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National Overseas Scholarship 2026: To assist such students, the Central Government runs the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme.

National Overseas Scholarship 2026: High tuition fees at foreign universities, living and food expenses, and substantial travel costs often become the biggest hurdles for the lakhs of Indian students who dream of studying abroad. To help these students, the Central Government operates the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme. The application process for the 2026-27 academic session began on April 24, 2026, with the deadline set for June 2, 2026. Under this scheme, eligible students receive financial assistance to pursue Master's and PhD programs abroad, ensuring that a lack of funds does not interrupt their education.

What is the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme?

The National Overseas Scholarship is a special scheme by the Central Government. Its objective is to provide financial aid to economically disadvantaged students so they can pursue higher education at recognized foreign universities. This scheme is specifically designed for students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Denotified Tribes (DNT), landless agricultural laborer families, and traditional artisan families. The aim is to provide students from these sections with the opportunity to study abroad, enabling them to access quality education and advance their careers.

The government will cover the entire cost of education.

Under this scholarship, the government bears almost all essential expenses related to the students' education. This includes university tuition fees, an annual maintenance allowance for living and food, medical insurance, visa fees, and the cost of economy-class air travel. Additionally, students receive assistance for other necessary academic expenses. This ensures that students and their families do not face a financial burden, allowing them to focus entirely on their studies.

Who can apply?

Certain eligibility criteria have been established to avail the benefits of the scheme. For applicants belonging to the SC, DNT, landless agricultural laborer, and traditional artisan categories, the family's annual income must be less than ₹8 lakh. For students belonging to the ST category, this limit is set at ₹6 lakh per annum. Additionally, the applicant must be under 35 years of age. Candidates are required to possess an unconditional offer of admission for a Master’s or PhD program from a recognized foreign university. Generally, preference is given to students securing admission in the world's top 500 universities.

How many seats are available?

A total of 125 seats are made available annually under this scheme. Of these, 115 seats are allocated for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, 6 seats for the DNT category, and 4 seats for landless agricultural laborers and traditional artisans. Furthermore, 30 percent of the total seats are reserved for female candidates.

What does the scholarship cover?

Students receive various forms of financial assistance under the National Overseas Scholarship. This includes full tuition fees, an annual maintenance allowance of approximately 15,400 US dollars, visa fees, health insurance, round-trip airfare, and other essential academic expenses. This assistance is provided for a maximum duration of three years for Master’s courses and four years for PhD programs, or until the completion of the course, whichever is earlier.

Where to apply?

Students belonging to the SC, DNT, and landless agricultural laborer categories can apply through the National Overseas Scholarship portal of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE). Meanwhile, students from the ST category must apply via the National Overseas Scholarship portal of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. At the time of application, students are required to upload their Aadhaar card, category certificate, income certificate, academic certificates and mark sheets, and the unconditional offer of admission from the foreign university. PhD candidates will also be required to submit a research proposal. Applications will be accepted solely through the National Overseas Scholarship portal. According to the Ministry, incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.