Scholarships for Indian students: what they cover and when to apply

The big awards at a glance

Chevening (UK)

Chevening is the UK government’s global scholarship, funded through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), for a one-year Master’s. It is fully funded. The monthly stipend depends on whether you study in London.

• Experience: at least two years of work (2,800 hours), gained after your undergraduate degree.
• Return: you commit to going back to India for at least two years after the award.
• Courses: apply to three eligible UK courses, and hold an unconditional offer by the deadline in Chevening’s timeline (8 July 2027 for this round).
• Age: there’s no upper age limit.

The 2027/28 round ran from 4 August to 6 October 2026, with results due in mid-June 2027. The British High Commission says some India awards are co-funded with state governments (Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland and Karnataka) and with support from TVS Motors. If you missed this round, use the year to build experience and pick your three courses early.

Commonwealth Scholarships (UK)

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) runs two awards that Indian students can apply for.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

You can’t apply to the CSC directly. In India, candidates are nominated by the Ministry of Education, which runs its own selection and sets its own deadline. For 2027/28, the CSC’s deadline was 20 October 2026. Watch the Ministry’s scholarships page for the next round. You need at least an upper second-class (2:1) degree or equivalent, and you must be unable to afford UK study without the scholarship.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

These are run jointly with UK universities, for set Master’s courses. You apply through the CSC’s online system between 10 November and 16:00 GMT on 8 December 2026, and separately apply for admission to an eligible course. Key rules:

• At least a 2:1 degree by September 2027, or a 2:2 plus a relevant postgraduate qualification
• You must not have studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high-income country
• You must be unable to afford UK study without the award, and agree to return home afterwards

Both awards cover tuition, return airfare and a stipend of £1,712 a month, or £2,000 at universities in the London area. The CSC lists other allowances too, such as a study travel grant.

GREAT Scholarships (UK)

GREAT Scholarships are run by the UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign and the British Council, with UK universities. They give £10,000 towards tuition fees for one-year taught postgraduate courses. You need an Indian passport, an undergraduate degree, and to meet the university’s English requirement.

For 2026–27, 13 institutions offered GREAT awards to Indian students, including the Universities of Bristol, Kent, Reading, Surrey and Dundee, and Queen’s University Belfast. The 2027–28 India list hadn’t been published on the British Council’s page as of late October 2026. Deadlines vary by university, so check each one’s scholarship page.

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships (US)

Run by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF), the fellowship funds a Master’s of up to two years in set fields. These include economics, environmental science, higher education administration, international legal studies, journalism and mass communication, public health, sustainable development, and urban and regional planning. It covers tuition and fees, living and related costs, round-trip economy airfare, accident and sickness coverage, and J-1 visa support. USIEF notes it may not cover every cost and doesn’t support dependants.

Applicants need a bachelor’s degree with at least 55% and at least three years of full-time paid work experience. Government of India and state government employees aren’t eligible. The most recent Master’s round on USIEF’s site was for 2026–27, with a deadline of 14 May 2025. As of late October 2026, there’s no 2027–28 Master’s page, though the 2027–28 doctoral fellowships did run. Check usief.org.in before planning around it.

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship (Canada)

This University of Toronto scholarship is for outstanding international students starting an undergraduate degree, with about 37 scholars a year. It covers tuition, books, incidental fees and full residence support for four years. Your school must nominate you, and each school can nominate one student. For September 2027 entry, school nominations closed on 9 October and university applications on 16 October 2026. The scholarship application and documents are due on 6 November 2026.

Indian trusts and loan scholarships

University and other prestigious awards

• Rhodes Scholarships (India): five a year for postgraduate study at Oxford. They cover university fees, an annual stipend (£20,400 at the 2025–26 rate), visa and health surcharge costs, and two economy flights. The latest round ran from 1 June to 23 July 2026.
• Gates Cambridge: for postgraduate study at Cambridge. It covers fees, maintenance (£23,152 for 12 months at the 2026–27 rate), airfare, and the visa and health surcharge. Deadlines for 2027 entry are 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on the course.
• University merit awards: many universities in all three countries offer partial scholarships or fee reductions. Some consider you automatically when you apply, and others need a separate application by an earlier date. Check the funding page of every university on your list.

Funding also shapes where you can afford to go. Compare costs on Compare destinations, read what a UK Master’s really costs, and see how families combine awards with education loans. A strong statement of purpose helps with scholarships as much as admissions.