Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad 2026–27

Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad 2026–27

Posted by Hasan Raja | Updated on April 14, 2026

Indian students planning higher education overseas can apply for a wide range of government, university, merit based, need based and fully funded scholarships. Some of the major scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in 2026–27 include Chevening, Commonwealth Scholarships, Erasmus Mundus, Rhodes, Clarendon, Gates Cambridge, DAAD, GREAT Scholarships, Inlaks, MEXT and several university specific awards.

These scholarships are available for undergraduate, Master's, PhD and research programmes. While some scholarships reduce a portion of the tuition fee, others can cover tuition, living expenses, travel and additional study costs.

The best scholarship for you depends on your study level, destination, academic performance, financial circumstances and the eligibility requirements of the individual programme.

Last updated: September 2026

Scholarship amounts, eligibility rules and application deadlines may change. Students should always confirm the latest requirements on the official scholarship or university website before applying.

Best Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad in 2026–27

The following are some of the major scholarships Indian students can consider for international study. They differ significantly in terms of study level, destination, funding and selection requirements.

Chevening applications for the 2027–28 academic year opened on 4 August 2026 and close on 6 October 2026. Commonwealth Master's Scholarships for 2027–28 are scheduled to accept applications from 8 September to 20 October 2026.

The important point for students is that there is no single scholarship that is best for everyone. A Class 12 student, a working professional applying for a Master's and a student pursuing a PhD will qualify for very different funding opportunities.

Types of Scholarships for Indian Students Studying Abroad

Scholarships for Indian students studying abroad can broadly be classified according to how candidates are selected and what expenses the scholarship covers.

Merit Based Scholarships

Merit based scholarships are generally awarded on the basis of academic performance and overall achievement. Universities may consider grades, academic awards, research, extracurricular activities, leadership, competitions or other achievements.

A strong academic record can improve your chances, but academic marks alone do not guarantee a scholarship. Highly competitive awards often assess the applicant's complete profile.

Need Based Scholarships

Need based scholarships are designed for students who require financial assistance to pursue higher education.

Applicants may need to provide details about family income, financial resources and their ability to fund tuition and living costs. Some university scholarships combine academic merit with demonstrated financial need.

Fully Funded Scholarships

Fully funded scholarships provide considerably more support than a normal tuition waiver.

Depending on the programme, funding can include tuition fees, living expenses, travel, visa related costs, insurance or other allowances.

Chevening, Commonwealth Scholarships, Erasmus Mundus, Rhodes, Clarendon and Gates Cambridge are examples of programmes that can provide extensive financial support, although the exact benefits and eligibility conditions differ.

Government Funded Scholarships

Several countries fund international students as part of their higher education and international cooperation programmes.

Examples include Chevening in the UK and MEXT in Japan. Government funded programmes generally have clearly defined eligibility criteria and application cycles.

University Scholarships

Universities themselves are another major source of international student funding.

Clarendon at Oxford, Gates Cambridge, Lester B. Pearson at the University of Toronto, UBC International Scholars and NTU's graduate scholarships are examples of university linked funding opportunities.

Private and External Scholarships

Private foundations, charitable organisations and trusts also support Indian students pursuing education overseas.

The Inlaks Scholarship and J N Tata Endowment are two well known Indian examples. Inlaks supports eligible Indian students pursuing postgraduate education at selected institutions abroad, while the J N Tata Endowment provides merit based loan scholarships for postgraduate study overseas.

Top Fully Funded Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad

Students searching for scholarships for Indian students abroad in 2026 often look specifically for programmes that can substantially reduce or completely cover the cost of international education.

Here are some of the most important options to understand.

Chevening Scholarship

Chevening is the UK Government's international scholarship programme and is one of the best known funding options for students applying for Master's programmes in the United Kingdom.

Indian students can apply for eligible one year taught Master's programmes, provided they meet the current Chevening eligibility requirements.

For the 2027–28 academic year, applications opened on 4 August 2026 and close on 6 October 2026.

Study level: Master's
Destination: United Kingdom
Funding: Fully funded scholarship
Best suited for: Candidates with strong academic, professional and leadership profiles

Commonwealth Master's Scholarship

The Commonwealth Master's Scholarship supports students from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries who would otherwise be unable to afford postgraduate study in the UK.

The scholarship is intended for full time taught Master's programmes and is connected to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission's development themes.

