Scholarships

Countries offering Full Scholarships for Indian Students-

What if I told you that in 2025,you could study in the world’s best universities-absolutely free?

Yes,tuition ,living,airfare,even your books ,all covered! This is not your dream.This is a power of full scholarships. No sleepless nights over-loan. Just pure focus on learning,growing and living your global dream. Let’s unlock it! The world is ready to invest in your potential. From Harvard to Heidelberg, from Sydney to Stockholm , these scholarships are not just financial aid..they are bridges to opportunity, doors to diversity and gateways to greatness.

Sounds too good to be true! In 2025,multiple countries are offering Fully Funded Scholarships specifically for Indian students.With the right scholarship you can go from your hometown to a world class classroom, without worry about your tuition fee,food and travel.

First of all,we should know why countries offer full scholarships?

Before we dive into the list,let’s understand why countries offer full scholarships to the students

To attract global talent
To enhance cultural diversity on campuses
To build international goodwill
To create future leader with global influence

So ,when you apply for a fully funded scholarship,you are not asking for charity.You are bringing value to that country's academic ecosystem.Let’s explore the top countries that are rolling out the red carpet of talent,ambition and dreams.

Top Countries Offering Full Scholarships to Indian Students in 2025

1.United States of America-

famous for IVY League Universities,cutting edge research ,innovation hubs.The USA remains a top dream destination. While education is expensive ,plenty of full funded scholarships exist,especially at top -tier universities.

 Key Scholarships-

1.Fulbright Nehru Master’s Fellowships-  Covers tuition fees,travel,living,books and health. For post graduate studies (Arts,Public Admin,Media,Science)

2.Knight Hennessy Scholars (Stanford University-fully funded Master’s or PHD programs.Covers tuition,stipend,housing and travel.Open for all the courses.

3.Yale University Scholarships- Need based fully funded aid for UG and PG students

4.Harvard University- -Financial Aid 100% of demonstrated financial need is covered. Many Indian students have received full rides.US Scholarships often require a strong SOP, recommendations and leadership record. Start prepping early.

2.United Kingdom-

famous for Oxford, Cambridge, Media and Creative Arts ,Law and Public Policy

Key Scholarships- -

Fully funded one year Master’s degree,
Covers tuition ,flight, Visa, monthly stipend.
Requires two years of work experience

1.Commonwealth Scholarships- For Master’s and PhD students, Covers tuition travel, thesis grant and stipend
Offered to students from developing Commonwealth countries like India.

2.Gates Cambridge Scholarships - full ride for PhD and PG courses at Cambridge
Includes tuition, living expenses and airfare.

3.Rhodes Scholarship (Oxford)- World most prestigious scholarship covers all costs at Oxford University.Open to exceptional students with leadership promise

3.Canada University-

famous for its diverse population ,friendly Visa policies ,career focused education. Canada is not just beautiful, it is also generous when it comes to education funding. Candian Universities prefer academic excellence and community involvement. 

Key Scholarships-

1.Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships-focus on leadership and research potential.

2.Lester B.Pearson International Scholarship(University of Toronto)-Covers tuition ,books, accommodation and living costs for undergrad students. Highly competitive.

3. Germany-

Famous for no tuition fees ,engineering,robotics and research. Germany has become a go to destination for Indian students in technology and science fields.

Key Benefits-

No tuition fees at public Universities ,even for international students. Only minor semester and Admin fees.

1.DAAD-German Academic Exchange Service- offers fully funded scholarships in engineering social science, art, media and public policy. Also support language and summer courses.

5.Australia -

famous for research opportunities and media programs. Australia is a very friendly city. Australia is gaining ground as a top education destination, and its scholarship offerings are generous too.

Key Scholarship Awards-

1.Australia Awards Scholarship- is offered by the Australian Government. It covers full tuition ,living expenses, airfare, health Insurance and even preparatory programs .

2.The Destination Australia Scholarship- is available for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

3.University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships- 100% tuition ,living expenses, relocation grant. It’s open to Indian students in research and intense programs.

