I remember the time when I got an opportunity to study in one of the top 10 colleges in India to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. My dad and I had to wait endless hours at a regional bank to get the loan approved. That was the only solution to fund education then if one did not have enough money. The other option of course was to avail a scholarship; however the dearth of information on scholarships and their eligibility criteria made it well nigh impossible. Now, over a decade later, institutions, corporate houses and trusts across the globe are helping students work towards their dreams by taking the monkey of “how do we fund our education” off the backs of students.
Today there are over a thousand scholarships available to Indian under-graduate students (available at different stages of their under-graduation course). But lack of awareness and information at the right time is still a problem in most quarters. That means that many students who may otherwise have a decent chance with these scholarships never even come to know about it. Here are some scholarships that have gained popularity amongst Indian under-graduate students over the years because of the amount and eligibility criteria:
Aditya Birla Group Scholarships for IITs and BITS
Students from the following institutes can apply for the Scholarships: IITs (B.Tech) - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Guwahati. Law: (i) National Law School of India University - Bangalore, (ii)NALSAR University of Law - Hyderabad, (iii)The WB National University of Juridical Sciences - Kolkata, (iv)National Law University – Jodhpur.
IIT / BITS (Pilani): Rs 65,000 per annum. LAW : Rs. 1,80,000 per annum or fees at actual, whichever is lower.
L’Oreal India for Young Women in Science Scholarship Programme
The scholarship is only for girls wanting to pursuing a degree course in Medicine/Engineering/Biotechnology or any other scientific field, in a recognised institute in India, who satisfiy the following requirement: The candidate should have passed Class XII from Delhi or NCR during the academic year. The candidate should have obtained a minimum of 85 per cent marks in PCB/PCM.
R D Sethna Local and Overseas Loan Scholarship
Students who have passed atleast the secondary school certificate or other equivalent examination and who have secured not less than 50 per cent of the total marks in the last examination given by them prior to making the applications are eligible to apply for the scholarship. The R D Sethna Scholarship Fund grants scholarships to students who are citizens of India. Any student regardless of community, caste or creed is eligible for the scholarship. Amount: Rs.10,000 or more
TOEFL Scholarship Programme by Educational Testing Service
To be eligible, the candidate should hold a grade point average of 80 or higher on a 100-point scales, or a 3.0 grade point average or higher on a 4-point scale; begin an undergraduate or graduate degree at a college or university. Should have a valid TOEFL test score used as a requirement for admission into an undergraduate or graduate programme. Should demonstrate effective leadership skills and an overall well-rounded portfolio with extracurricular activities, including community service. This scholarship grants up USD 3000 per year.
Manmohan Singh Undergraduate Scholarships
The applicants must be Indian citizens. They must be liable to pay university fees at the overseas rate and should not be able to fund their studies at Cambridge independently. In addition, they must meet the English language requirements of the university. The applicant should also meet the usual entrance requirements for admission to Cambridge. The scholarships are not available if the student is applying as an affiliated applicant. The scholarships will cover the cost of tuition fees and college fees together with a grant towards maintenance and travel costs for each year of the course.
B.D. Bangur Endowment Educational Scholarships for International Universities
Applicants should be graduates with a consistent academic record of distinction from an Indian university of recognised standing. Those in the final year of a degree course are also eligible. However, selection is subject to good performance in the final degree examination. In exceptional cases, loan scholarships may be given for undergraduate studies if the course, deemed otherwise appropriate to the Endowment's objective, is not available in India. Students should be able to communicate fluently in English.
GE Foundation Scholar-Leaders programme by GE Foundation
Only students enrolled in one of the partner universities within the specific field of study as indicated below are eligible to apply:
Mody Institute of Technology and Science, Lakshmangarh, Rajasthan. (Electronics and Communication Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering)
R.V.College of Engineering, Bangalore. (Computer Science and Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering)
SNDT’s Usha Mittal Institute of Technology, Mumbai
University of California-Santa Barbara Global Scholarship by the university
Eligibility will be calculated automatically as part of the admission process. Scholarship recipients receive USD 2,500 for each of their first two years at UCSB, and USD 5,000 for their third and fourth years.
Boston University Trustee Scholarship
To be eligible, students have to be ranked top of their class. Students should demonstrate exceptional records of service and activity in their schools. A trustee scholarship covers full undergraduate tuition plus the University orientation and mandatory undergraduate student fees and is renewable for four years if certain criteria are met.
The author is the CEO and Founder of Univariety, a post-school-university planning service.
