Pursuing higher education at prestigious universities is a lifelong dream for many Indian students. However, fulfilling this long-cherished dream is no cheap process. Financial constraints prevent many such brilliant minds from pursuing their goal of studying abroad. This is why we have compiled a list of study abroad scholarships for Indian students. 

This blog gives you a list of some specific study abroad scholarships for Indian students. Each one of these study abroad scholarships for Indian students is listed and explained well in this article.

Top Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad 2025

Study abroad scholarships for Indian students enable candidates to study some of the most prestigious courses in well-reputed universities abroad. 

Many of the founding organizations have introduced an array of study abroad scholarships for Indian students, which are tailor-made to suit certain specific financial needs. Most of these study-abroad scholarships for Indian students are granted to students specializing in different areas of study. There are MBA scholarships for Indian students, Master's scholarships for Indian students, Bachelor's scholarships, etc.

Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships

The Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships are considered to be one of the most prestigious studies abroad scholarships for Indian students. They are granted to highly meritorious Indian students who wish to study at top-rated American, European & UK institutions for Master's, M.Phil, or Doctorate programs.

Eligibility criteria:

  1. The foundation does not give scholarships for the fields of Engineering, Computer Science, Business Studies, Medicine, Public Health, Fashion Design, Music, Film & Animation.

  2. The scholarship is open to all Indian students who have been residing in India for 6 months.

  3. Candidates who have earned a first-class degree from a recognized university are eligible.

  4. Candidates up to the age of 30 are welcome to apply.

  5. Applicants must be high achievers, academically and otherwise.

  6. Scholarships are not awarded to candidates whose course requires them to take field trips to India.

Benefits:

  1. The scholarship covers full tuition fees, adequate living expenses, and one-way travel expenses from the candidate’s hometown to the country of study.

  2. The maximum funding offered by the foundation for scholars is USD 100,000. If the candidate’s funding requires a higher amount, they may have to produce proof that they can afford to fund themselves for the same.

The Education Future International Scholarships to Study Abroad 2025

The Education Future International Scholarships are granted to meritorious candidates holding Indian citizenship, who have shown exemplary abilities in excelling their academics as well as other aspects of the extra-curricular activities, and those who wish to pursue their Bachelor’s, Master's Degree, as well as MBA courses in prestigious universities abroad. This study abroad scholarship for Indian students applies to all universities worldwide.

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. The applicant must be an Indian citizen possessing a valid Indian passport.

  2. The applicant should have scored a minimum of 60% of the marks in their previous educational qualification.

  3. All applicants are required to provide sufficient proof showing their financial inability to fund their respective courses abroad. Applicants who have chosen to fund about 50% of their total expenses with the help of education loans will be given due consideration for the scholarship.

  4. The applicant should have been accepted into any prestigious educational institution outside India for undergraduate or postgraduate degree courses. 

  5. This scholarship is open to all areas of study.

  6. Deserving candidates will be granted scholarships ranging between Rs. 2 Lakhs to Rs. 10 Lakhs under the Education Future International Scholarship Foundation. The amount may vary depending on the eligible candidate’s financial requirements for their higher studies abroad.

Benefits of Education Future International Scholarships:

  • The Education Future International scholarship amount may be utilised by the awardees to support any kind of expenses during their course duration.

  • The number of Education Future scholarships made available each year depends on the number of applications received by the foundation.

Education Future Scholarship Application Deadlines & Dates:

  1. Education Future Scholarship applications have been open since 1st September 2025.

  2. Application deadline: Rolling deadlines

  3. Final results will be announced in the 1st week of September 2026.

Interested applicants may apply for Education Future scholarships online. Candidates are not expected to send physical application forms or documents offline. The entire process is online only.

The Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships To Study in Prestigious Universities in The USA

The Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship is one of the most prestigious study abroad scholarships for Indian students who wish to pursue their higher studies in the USA. They are granted to highly motivated individuals who demonstrate leadership qualities, have completed the equivalent of a US degree, and have three years of work experience in the field that they wish to study. 

The Fulbright-Nehru fellowships are granted to three different categories of Indian scholars. These categories are listed below.

  • The Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships: Grants are awarded to those who wish to pursue their Master's in the USA. Eligible candidates can benefit from this grant for two years of their course.

  • The Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships: Awarded to eligible PhD scholars who wish to continue their research in the USA. The grant is awarded to students who have registered for a PhD at Indian institutions. The tenure of this grant is six to nine months.

