Here is a list of scholarships available for Ph.D.-level students in India. Find out the one that suits you the best
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Scholarships
This scholarship is meant to support the PhD study of postgraduate students in India. The students are required to hold a first-class postgraduate degree with at least 60 per cent marks in both graduation and postgraduation. They are also expected to be enrolled in a PhD degree at a recognised Indian university/ institution. The age of the students should not be more than 35 years.
Provider: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund
Eligibility: PhD students below 35 years of age
Rewards: Maintenance allowance of Rs 18,000 per month and contingency allowance of Rs 15,000 per annum
Physical Research Laboratory Junior Research Fellowship
This fellowship is available for students applying for a PhD degree at Physical Research Laboratory in fields like astronomy, astrophysics, space & atmospheric sciences, solar physics, optical physics, atomic & molecular physics, theoretical physics, astrochemistry, planetary sciences and geosciences.
The students are required to have passed their bachelor’s and master’s degree in Science and Engineering with at least 60 per cent marks or equivalent.
They should also have competed for CSIR-UGC, NET-JRF, GATE, or Joint Entrance Screening Test.
Provider: Physical Research Laboratory, Government of India
Eligibility: PhD applicants below 28 years of age
Rewards: Up to Rs 35,000 per month
Application timeline: Between April and May (tentative)
Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
This fellowship is especially designed for Indian scholars who have registered for a PhD program at a recognised Indian institution.
Tenable for six to nine months, this fellowship supports the study of students who have done adequate research in the relevant field, especially in the identification of resources in India and the US.
Provider: United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF)
Eligibility: PhD applicants
Rewards: Monthly stipend, visa support, round-trip air travel, and other benefits
Application timeline: Between March and June (tentative)
UGC-NET Junior Research Fellowship
Conducted twice a year, UGC-NET is the national level eligibility test for students to pursue PhD programs at recognised Indian institutions. The students qualifying the exam stand a chance to get a fellowship for their research in the fields related to Science, Humanities, and Social Science.
The students are required to have passed their master’s degree with at least 55 per cent marks. Also, their age should be less than 30 years as on the date of application.
Provider: University Grants Commission (UGC)
Eligibility: Master’s degree holders in Humanities, Science and Social Science
Rewards: Rs 14,000 per month, contingency grant of up to Rs 25,000 per annum and other benefits
Application timeline: Between March and April (for June entry) and between September and October (for December entry)
Prime Minister Fellowship for Doctoral Research
The Ministry of Human Resource Development under the supervision of the Central Government of India has launched a scholarship scheme to provide financial support to the meritorious students going for a PhD. Offered to the candidates via IISc and IIT corridors, it is one of the prestigious PhD scholarships in India. Under the scheme, the scholar gets a monthly stipend of ₹70,000 for first-year which is increased to ₹80,000 per month during 4th and 5th year of the program. The scholarship is offered every year and scholars from all universities in India can apply for the scheme through the official website.
Google PhD Fellowship India Program
This initiative of Google supports students having an undergraduate/master’s degree to pursue PhD programs from recognised Indian universities. The fellowship allows the students to connect with their Google Research Mentor and pursue their PhD degree.
This fellowship is particularly meant for studies in computer science and related areas. The students also stand a chance to do an internship at Google after clearing the interview process under this fellowship.
Provider: Google
Eligibility: Students enrolled in PhD degree at an Indian university
Rewards: USD 50,000 for 4 years
Application timeline: Between March and April (tentative)
ICHR Junior Research Fellowships (JRF)
ICHR Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) are for PhD aspirants of Historical Studies and are offered by the Indian Council of Historical Research. It offers monthly stipend up to 17,600 INR as well as monthly contingency expenses of 16,500 p.a. for 2 years. The only eligibility requirement for this scholarship is that the applicant must be enrolled in a PhD in Historical Studies at a recognized higher education institution in India.
ICSSR Doctoral Research Fellowship
The Council of Social Science Research of MHRD, Government of India offers doctoral fellowships in Social Sciences to PhD scholars who are registered in a UGC recognized Indian university. A great opportunity for scholars looking for PhD scholarships in India, it is strictly applicable for two years and the value of the fellowship is ₹20,000 per month. Offered in around 25 subjects of Social Sciences that include Political Science, Social Work, Gender Studies, Public Administration, etc, to be eligible for the fellowship, a candidate must have confirmed PhD registration at a recognized university. The application process for the 2019-20 session has already been closed but you should be prepared for the 2021-22 session to avail the benefits.
Maulana Azad National Fellowship
The fellowship is provided by the Ministry of Minority Affairs of the Government of India. The objective of the fellowship is to provide students from minority communities with financial assistance to pursue higher education such as MPhil and PhD. The Maulana Azad National fellowship can be availed by taking admission in any of the recognized universities in the country. One of the lesser-known PhD scholarships in India, it is awarded to those candidates whose family income is not more than 6 Lakh. Under the scheme, the scholar gets ₹28,000 per month for 5 years. Candidates can apply for the fellowship on the official website of UGC.
NCERT Doctoral Fellowship for PhD
The fellowship is intended to enable young scholars to excel in research in their subject of interest. The candidates who show exceptional aptitude for research are shortlisted for the fellowship. It can be availed by taking admission in a recognized university in India. The NET qualified NCERT Doctoral Fellows will receive ₹25,000 per month for a maximum period of three years from the date of registration into a PhD program. For the candidates who have not qualified for the NET exam, the amount is ₹23,000 per month.