For study beginning in September or October 2027, applications are scheduled to open on 8 September 2026 and close on 20 October 2026.

Study level: Master's
Destination: United Kingdom
Funding: Fully funded
Best suited for: Students with strong academic profiles and development focused career goals

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarship

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters are international postgraduate programmes jointly delivered by multiple universities.

Students from around the world can apply. Scholarships can cover programme participation costs and contribute towards travel, visas and living expenses.

Most programmes accept applications between October and January for courses beginning in the following academic year.

Study level: Master's
Destination: Multiple participating countries
Funding: Fully funded scholarships available
Best suited for: Students interested in an international Master's programme delivered across multiple universities

Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship supports outstanding postgraduate students studying at the University of Oxford.

Five Rhodes Scholarships are available for India. For candidates applying for the 2027 Rhodes Scholarship through the India constituency, applications opened on 1 June 2026 and closed on 23 July 2026.

Selection goes beyond academics and considers qualities such as leadership, character and commitment to making an impact.

Study level: Postgraduate
Destination: University of Oxford
Funding: Fully funded
2027 India status: Applications closed

Clarendon Scholarship

Clarendon is one of Oxford University's major graduate scholarship programmes.

More than 200 new fully funded scholarships are offered each year. Applicants to eligible Master's or DPhil courses are automatically considered when they submit their Oxford application by the relevant December or January funding deadline.

Clarendon covers course fees and provides a grant towards living expenses.

Study level: Master's and DPhil
Destination: University of Oxford
Funding: Full course fees plus living grant
Separate scholarship application: Not required

Gates Cambridge Scholarship

Gates Cambridge offers around 80 full cost postgraduate scholarships each year to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK.

Candidates are assessed on academic excellence, reasons for choosing their course, commitment to improving the lives of others and leadership capacity. Applications are submitted through the University of Cambridge graduate application process.

Study level: Eligible postgraduate programmes
Destination: University of Cambridge
Funding: Full cost scholarship

DAAD EPOS

DAAD's Development Related Postgraduate Courses programme supports graduates from eligible developing and newly industrialised countries pursuing selected postgraduate programmes in Germany.

Applicants generally require at least two years of professional experience. Funding can include monthly scholarship payments, insurance and travel support. The exact deadlines for the 2027–28 intake depend on the participating course.

Study level: Mainly Master's and selected doctoral programmes
Destination: Germany
Funding: Scholarship, insurance and other support depending on programme

Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad After 12th

Students do not necessarily have to wait until postgraduate study to receive international funding. There are several scholarships for Indian students to study abroad after 12th, particularly through universities and government programmes.

However, undergraduate applicants should carefully check the study level before applying. Many popular scholarships such as Chevening and Commonwealth Master's are only available for postgraduate study. Working with undergraduate admission consultants can help you target the awards that genuinely accept undergraduate candidates.

Some prominent undergraduate options include:

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

The Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship is offered by the University of Toronto to exceptional international students.

Students must first be nominated by their school and apply for admission to the university.

For students entering the University of Toronto in September 2027, the school nomination deadline is 9 October 2026 and the university admission application deadline for Pearson consideration is 16 October 2026.

UBC International Scholars Program

The University of British Columbia's International Scholars Program considers outstanding international students who demonstrate strong academics, leadership and significant financial need.

Applications for 2027 open in September 2026. International applicants seeking consideration for the International Scholars Program must complete the relevant admission and award requirements by 15 November 2026.

MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship

The Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship provides another route for Indian students interested in undergraduate study abroad.

The Embassy of Japan in India has published information for the MEXT Undergraduate Scholarship 2027, covering eligible undergraduate fields and applicant requirements.

Students applying after Class 12 should therefore focus on scholarships explicitly available for bachelor's study rather than assuming that every international scholarship accepts undergraduate candidates.

Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad for Master's

The range of scholarships for Indian students to study abroad for Master's programmes is considerably larger.

Students can explore government scholarships, university awards, external foundations and programme specific funding.

Some major Master's funding options include:

GREAT Scholarships, for example, provide students from India with £10,000 towards tuition fees for eligible one year taught postgraduate courses at participating UK universities during the 2026–27 academic year.

