National Overseas Scholarship for Indian Students 2026

The National Overseas Scholarship is a fully funded scheme for Indian students who want to pursue offshore education. It is a Central Government scheme organised by the Indian Government, aiming to study master’s and doctorate courses. 

The National Overseas Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship for low-income group Indian students, aiming to study abroad. The Government of India funds this scholarship for students pursuing master’s and doctorate courses abroad. It covers tuition fees, airfare, and living costs. The maximum age limit is 35 years, as of April 1, 2026. 

In this blog, you will learn about the eligibility, benefits, and coverage for low-income Indian students. 

Key Features – National Overseas Scholarship

• Number of scholarships granted – 125
• For levels – Master’s and Doctorate
• Category – Scheduled Castes, denotified nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes, landless agricultural labourers, and traditional artisan communities
• Type – Full Funded 
• Cut Off Marks – 60%
• Family Income – Below 8 lacs

What Is The National Overseas Scholarship?

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment awards the National Overseas Scholarship and has been around for a few years. However, not many eligible students use it, as awareness is lacking. The scheme allows meritorious students from underprivileged families to pursue master’s and doctoral courses abroad. It is a comprehensive funding assistance covering most components of study abroad expenses. 

National Overseas Scholarship Coverage

The scholarship covers the following:

• Full tuition fees
• Annual maintenance allowance
• Contingency allowance
• Visa fees
• Medical insurance
• Return air fare
• Local travel allowances

Students from groups such as scheduled castes, denotified nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes, landless agricultural labourers, and traditional artisan communities can avail of the funding assistance for 3 years and 4 years, for PG and PhD respectively. 

Important Insight: One has to return to India after completing the course. A government employee must obtain an NOC from their office to avail of the funding opportunity. 

Break-up of Seats for Overseas Scholarship

Category	Number of Seats
Scheduled Caste candidates	115
Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes	6
Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans	4

Important Insights:

• 30% of the total scholarships are for women candidates. 
• If the above condition is not fulfilled due to lack of applications, male candidates are considered.
• Cap of 10% per state in the initial allocation round

Eligibility for The National Overseas Scholarship for SC Students and others

The students must fulfil the below criteria. 

Categories:

• Scheduled Castes (SC)
• Denotified, Nomadic, or Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT)
• Landless Agricultural Labourers, families with no land or property, earning through manual farm work
• Traditional artisans, families earning through traditional crafts

Academic Qualifications:

• Minimum 60 % marks in a bachelor’s for Master’s
• Minimum 60 % marks in a master’s degree for PhD

Age:

Minimum 35 years as on April 1, 2026

Family Income:

Family income must not exceed 8 lacs annually. 

University Related:

• In the first round, the candidate must hold an unconditional offer from any university abroad, ranked amongst the top 500 on the QS World Ranking Scale. 
• In the second round, you may be considered if you secured admission to any other university abroad. 

Miscellaneous Conditions:

• You must not be studying abroad or have previously studied abroad on any scholarship. 
• More than two children from the same parents cannot apply for the scholarship. 
• After gaining admission to any US university, you must secure a J-1 visa. 
• Courses on Indian culture, heritage, history, or Indian-based social research are not considered. 
• The courses that the scholarship covers are engineering, technology, applied sciences, medicine, commerce, management, humanities, and social sciences.

Selection Criteria For The Overseas Scholarship 

• Selection is on the basis of merit
• Waitlist of 50 seats maintained till 31^st March 2026
• Selection in two rounds
• Students with offers from the University of Toronto, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Melbourne hold strong chances

Document Checklist For National Overseas Scholarship 

• Caste certificate
• Income certificate
• ITR acknowledgement
• Academic records
• CGPA as required
• Aadhaar Card
• Unconditional offer
• Passport copy
• English proficiency test scores
• Self-declaration that no more than 2 children from the same parents have applied
• Health certificate

For more clarity in such aspects, it will be a good idea to work with a study abroad consultant, like Admissify. 

National Overseas Scholarship: 2026 Deadlines

It is important for students to keep the deadlines in mind. Let us check them out here. 

Stage	Deadline
First Round Portal Opens	15 September 2025
First Round Application Close	24 October 2025
Correction Window	26 – 29 October 2025
Portal Re-open for Future Rounds	Opens again in September / January
Typical First Round Annual Window	15 Feb – 31 Mar each year

How To Apply For The Overseas Scholarship?

• You have to apply online at nosmsje.gov.in.
• Visit the site nosmsje.gov.in and register using your Aadhaar number
• Fill out the application form with all personal, academic, and category details
• Fill in university admission details, like QS ranking, etc.
• Attach required documents in the prescribed format
• Review everything and hit ‘submit’

You will be notified via the portal on selection. 

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment announces the final results. 

Tips To Navigate The National Overseas Scholarship 2026

• You must compile all the necessary documents before applying. 
• Aim for universities that are listed among the top 500 on the QS World Rankings. 
• Craft an impressive SOP to separate your application from the rest. 
• Get strong recommendations from teachers and professors. 
• Competition is intense, so prepare early on. 
• Keep in mind that the scholarship amount meets the requirements of the destination you have chosen. 
• You must be prepared for new cultural experiences. 

People Also Ask

• What is the National overseas scholarship 2026 for Indians last date?

The last date for application for the National Overseas Scholarship is June 2, 2026 for the SC/De-notified Nomadic Tribes/Landless Agricultural Labourers. And June 30, 2026 for ST students. 

• What is National overseas scholarship 2026 for Indian’s eligibility?

You must meet the category, academic background, income limit, age and citizenship criteria. 

• What is the process of National overseas scholarship 2026 for Indian’s apply online?

You must visit the official website, fill in the application form, attach all the documents, and submit. Keep the application number handy for tracking the status. 

• What is the National Overseas Scholarship 2026 2027?

The National Overseas Scholarship for sc students is a fully funded scholarship from the Indian government for master’s and PhD students. 

Conclusion

The National Overseas Scholarship awards 125 scholarships to Indian students. You can apply for the same if you are considering studying abroad at master’s or doctorate levels. It covers the entire cost of studying abroad, thus reducing the financial burden on meritorious students from low-income groups. However, awareness is still low. If you have an excellent academic record, but your family income is low, opt for this scholarship to change the course of your life. If you require assistance, you can connect with Admissify. 

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