for the same funds.

Who can apply: Any Indian graduate. No age limit. Specific entry requirements vary by programme — check each programme individually. Strong academic record and English proficiency required. You can apply to a maximum of 3 Erasmus Mundus programmes per cycle.

Priority given to: Candidates who have not previously received an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. Candidates who have not lived or studied in EU countries for more than 12 months in the past 5 years.

How to Apply: Browse all 140+ programmes at eacea.ec.europa.eu — Erasmus Mundus Catalogue. Each programme has its own portal and deadline — some programmes for September 2026 entry are still open. Apply directly through each programme’s official website.

Amount: Fully funded — tuition fees at any UK university (including Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial, UCL), monthly living allowance of GBP 1,000 to 1,500, travel costs to and from the UK, arrival and departure allowance, visa fee, and travel grant for Chevening events.

Who can apply: Indian citizens. Must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (minimum 2,800 hours). Must hold a bachelor’s degree equivalent to a UK 2:1 or above. Must apply to at least 3 different eligible one-year UK Master’s programmes. Must commit to returning to India for a minimum of 2 years after completing the scholarship.

Not eligible for: Part-time or distance learning courses. Courses shorter than 9 months or longer than 12 months. PhD programmes. Students already studying in the UK. Those who have previously received a UK government scholarship.

Next opening: Applications for the 2027-28 cycle are expected to open in August 2026 and close in October 2026. Start preparing now — four essays required (leadership, networking, career plan, UK study choice), two professional references needed, and you must apply to three UK universities simultaneously.

Official website: chevening.org/scholarship/india. Register to receive notification when the 2027-28 cycle opens.

As of April 2026, the following scholarships are currently open: GREAT Scholarships (UK, deadlines vary by university), Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarship (interviews April to June 2026), Education Future International Scholarship (rolling deadline), University of Manchester Global Futures India (deadline April 24, 2026), University of Nottingham Developing Solutions (deadline April 15, 2026), National Overseas Scholarship by Government of India (typically April to May deadline — check nosmsje.gov.in), and select Erasmus Mundus programmes for September 2026 entry.

Yes. Several fully funded scholarships are available for Indian students in 2026. Erasmus Mundus covers tuition, living allowance, and travel for two-year European Master’s programmes. The National Overseas Scholarship covers tuition, living, airfare, and insurance for SC, ST, and DNT students. The Inlaks Scholarship covers up to USD 120,000 for postgraduate study at top global institutions. Chevening (next cycle opens August 2026) covers all costs for one-year UK Master’s programmes. Each has specific eligibility criteria — read carefully before applying.

It varies by scholarship. The Education Future Scholarship requires minimum 60% in Class 10 and 12. The Narotam Sekhsaria Scholarship is merit-based but there is no stated minimum — however strong academic records are expected. The Inlaks Scholarship requires 65% for humanities and social sciences and 70% for sciences. GREAT Scholarships and university-specific awards typically expect 65% or above in undergraduate study. Chevening does not specify a minimum percentage but requires academic equivalence to a UK 2:1 degree.

Yes. You are strongly encouraged to apply for multiple scholarships simultaneously. However, most fully funded scholarships cannot be combined with other full scholarships — if you win more than one, you will typically need to choose. Partially funded awards like GREAT may be combinable with other partial funding. Read the terms and conditions of each scholarship carefully to understand their stacking policies.

The Chevening Scholarship application for the 2027-28 academic year is expected to open in August 2026 and close in October 2026. If you are planning to apply, start preparing now — research your three UK universities, begin drafting your four required essays, identify your two referees, and track your work experience hours (minimum 2,800 required). Register at chevening.org/scholarship/india to receive notification when applications open.