6. France-

famous for arts, design, fashion, culinary studies and International Studies

Key Scholarships-

1.Eiffel Excellence Scholarship- offered by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. It covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and travel.

2.Charpark Scholarship-is offered by the French Embassy in India for UG and PG students. It offers tuition support ,visa fee waiver and living allowance.

7. Sweden -

famous for innovation, sustainability, clean tech and startup ecosystem. Sweden is quietly becoming a power house for global education, with a focus on leadership and research..

Key Scholarships-

1.Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals-Covers full tuition ,monthly allowance and insurance.Preference for future leaders from developing nations.
 2.Lund University Global Scholarship- Merit base,can cover up to 100% of tuition fee and it is available for UG and PG students.

8.Netherlands-

famous for Media and Communication Studies,design and business analytics.The Dutch government and Universities are investing heavily in international talent.

 Key Scholarships-

1.Holland Scholarship- offered by several Dutch universities.

2.Orange Tulip Scholarship- specifically for Indian students. Support for partial and full tuition fees. It is available for MBA,STEM and media studies.

9.Japan-

famous for Technology ,Design, robotics and visual arts. Japan is increasingly popular for students seeking unique discipline and generous support.

Key Scholarships-

1.MEXT Scholarship- offered by the Japanese Government. It covers tuition ,monthly allowance and travel cost. It is available for UG,PG and PdD.

2.ADB Japan Scholarship Program-Fully funded master’s scholarships. Focus on economics, environment and technology.

10. Singapore-

Famous for business,tech,,and global HQs of major companies-Singapore is rising  as a global education hub with institutions like NUS and NTU in the top world.

Key Scholarships-

1.SINGA SingaporeInternational Graduate Award- is for Ph.D students and it fully covers tuition fee,airfare,stipend

2.NUS Research Scholarships- is fully funded for Master’s and PhD programs. It also offers teaching and research assistantships.

What do you need to apply for full scholarship

Strong Academic Record
Well written SOP(Statement of Purpose)
LORs (Letter of Recommendation)
Proof of Extracurriculars or leadership
Language proficiency(IELTS/TOEFL) if required
Entrance Exams (GRE/GMAT) if required
Early preparation (start 9-12 months before intake

How to stand out as a Indian applicant

1.Highlight diversity of perspective and unique background
2. Focus on projects,internships or social impact
3. Why you want to study in the specific country/university
4.Mention you will contribute back to India or the world
5. Be authentic , honest and focused

So,Start early,dream boldly.Apply wisely.Remember,someone has to get that full scholarship. Why not you?

The initiative, launched by IAS officer Arjun Pandian hailing from Elappara to give back to his roots, recognises academic performance, excellence in sports and other extracurricular activities. A total of 34 students receive scholarships in this year’s award ceremony.

The "Karuthal" scholarship, which was the first initiative to offer assistance to government school students in plantation communities of high altitudes of Kerala, still provides hope to the students of the region.

Launched in 2022 by IAS officer Arjun Pandian as District Development Commissioner (DDC) of Idukki, the scholarship was his idea to pay homage to his Elappara grama panchayat roots. "As the first IAS officer from this region, I wanted to give back to my native place, especially to the children of plantation workers," he said. "I hope the scholarship inspires them to aim higher and realise their potential.

Originally given to highest-scoring Class X and Plus Two students of the Government School, Elappara, the scholarship, which is now on its fourth edition, has widened its scope. This year, it reaches students from Government High Schools in Chemmannu and Vagamon too, virtually covering the entire panchayat. "My aim is to cover more schools in the days to come," said Mr. Pandian.

Supported by Corporate social responsibility (CSR) alliances and, in some cases, Mr. Pandian's own salary, the scholarship has to date supported 68 students, with total donations amounting to over ₹8 lakh. Initially strictly on an academic merit basis, the award has expanded to cover excellence in sports as well as other extracurricular pursuits. Merit certificates, issued by District Collectors, provide additional encouragement and recognition for recipients.

