ATESTAS Afghan Scholarship 2026: 100% Fee Waiver for Online Degrees & Application Process

At a glance

About the scheme

Launched by the Ministry of External Affairs under the e-VidyaBharati Network Project, the Awarding Teleeducation Scholarships To Afghan Students (ATESTAS) initiative offers Afghan citizens globally the chance to obtain accredited higher education qualifications from India. Students can enrol in recognized online undergraduate programmes of three years or postgraduate programmes of two years in subjects including Arts, Commerce, Computer Applications, and Business Administration. Entire academic and examination expenses are covered, and degree certificates are delivered digitally as well as physically through the Indian Mission in Kabul.

Benefits

• 100% coverage of degree programme tuition fees.
• Full waiver of initial admission and registration charges.
• All examination and re-examination fees paid by the government.
• Coverage of electronic content charges and degree award costs.
• Degree issued online with physical copies sent to the Indian Mission in Kabul for collection.
• Up to 1,000 scholarships available annually for online UG and PG programmes.

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Must be a citizen of Afghanistan living in Afghanistan or abroad.
• Must possess a valid Afghan National ID (Tazkira) or Afghan Passport.
• Must be aged between 18 and 35 years as on 1 July of the academic year.
• Must satisfy the minimum entry requirements set by the chosen Indian university for the course.
• Must possess sufficient English proficiency as all online instruction is in English.
• Must apply for only one programme under the e-VidyaBharati project.

Who cannot apply

• Applicants holding an invalid or expired national identity card or passport.
• Applicants currently enrolled in any ongoing course under the e-VidyaBharati project.
• Applicants applying for more than one programme simultaneously under the project.

Documents required

• Valid Afghan National ID or Afghan Passport with photograph and date of birth (valid until the last date of enrolment).
• Academic transcripts, mark sheets, and passing certificates required by the Indian university.
• Certified English translations for any documents issued in local languages.
• Scanned documents in JPEG, JPG, or PNG format between 50 KB and 250 KB in size.

How to apply

1. 1Visit the official iLearn portal at ilearn.gov.in and click on Login/Register.
2. 2Click on Sign Up Now, enter your email address, verify the code, and set your login credentials.
3. 3Enter your personal details, current country of residence, and complete your learner registration.
4. 4Explore available courses under Explore Programmes and choose your preferred degree and university.
5. 5Follow the redirection link to the respective Indian university portal and register as a new user.
6. 6Fill out the university enrolment application form, upload all required documents, and submit your application.

Frequently asked questions