National Overseas Scholarship for ST Students 2026: Financial Aid for Foreign Studies & Application Process

At a glance

About the scheme

Administered by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and executed via Indian Missions abroad, the National Overseas Scholarship for ST Students supports meritorious tribal scholars seeking post-graduate degrees and advanced research in top international universities. A total of 20 awards are sanctioned annually, including 17 for Scheduled Tribes and 3 for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), with 30% of total slots earmarked for women candidates. The scheme covers varied disciplines across STEM, management, humanities, law, agriculture, and medicine, taking care of tuition, living expenses, contingency allowances, and travel.

Benefits

• Full coverage of tuition fees and other mandatory non-refundable course fees.
• Annual maintenance allowance of USD 15,400 for the USA and other countries, or GBP 9,900 for the UK.
• Annual contingency and equipment allowance of USD 1,532 in the USA and other nations, or GBP 1,116 in the UK for study tours, thesis binding, and books.
• Economy-class airfare for travel to the foreign institution and return to India by the shortest route.
• Actual visa fees paid in Indian Rupees, along with poll tax where applicable.
• Actual medical insurance premium covered as deemed reasonable by the Indian Embassy or Mission.
• Incidental journey allowance up to USD 20 or equivalent, alongside second-class railway fare for local transit to and from port points.
• Maximum duration of support: 1 to 2 years for Master's, 4 years for Ph.D., and 2 years for Post-Doctoral research.

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Applicant must belong to a Scheduled Tribe (ST) or Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
• Applicant must have secured at least 55% marks or equivalent grade in the qualifying examination (Bachelor's for Master's, Master's for Ph.D., and Ph.D. for Post-Doctoral research).
• Total family income from all sources must not exceed ₹6,00,000 per annum (not applicable to orphans supported by guardians).
• Applicant must be pursuing or have an offer for a regular Master's, Ph.D., or Post-Doctoral course from a foreign institution.
• Age must not exceed 32 years for Master's, 35 years for Ph.D., and 38 years for Post-Doctoral research as of 1st July of the selection year.
• Only one child per family can avail this scholarship, and an individual can receive the award only once.

Who cannot apply

• Bachelor-level undergraduate courses in any discipline are strictly not covered.
• Second child or additional siblings from the same family cannot avail the scholarship.
• Applicants with annual family income exceeding ₹6,00,000 are not eligible.
• Students returning to India without completing the course (unless excused on medical grounds verified by a nominated doctor) face cancellation and total recovery of funds.
• Any admission secured through false records or student involvement in illegal, antinational, misconduct, or narcotic offences will result in award cancellation and recovery.

Documents required

• Recent profile photo in JPG/JPEG format (50 KB to 100 KB)
• Date of Birth certificate or 10th Class marksheet/certificate (PDF)
• Family Income Certificate issued by a competent State Government authority (PDF)
• ST Certificate or PVTG Certificate if applicable (PDF)
• Graduation Marksheet and CGPA-to-percentage conversion formula (PDF, for Master's applicants)
• Master's Degree Marksheet and CGPA-to-percentage conversion formula (PDF, for Ph.D. applicants)
• Ph.D. Degree Marksheet and CGPA-to-percentage conversion formula (PDF, for Post-Doctoral applicants)
• Copy of latest tax assessment (ITR or Form-16) if employed (PDF)
• Admission or preliminary offer letter from a foreign university (PDF)

How to apply

1. 1Register and upload all mandatory academic and identity documents into your account on the DigiLocker portal (digilocker.gov.in).
2. 2Visit the official National Overseas Portal (overseas.tribal.gov.in) and click on the student registration link.
3. 3Fill in basic registration details including name, mobile number, email address, state, and district to generate login credentials via OTP verification.
4. 4Log in to the portal with your credentials and fill out personal, educational, and overseas course particulars.
5. 5Authenticate with DigiLocker by clicking allow to retrieve and link your stored certificates into the application form.
6. 6Carefully review the declaration and submit the completed application, as details cannot be updated after final submission.

Frequently asked questions