This year's award function was presided over by Idukki District Collector V. Vigneshwari. 34 students were given scholarships. The function was graced by Elappara grama panchayat president Ammini Thomas, ESAF executive vice-president George Thomas, Principal Sofitha Beevi, and headmistress Haseena Begum, among others. The ESAF Foundation sponsored this year's edition under its CSR initiative.

Other significant contributions

Apart from this effort, Mr. Pandian has significantly contributed to the development of education, health, tourism, and plantation workers' welfare in the district. Interestingly, he was instrumental in getting the affiliation of Idukki Medical College and successfully admitting its first 100 MBBS students in 2022 — a historic achievement for the district.s

A 2017-batch IAS officer from Elappara, Arjun Pandian is the present District Collector of Thrissur.

In a major boost to educational parity, over 11,000 minority students from economically backward sections in Prayagraj were granted scholarships from the Uttar Pradesh government for 2024-25. The scheme initiated to encourage minority youths to pursue higher studies without crossing the financial ceiling released a total amount of ₹6.79 crore to 11,310 such students from 3,165 institutions within the district.

District Minority Welfare Officer Krishna Murari underscored the government's intent for inclusive education by extending robust financial aid. "The state government is also keeping a sharp eye on minorities' education through an integrated scholarship scheme," he said.

Numbers disaggregated, Murari noted:

Pre-matric scholarships (Class 9–10): ₹1.05 crore was released in the hands of 3,614 students to 974 institutions.

Post-matric scholarships (Class 11–12): ₹1.32 crore was released to 4,493 students.

Post-intermediate and other higher education: ₹4.40 crore has been provided to students seeking education in 868 institutions under the "other" category.

These scholarships ensure financial support of all kinds of educational expenses, including tuition fees, study materials, and living expenses, thereby relieving financial burdens on students from disadvantaged groups belonging to minority communities.

The authorities have cited that the pre-matric and post-matric scholarship schemes are improving the retention percentage and the level of academic performance of minority group students.

This measure is part of a larger initiative by the state to reduce the educational gap among minority groups and ensure an equal opportunity of access to post-school studies. With over 3,165 institutions participating, the scale of this programme reflects the government's firm commitment to enabling education and socio-economic integration.

These scholarships are expected to raise the level of enrolments, reduce the level of drop-outs, and help achieve a better-skilled and educated youth in the nation.

Two candidates, who have offer letters from two UK universities, confirmed they had received the NOS provisional award letters

The government issued National Overseas Scholarships (NOS) to 66 scholars of socially marginalised communities after keeping their provisional award letters pending due to a funds crunch.

This U-turn follows the agitation by Opposition parties and student organizations. The award letters will be given at the last stage after document verification.

As part of the NOS, the social justice and empowerment ministry grants scholarships to 125 candidates from Scheduled Castes (SCs), denotified tribes, landless agricultural labourers and traditional artisans annually.

The ministry shortlisted 106 candidates in the first round for 2025-26 but issued provision award letters to only 40 candidates on July 1 and announced that the balance candidates would receive the letters in due course "subject to availability of funds".

Students' groups organized protests against the government's supposed indifference toward students from the backward sections pursuing higher education. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi criticized the government for the tardiness in distributing scholarships as well.

"When a Dalit, backward or tribal student wishes to study — only then the Modi government remembers the budget… No problem for the kids of BJP-RSS leaders to study anywhere — but the moment a Bahujan student takes a step forward, the whole system starts hindering," Rahul had tweeted on X.

A finance ministry official explained that its expenditure finance committee in 2021-22 had sanctioned ₹175 crore under the NOS for five years till 2025-26. The social justice and empowerment ministry, however, has used ₹300 crore in the initial four years. The additional money for the NOS was allegedly sidetracked from other scholarship programs. When the ministry of finance learned about the diversion of funds, it requested that the social justice and empowerment ministry settle for just ₹35 crore during 2025-26 for the NOS.

This necessitated the social justice and empowerment ministry to provide award letters to only 40 of the 106 shortlisted candidates, and seek additional funds from the ministry of finance.

