Study Abroad Scholarships for Indian Students (2025)

Studying abroad is a dream of many Indian students, with an alluring top-notch education, exposure to diverse cultures, and access to cutting-edge educational facilities.

It provides a global perspective to students, and therefore, students are attracted to education abroad. However, the cost of international education becomes a barrier to most of the students to pursue their dreams. 

Thankfully, several scholarships help students financially and open doors to academic excellence. Scholarships play a significant role in making dreams turn into reality, and thus, in this article, we will explore various scholarships for Indian students to study abroad.

List Of Scholarship For Indian Students To Study Abroad

This compilation aims to ease the financial burden, making education accessible to aspiring students. From merit-based scholarships to those catering to specific fields of study, this list covers opportunities, emphasising the importance of scholarships in bringing inclusivity, diversity, and academic success on the global stage.

University/Government	Scholarship Name	Eligibility Criteria	Award Amount
University of Oxford	Rhodes Scholarship	Undergraduate or Postgraduate student Academic ExcellenceLeadership qualities	Full Tuition Fees with Stipend
Cambridge University	Gates Cambridge Scholarship	Postgraduate StudentPhD students	Full Tuition Fees with Stipend
Japanese Government (Ministry of Education Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)	Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship	Undergraduate or Postgraduate studentPractical work experienceAge should be less than 40 yearsYoung Public Administrator	Tuition Fees and Living Expenses
Swiss Government	Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship	Masters degree or equivalent university degree. Student must be born after 31 December 1988A research proposal within a timeframe.	Fully funded scholarship programmes
New Zealand Government	New Zealand Excellence Awards	At least 18 years of ageCitizenship of IndiaMeet New Zealand’s Immigration requirements for student visa	Fully Funded
Dutch Government	NL Scholarship (Holland Scholarship)	Applicants must be non-EEA.Application for full-time Bachelors or Masters programmes	The scholarship amounts to € 5,000.
French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs	Eiffel Scholarship	Candidates must be 25 years of ageMasters degree	Monthly Allowance of €1,181Round trip international ticketInsurance and national transportation cost
Agency for Science, Technology and Research	Singapore International Graduate Award	Open for all international graduatesGood skills in English Good reports from academic referees	Tuition feesMonthly stipend of S$27,00One-time air fareOne-time settling allowance
Mexico Government	Mexico Government Scholarship programmes  for International Students	Must be an international studentMust not have received any scholarship in the previous yearMust have temporary student resident stay	Monthly stipend of $12,615 pesos for MastersMonthly stipend of $15,769 pesos for Doctorate studentsMedical insuranceInternational and national air transportation
Research Grants Council of Hong Kong	Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme	Candidates seeking admission in full-time PhD Outstanding academic performance Research abilityCommunication skills	Annual stipend of US$42,460Travel Allowance of US$1,760 per year for three years.

Here are details of the Scholarship programmes

Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the oldest scholarships, first awarded in 1902. It is an international programme that enables outstanding young students around the world to study at the University of Oxford. 

• There is no particular type mentioned for the selection of students; it believes in diversity, and therefore, many students are allowed to gain the benefits of scholarships for studying abroad. 
• The Rhodes Trust provides this scholarship, which chooses graduates with excellent academic achievements. 
• It covers total tuition fees, living expenses, and travel costs for students who study at the University of Oxford.

Gates Cambridge Scholarship

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a programme established in October 2000 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Since its inception, the trust has awarded scholarships to more than 100 countries to help students achieve their dreams of studying abroad. 

• It is one of the international scholarships for Indian students to study abroad. 
• The selection criteria are based on outstanding intellectual ability with the commitment of students to provide their knowledge to research and other academic programmes. 
• It is one of the significant scholarships for Indian students to study abroad as students can get fellowships for various courses with other benefits to study at Cambridge University.

Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Science and Technology promotes the MEXT scholarship for students who want to study in Japanese universities. It is recommended that students apply in the fields that majored in the university or the related field to avail the benefits of available scholarships to study abroad. 

• There is clarification about the scholarship that is available for students whose country has good diplomatic relations with Japan, and it also mentions the age criteria of students born after April 2, 1980. 
• The student must be a graduate and also willing to learn the Japanese language. This promotes cultural exchange among the students. 
• The monthly stipend varies based on the programmes, such as a monthly stipend of 143,000 yen for research students (non-regular students), 144,000 yen for regular students in Master’s courses or professional graduate courses, or 145,000 yen for regular students in doctoral courses. 
• There is an additional monthly stipend of 2,000 or 3,000 yen for those who are undertaking research in some specially designated regions. 

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship

Every year, the Swiss Confederation awards Government Excellence Scholarships to various students across 180 countries. The awarding body of the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students selects the students for the scholarship. 

• It aims to select students and researchers from abroad who have completed their Master’s or PhD. 
• There are research and arts scholarships available to the students. 
• The selection of students is done by national authorities or Swiss diplomatic representation. 
• It is one of the most demanded scholarships for Indian students to study abroad because it promotes education for around 180 countries, including India.