The Inlaks Scholarship supports eligible young Indian graduates pursuing postgraduate study at selected institutions in the UK, Europe and the United States. For the 2026 cycle, funding could cover tuition, living expenses, one way travel, visa costs and health allowance up to a maximum of USD 120,000. Applications for the 2026 scholarship have closed.

The J N Tata Endowment is different because it is a loan scholarship rather than a fully funded grant. It supports Indian students pursuing Master's, PhD and postdoctoral studies overseas.

Students should therefore compare not only the amount offered but also the nature of the financial support.

Scholarships for Indian Students for PhD and Research Abroad

PhD students often have access to funding opportunities that are different from undergraduate and taught Master's scholarships.

Research universities may offer tuition waivers, monthly stipends, research grants or graduate assistantships directly through the department or institution.

Clarendon and Gates Cambridge are important options in the UK, while NTU Singapore offers several research scholarships for international students.

The Nanyang President's Graduate Scholarship is available to international students pursuing full time PhD study at NTU. It covers annual tuition fees and provides a monthly stipend and additional allowances.

The NTU Research Scholarship is available to local and international students entering full time graduate research programmes. It covers annual tuition fees and provides a monthly stipend, with funding available for both research Master's and PhD candidates subject to the programme's conditions.

PhD applicants should also check the funding page of the exact department and research programme they are applying to. In many cases, research funding is linked directly to university admission rather than a separate national scholarship competition.

Scholarships for Indian Students by Study Destination

Indian students can find scholarship opportunities across most major international study destinations, but the type of funding available varies.

United Kingdom

The UK has one of the widest ranges of well known scholarship programmes for Indian students.

Major options include Chevening, Commonwealth Master's, Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, GREAT Scholarships, Rhodes, Clarendon and Gates Cambridge.

Applicants should distinguish between scholarships open across multiple UK universities and scholarships tied to a specific institution such as Oxford or Cambridge.

United States

Funding in the United States is often university specific.

International students should review each university's financial aid and scholarship policy because funding structures vary significantly. Graduate students may also receive research assistantships, teaching assistantships or departmental fellowships.

Indian postgraduate students can additionally explore external opportunities such as the Inlaks Scholarship where their course and institution meet the relevant criteria. For undergraduate applicants, a strong SAT score can also strengthen scholarship applications at many US universities.

Canada

Canada offers several major university based scholarships for high performing international students.

For undergraduate applicants, the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship at the University of Toronto and UBC's International Scholars Program are two significant options. Both involve more than simply achieving good marks and have additional nomination or financial need requirements.

Germany

DAAD is one of the most important sources of funding for international students considering postgraduate education in Germany.

Students should not assume that every DAAD scholarship has identical requirements. Programmes such as EPOS have specific professional experience, academic and course eligibility conditions.

Singapore

Singapore universities provide several scholarships for research oriented postgraduate students.

At NTU, international applicants can be considered for schemes such as the Nanyang President's Graduate Scholarship and NTU Research Scholarship depending on their programme and eligibility.

Japan

The Japanese Government's MEXT programme is one of the major scholarship routes for international students interested in Japan.

Separate MEXT pathways exist for different education levels, so students should check the Indian Embassy's current application guidelines for the particular programme they want to pursue.

Eligibility for Scholarships to Study Abroad from India

There is no universal eligibility requirement for all study abroad scholarships.

One scholarship may focus heavily on academic performance, while another may prioritise financial need, professional experience, leadership or research potential.

In general, scholarship providers may consider the applicant's academic record, chosen degree, university admission status, English language proficiency, extracurricular activities, professional experience, research achievements, leadership profile and financial circumstances.

Age and nationality requirements can also differ significantly.

For example, the J N Tata Endowment's 2026 eligibility criteria required candidates to be Indian citizens, generally no older than 45 as of 30 June 2026, graduates of recognised Indian universities and to have at least 60% on average in their undergraduate or postgraduate studies.

By comparison, DAAD EPOS normally requires applicants to have at least two years of professional experience in addition to meeting academic and programme conditions.

This is why students should check eligibility before spending time preparing a detailed scholarship application.

Documents Required for Study Abroad Scholarship Applications

The exact documentation depends on the scholarship, but most applicants should be prepared to provide academic transcripts, degree or school certificates, proof of identity, a CV or resume, recommendation letters and scholarship essays or statements.

Postgraduate programmes may also ask for a research proposal, evidence of professional experience or a statement explaining how the proposed course relates to the applicant's long term goals.