The ministry of finance on Thursday told the ministry of social justice and empowerment that the expenditure department had also consented to give one-time relaxation and sanction of ₹130 crore for the NOS in 2025-26.

Two aspirants, who have two UK university admission offers, stated they had been awarded the provisional award letters for the NOS scholarship.

"I received the award letter on Friday night. I thank the government, especially ministry director Mahesh Kumar Meena, who had promised me that the scholarship would definitely be given. My admission is scheduled for September. I will finish all the formalities by then," a student wished to remain anonymous.

The NOS, which is offered to students studying master's and PhD in leading foreign universities, accommodates tuition fees, daily living expenses and a one-time round-trip air ticket.

The Centre on Wednesday stated that more than 2.22 crore students benefited from scholarships under the Modi government's Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) Scheme and Top-Class Education Scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) Students to study during the last five years.

The PMS schemes are the scholarships offered by the Centre to encourage students of particular social classes, i.e., Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and minorities, who are studying higher education after Class 10.

Under these schemes, the government strives to enhance the Gross Enrolment Ratio of higher education by offering financial assistance to students who belong to economically weaker sections.

In this regard, the Top-Class Education Scheme for SC provides financial support to SC students for studies after Class 12 in some of the nation's best institutions.

With this scheme, the Centre seeks to encourage quality education among SC students and sponsor their higher education.

"In the last five years, 2,22,31,139 and 20,340 SC students have benefitted from the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme and Top-Class Education Scheme, respectively," the Union Minister of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale presented in response to a query in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

As reported by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, scholarship and fund support rendered under the PMS and Top-Class Education for SS Students schemes have "helped in improving the education level of Scheduled Caste students to study higher courses in educational institutions/colleges in the country.

"This not only minimized economic burden but also ensured access to quality education to Scheduled Caste students. By enhancing educational opportunities, the schemes have enabled increased socio-economic mobility, increased career opportunities, and met economic as well as social backwardness among SC groups," the Union Minister added.

He declared that under such programs, SC students can study in colleges, universities and institutions, for instance, IITs, IIMs, IIITs, AIIMSs, NITs, NIFTs, NIDs, IHMs, NLUs, etc., and reach "substantial success in their fields.".

Central government scholarship schemes for the most disadvantaged student segments have had an extraordinary and consistent trend for the period from 2019 till 2024, which also overlaps with the ongoing implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The number of beneficiaries has reduced significantly while the sanctioned budgets have either remained steady or increased.

It is reflected in government reports submitted to Parliament between July-November 2024, parliamentary committee reports, and ministries of social justice and empowerment, tribal affairs, and minority affairs annual data.

The social justice and empowerment ministry (MoSJE) administers a number of flagship programmes reflecting this ominous trend. Most notably, the overall government funding for the Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students almost doubled, from roughly ₹2,710 crore during 2019-20 to ₹5,475 crore during 2023-24. Ironically, the enrolment of SC students fell by 12.7%, from 54.27 lakh to 47.39 lakh.

State-level data paint a grimmer picture: Uttar Pradesh saw a 3% increase in funding but dipped by 30%% of beneficiaries and Madhya Pradesh saw a very slow 1.94% growth in beneficiaries despite the state funding increasing from ₹0 in 2019-20 to ₹36,680.48 lakh in 2023-24. Other MoSJE schemes saw no better fortune.

The National Fellowship for SC students fellowships nearly halved to 2,221 despite going over its budgeted outlay during 2019-20 to 2023-24. The Free Coaching Scheme for SCs and OBCs shut down, helping only 223 students in 2023-24 compared to 1,345 five years back. For OBC, EBC, and DNT students under the PM-YASASVI scheme, Post-Matric beneficiaries declined from 40.94 lakh to 5.38 lakh prior to the partial increase with no beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka states in intervening years. Pre-Matric Scholarships for the groups fell from 94.52 lakh to 4.30 lakh recipients.

It was earlier on July 7 that HT reported that the ministry has conferred interim scholarship awards on fewer than half of the selected, i.e., only 40 out of the 106 selected candidates for its National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) for the ensuing academic year, 2025-26. It has declared that the remaining 66 candidates' letters "may be issued… subject to availability of funds". There are 125 slots annually under the scheme.