  • The Fulbright-Nehru Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships: These fellowships are designed for Indian faculty and researchers who are in the early stages of their research.

  • The Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowships: Awarded to Indian faculty, researchers, and professionals who wish to teach, conduct research, or carry out a combination of teaching and conducting research in prestigious institutions in the USA.

Among the three different grants mentioned above, the eligibility criteria and grant benefits of the Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships will be explained here.

Eligibility criteria for the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellowships to study in the USA:

  1. Applicants must have completed the US equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university in India with a minimum of 55% marks. Students must have completed a four-year Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree if the Bachelor’s degree was of less than four years.

  2. Candidates must have a minimum of three years’ full-time professional work experience in the field that they plan to specialize in.

  3. Candidates must not have another degree from a U.S university or should not be enrolled in an ongoing academic programme in one.

Grant Benefits:

  1. J-1 visa support.

  2. Round-trip economy class air ticket from home city to the host institution in the USA.

  3. Funding for tuition fees, living, and other related costs.

  4. Accident and sickness coverage per the U.S government guidelines 

  5. No financial support for dependents.

UNSW Future Of Change Scholarship - UNSW, Australia

The University of New South Wales, which is one of the most sought-after universities in Australia, offers partial funding to eligible Indian students through the UNSW Future of Change scholarship. The winners of this scholarship are granted a sum of $5000 per annum for the entire duration of their course at both the undergraduate as well as postgraduate levels.

Eligibility Criteria: 

  1. Candidates should be Indian Citizens who are currently residing in India and have secured admission into the UNSW at the undergraduate or postgraduate level courses.

  2. They should meet the academic eligibility criteria set by the UNSW to be considered for the scholarship.

Benefits: 

A sum of $5000 per annum will be granted to the selected candidates for the duration of their courses at the UNSW.

Cornell University Tata Study Abroad Scholarships For Indian Students

This scholarship is a joint effort of the Tata Sons Group of India and Cornell University to facilitate the undergraduate degree courses of Indian students who have been accepted into the university for the same. It is one of the most prestigious scholarships for Indian students to study abroad in the USA. The Tata Scholarships are awarded to 20 scholars in a year. The funding offered by this scholarship is made available to them for the duration of the entire course.

The eligibility criteria and benefits of this scholarship for Indian students to study in the USA are mentioned in the paragraphs below.

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. Applicants should be Indian nationals who have secured admission into any of the undergraduate courses offered at Cornell University.

  2. Applicants should be eligible for need-based financial aid.

  3. Preference will be given to students who have been accepted into the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning; the College of Engineering; the Applied Economics and Management major in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business; and majors across colleges in the biological sciences, physical sciences, and other “hard” sciences, as well as the social sciences.

  4. Except for the five-year program in architecture, which requires ten semesters of full-time enrollment, the foundation will provide up to eight semesters of funding. Funding for additional semesters due to double majors or dual degrees is not available.

Students who have been accepted for any of the undergraduate courses at Cornell University and those who have applied for financial aid will be considered for this scholarship.

Step-by-Step Application Process for Scholarships

Students who want to succeed in scholarship applications need to plan their efforts.

  • Students who start their search early will find more relevant scholarship opportunities.

  • Students need to verify both application deadlines and the duration of scholarship eligibility.

  • Students must gather their academic records and create a Statement of Purpose, and obtain Letters of Recommendation.

  • Students need to take required exams such as IELTS and GRE, and GMAT, according to the specific requirements of each scholarship program.

  • Students need to submit their applications through the official websites of the scholarships.

  • Students who receive interview invitations need to participate in the selection process.

It is essential to shortlist the scholarships that cater to your choice of subject in prestigious universities abroad. This is why WeMakeScholars was started as a community on Facebook that posts study abroad scholarships for Indian students, from across various universities and colleges abroad. 

With the help and support of the Digital India Campaign initiative of the Government of India, the enterprise has developed a dedicated website for scholarships. On their website, candidates will be able to browse for the right scholarships by country, subject, course, and funding. 

So if you are still clueless on how to go about your scholarship application procedure, head over to www.wemakescholars.com to know what suits your profile. 

Conclusion

Indian students aspiring to study abroad now have access to premium educational programs and global learning opportunities. However, the high cost of overseas education can pose financial challenges for many. Fortunately, various scholarships for Indian students in 2025 are available to assist with tuition fees, living expenses, and transportation costs. Students who plan and submit their applications on time, while meeting all eligibility criteria, will have the opportunity to secure funding for their international education at top universities.