Need based scholarships may require family income or financial documentation.

Some scholarships also require proof of university admission before an application can be considered. The 2026 Inlaks Scholarship, for example, required applicants to have an offer of admission to the chosen institution and course when applying.

Students should create a document checklist separately for every scholarship because requirements can differ even when two scholarships fund similar degrees.

How to Apply for Scholarships to Study Abroad from India

A strong scholarship application begins with finding opportunities that actually match your profile rather than applying to every scholarship available.

Start by identifying your intended country, degree level and universities. Then shortlist scholarships for which you satisfy the nationality, academic, work experience, age, financial and programme requirements.

Read the official conditions carefully and note whether the scholarship application is separate from the university admission application.

This distinction is important.

Clarendon does not require a separate scholarship application. Eligible Oxford graduate applicants who apply by the relevant funding deadline are automatically considered.

Lester B. Pearson follows a different process because the student must first be nominated by their school before completing the scholarship application.

Erasmus Mundus applicants apply directly to the individual Joint Master's programme, with each programme publishing its own admission and scholarship requirements.

Once the requirements are clear, prepare your academic documents, recommendations and essays well before the deadline.

Your scholarship essays should explain why your academic and career goals align with the purpose of the award rather than simply repeating your resume.

When Should Indian Students Apply for Study Abroad Scholarships?

Students should ideally begin researching scholarships 10 to 12 months before their intended intake, because many major programmes close well before classes begin.

A student planning to start university in August or September 2027, for example, may need to submit important scholarship applications between August 2026 and January 2027.

A practical scholarship planning timeline can look like this:

The exact schedule will depend on the country and scholarship.

Chevening's 2027–28 cycle, for example, closes in October 2026 even though students will begin their studies in the following academic year.

Erasmus Mundus programmes typically accept applications between October and January for the following academic year.

Starting scholarship research only after receiving all university offers can therefore mean missing important deadlines.

How to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Scholarship

The strongest scholarship applications usually demonstrate more than good grades.

First, apply only where your profile genuinely matches the eligibility requirements. A highly prestigious scholarship is not automatically the right scholarship if your degree level, work experience or intended programme does not qualify.

Academic consistency remains important, particularly for merit based scholarships. However, applicants should also demonstrate meaningful achievements outside the classroom where the scholarship values leadership, service, professional experience or research.

Essays should be specific. Instead of simply stating that studying abroad will improve your career, explain why the particular university, programme and scholarship are relevant to the work you want to pursue.

Recommendations should ideally come from people who know your academic or professional abilities well enough to provide specific evidence.

Finally, do not depend entirely on one highly competitive scholarship. Build a funding plan using a combination of government programmes, university scholarships, external funding and financial aid wherever appropriate.

How to Choose the Right Study Abroad Scholarship

The largest scholarship is not always the best scholarship for your situation.

Start with eligibility. There is little value in prioritising an award whose degree level, age requirement, work experience condition or eligible institution does not match your profile.

Next, understand exactly what the scholarship pays for.

A £10,000 tuition award can provide substantial help but should not be treated as equivalent to a scholarship that covers full tuition and living expenses.

Students should also consider how competitive the scholarship is. Major global scholarships receive applications from highly accomplished candidates, so a balanced funding strategy should include both prestigious national awards and university specific opportunities.

Finally, check whether accepting the scholarship creates any conditions relating to course choice, university, residency, return to the home country, teaching obligations or other commitments.

Making these comparisons before applying can save considerable time and help students focus on scholarships where they have the strongest fit.

Final Thoughts

There are many scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in 2026–27, but each programme serves a different type of applicant.

Students applying after Class 12 should focus on genuine undergraduate funding opportunities such as university entrance scholarships and programmes like MEXT. Master's applicants have access to a wider range of options including Chevening, Commonwealth, Erasmus Mundus, GREAT Scholarships, DAAD, Inlaks and major university scholarships. PhD and research students should also explore university funded research scholarships and graduate assistantships.

The most effective approach is to shortlist universities and scholarships together instead of treating funding as an afterthought.

Check eligibility early, compare what each scholarship actually covers, prepare your documents well in advance and verify the latest deadline directly with the awarding organisation before submitting your application.

Masterclass Space's admission consulting helps students build a structured study abroad strategy by evaluating universities, admissions requirements and application opportunities based on their academic profile and long term goals.