Administrative hurdles cited as causes

Acting on the Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment in its report in March this year, the MoSJE cited systemic hurdles for the derailments. For SC schemes (SHREYAS), causes were tardy submissions of proposals by institutions, unfixed allocations due to sanctioned slots and sub-target applications, administrative lethargy in processing, and a strict ₹8 lakh income criterion for foreign scholarships excluding deserving candidates. For PM-YASASVI, the ministry attributed the "non-receipt of applications" from states and Union territories, because of abysmally low uptake rates (12.5% for Pre-Matric, 33.5% for Post-Matric), as well as verification delays on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). Invoking "past experience" of low utilization, the ministry has already reduced the 2025-26 budget for the PM-YASASVI Top Class School Scheme by ₹50 crore.

ST scholarships: Volatility and underfunding concerns

Even the ministry of tribal affairs (MoTA) pointed out with regard trends. Beneficiaries of the Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students declined by 51.27%, from 13.75 lakh to 6.70 lakh, as grants decreased and yet another reduction is planned for 2025-26. A CAG audit found that the scheme reached only 80.14% of the target between 2017-2022 due to biometric authentication lapses and lesser awareness efforts. Post-Matric Scholarship reported varying beneficiary numbers, dropping to 13.64 lakh in 2023-24, whereas its budget expenditure for 2025-26 rose to ₹2,462.68 crore. MoTA ensured that it has already spent ₹10,577.91 crore of the sanctioned ₹12,516.70 crore of ST scholarships in 2021-22 to 2025-26, with just ₹1,938.79 crore remaining for the current fiscal (2025-26) and necessitating a request for an additional ₹1,983.67 crore. The National Overseas Scholarship for ST students was hit by a virtual zero budget cut of 99.83%.

Minority scholarships: Terminated, disproportionate impact

The biggest cut occurred in the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The Pre-Matric Scholarship covering 55-57 lakh students annually up to 2021-22 was reduced to zero budget and zero recipients in 2023-24. The Post-Matric Scholarship and the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship met a similar fate. The ministry, responding to the Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (report laid in March this year), invoked "overlapping benefits" and "rationalisation" for withdrawal. To be sure, the ministry reiterated that the overlap is with the scholarships provided by the Ministries of Social Justice and Tribal Affairs—Muslims and Christians cannot be classified as SC in India. HT had also previously written about the challenges of MANF scholars, the fellowship, which was put on hold in December 2022 for fresh entrants, continues for ongoing scholars up to the end of their term. MANF is a five-year financial support programme for MPhil and PhD students belonging to minority groups notified by the government—Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Parsis, and Sikhs. The ministry has, however, announced on Friday that pending payments have now been released.

This systemic failure to disburse scholarships overlaps with persistently lower Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education enrollment among marginalised groups compared to national levels. In 2019-20, GER in India's higher education was 27.1% but for SCs it was 23.4% and STs it was 18%. The GER in 2021-22 (latest available) at the national level increased to 28.4% but for SCs it had only increased to 25.9% and for STs to 21.2%. The government's target is 50% GER by 2035.

What the ministries say

HT asked the three ministries for a reply. Despite the silence of the tribal affairs ministry, a senior social justice ministry official, refusing to be named, told HT that the primary reason why numbers are decreasing is delay from the state, non-functional portals for scholarships, and in certain cases—no go-ahead signal for release from the department of expenditure. "The portals do not work in various states and though we are working with states so that they work, there are instances where the states do not care. The challenges are also that the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation are not always sanctioned by the department of expenditure so that they can disburse the funds."

A senior government official of the ministry of minority affairs has told HT that while most of its schemes have been wound up, the ones where the disbursement for previous years is yet to happen — complaints of "siphoning" and "fraud" wherein the CBI at the state level is investigating such cases. "Expecting closure reports from several states for such scams, once these become available to us, we can initiate the disbursement," stated the official.