CSIR-UGC JRF NET Fellowship
This is a fully-funded PhD scholarship offered by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) for the field of Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Science, Chemical Sciences, amongst others.
DBT-JRF Fellowship
Another prominent scholarship for those planning to pursue their PhD in India, the DBT-JRF Fellowship is offered by the Government of India for Biotechnology scholars. Students need to clear the Biotechnology Eligibility Test (BET) to get selected for this scholarship. The registration window for the BET exam opens around February every year and the exam is conducted around April. It is one of the sought-after PhD scholarships in India amongst Biotechnology students and offers a fellowship amount of ₹25,000 + HRA to JRF students and ₹28,000 + HRA to SRF students.
FITM – AYUSH Research Fellowships Scheme
It was launched to promote higher education in the aforementioned areas. The scheme is awarded to two categories Doctoral Fellowship and postdoctoral fellowships of age 28 – 35. Scheme duration for the doctoral fellowships is two years and for postdoctoral fellowship is for one year. The requirements for the FITM – AYUSH Research Fellowships Scheme is as follows:
- Full time scholar in any UGC recognized institution
- Educational backgrounds in any of AYUSH disciplines
- Additional qualification in IT will be preferred more.
SAARC Agricultural PhD Scholarships
This scholarship is ideal for students aspiring to pursue a PhD in Animal Nutrition or Fish Nutrition and feed technology. The scholarship is for 3 years and for full-time education only. The scholarship will cover the economic fare, tuition fees, living allowance, expense of books, study materials, thesis preparation, etc. The requirements for the SAARC Agricultural PhD Scholarship is as follows:
- Applicant should be a citizen of Bhutan/ India/ Maldives/ Pakistan/ Sri Lanka
- Employed at National Agricultural Research System/ Ministry/ Department.
- Below the age of 40 years.
- Pursuing a full-time PhD of three years
Swami Vivekananda Single Child Scholarship for Research in Social Science
The scholarship was launched to encourage the education of single girl child and to provide financial aid. The scholarship is available to single girl child pursuing a PhD in Social Sciences. The twin sisters are also eligible for the scholarship. The requirements for Swami Vivekananda Single Child Scholarship for Research in Social Science is as follows:
- Single girl child pursuing PhD in social sciences
- Full-time PhD from UGC-approved institutions.
- The age should be below 40 years and the reserved category should be below 45 years.
- Transgender applicants are also eligible.
ESSO-NCESS Junior Research Fellowship
Students aspiring to pursue a PhD in areas of earth system sciences are eligible for this fellowship. Earth system science includes courses in:
- Igneous Petrology
- Metamorphic Petrology
- Sedimentology
- Paleomagnetism
- Fluid inclusions
- Geomorphology
- Quaternary Geology
- Paleoclimate
- Geochemistry
- Tectonic Geomorphology
- Isotope Geology
- Hydrogeology
- Coastal Processes
- Oceanography
- Remote sensing
- Natural Hazards and Cloud microphysics
The requirements for ESSO-NCESS Junior Research Fellowship is as follows:
- M.Sc./M.Tech. Degree in Earth System Sciences or related field
- CSIR-UGC NET qualification for JRF
- Age should not be more than 28 years
- Full time PhD in earth science for 3 years
Application Process of PhD Scholarships in India
There are various scholarships available for students interested in pursuing PhD from India and abroad. Now, you must be wondering how can I apply for these scholarships? Here is a stepwise application process:
- Visit the official Website. Most of the scholarships have their own website or you can apply at the UGC scholarship website.
- Click on the scholarship scheme you want to apply for.
- Check the eligibility criteria before applying. Every scholarship scheme has different eligibility criteria, it is advisable to check the eligibility before applying.
- Submit the application form with the required documents.
- Submit the thesis or research proposal.
- Some scholarship schemes will call applicants for personal interview rounds as well by the selection committee.
- Applicants selected for the grant will be contacted or they can track their progress through their application portal as well.
Cancellation of PhD Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded to students with excellent academic background with the talent and potential to perform better. Sometimes the scholarships grant that has been provided or approved can be cancelled by the official authority in some cases. If an applicant is unable to perform well or in case fails in a subject of MPhil or PhD the award can be cancelled. Another case is if an applicant is found ineligible later. If an applicant is found ineligible in any scenario his/her scholarship will be cancelled. Lastly, scholarships are not just awarded based on academic scores, it is important that applicants hold good character and ideal behaviour. In any case, applicants are found misconducting in the organization, his/her scholarship might be cancelled.
FAQs
There is a wide range of PhD Scholarships in India that you can choose from. The most popular PhD scholarships include, the Fullbright-Nehru Research Doctoral Fellowships, Prime Minister Fellowships for Doctoral Research, CSIR-UGC JRF NET Fellowship, NCERT Doctoral Fellowship for PhD, Maulana Azad National Fellowship, etc.
There are various ways to find a scholarship for your PhD program. You can either search for scholarship and research grants offered in your chosen field of study or fellowships and scholarships offered by the government, public organisations as well as academic institutions in the country where you want to study PhD.
Several PhD scholarships are offered by the Indian government, academic institutions as well as public organisations. Some of the major PhD fellowships and scholarships are PhD Scholarships For Electrical Engineering At IIT Delhi; CSIR- UGC JRF NET Fellowship; DBT-JRF Fellowship; Fullbright-Nehru Research Doctoral Fellowships; Prime Minister Fellowships for Doctoral Research, etc.
The general scholarship amount for most scholarships in India for PhD students can range anywhere between INR 10,000 to INR 25,000. The amount of scholarship depends on the course you are pursuing.
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