New Zealand Excellence Awards

Students searching for abroad scholarships for Indian students can find that the New Zealand Excellence Awards are one of the essential scholarships for students. It is a unique scholarship specifically designed for Indian students. 

• This comes under the joint initiative of Education New Zealand and eight other universities in New Zealand. 
• There is a high package of scholarships available for Indian students to study at world-class New Zealand universities and also experience the multicultural society. 
• The particular condition for the scholarship is that the student must be a citizen of India. Thus, it is a fantastic scholarship for Indian students to study abroad.

NL Scholarship (Holland Scholarship)

The NL scholarship was previously known as the Holland Scholarship, and it is available for students who live outside European Economic Areas. Students aspiring for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the Netherlands can apply for this scholarship and get a chance to experience world-class education. 

• The scholarship is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science in collaboration with Dutch research universities. 
• The scholarship amounts to around € 5,000 for the first year. 
• However, there is no full scholarship available for the students, but it offers an excellent opportunity to study in the Netherlands. 
• It is one of the aspiring scholarships for Indian students to study abroad as it offers a vast opportunity to experience the diverse cultures among students.

Eiffel Scholarship

The French Ministry provides the Eiffel Scholarship for Europe and Foreign Affairs to enable higher education institutes to attract international students. It provides scholarships to enrol in Master’s and PhD programmes and has become one of the essential scholarships for Indian students to study abroad. 

The scholarship amount varies for this programme based on the courses. However, it includes total tuition fees and a living allowance to study in the French institutes. It is to promote higher education in French institutes. 

Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)

SINGA is a collaborative step of the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, the Singapore University of Technology and Design, and the Singapore Management University. 

• It comes under one of the stem scholarships for international students. The scholarship programme provides higher education opportunities to Masters and PhD students. 
• The scholarship covers total tuition fees with a monthly stipend of S$2,700 with one-time airfare and one-time settling fees. 
• It becomes a fully funded scholarship for Indian students to study abroad. It also helps cover the living costs of the students and thus becomes one of the beneficial foreign scholarships for Indian students.

Mexico Government Scholarship Programmes For International Students

The Mexican government provides Mexican government scholarships to promote cultural exchange and international collaboration to foster a global perspective among the students. 

• The eligibility criteria of the students are simple for this scholarship as it includes the criteria of being an international student and having a temporary student resident stay. 
• The monthly stipend for the students includes 12,615 pesos for masters and 15,769 pesos for doctoral degrees. 
• This overseas scholarship for Indian students also includes medical insurance, international air transportation, and national transportation expenses during education.

Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme

Hong Kong’s PhD fellowship scholarship was founded by the Research Grants Council (RGC) in 2009. It aims to attract bright and deserving students in the world to pursue PhD studies at Hong Kong’s universities. Students who want to be admitted as full-time PhD students can get admission to the following eight universities.

The selection criteria are based on the consideration of academic excellence, communication and interpersonal skills, leadership abilities, and research abilities.

The scholarship welcomes students from all countries, irrespective of their country of origin. Thus, it is one of the significant scholarships for Indian students to study abroad as it provides ample opportunities for PhD students with significant financial help.

How To Get A Scholarship To Study Abroad?

Obtaining a scholarship to study abroad as an Indian student involves a strategic approach and thorough preparation. There are scholarships by the government, universities, and private organisations, such as scholarships offered by the TATA to study abroad. 

Thus, securing the scholarship by fulfilling all the eligibility criteria along with the required documents is essential. So, below are some of the crucial points that students must remember while pursuing a scholarship for Indian students to study abroad. 

• To begin with, students must research the scholarships that they want and the scholarships that can help them achieve their dream of foreign education. There are various scholarships for Indian students to study abroad, some of which are undergraduate study abroad scholarships, while some are for master’s or PhD programmes. So, research extensively about which scholarship will be suitable for you and act accordingly. 
• Deal with all the necessary eligibility criteria and understand the requirements of the scholarship. Students must check how to apply for study abroad with scholarships and understand the eligibility criteria like academic excellence, educational qualification, leadership skills, and many more. 
• Build a strong academic profile with a high GPA and excel in relevant standard tests for the scholarships. Academic achievements must be associated with extra-curricular activities so that you can prove your holistic personality as a student. 
• Students must curate well-crafted personal statements, letters of recommendation for scholarships, SOP for scholarships, and other required documents. 
• There are requirements for language proficiency tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, or GRE. So, students must pass these tests to qualify as an eligible student for scholarships. Once a student fulfils all the required criteria, they will be able to get full scholarships to study abroad. 
• Apply for government scholarships as there is a massive base for such scholarships, and it provides more opportunities for students. So, Indian students aspiring to be admitted to foreign universities must know about the scholarships by the national government and host government to pursue higher education. 
• Prepare essential documents such as academic transcripts, country origin documents and other such relevant documents. 
• Once the submission of every document is completed, students must be prepared for the interviews to ensure that there is no stone left unturned to achieve the scholarship and opportunity to study abroad.

What are the Benefits of Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad?

Scholarships offer a multitude of benefits to the Indian students. It mainly opens the world’s doors to explore new things, experience diverse cultures, and gain knowledge from class universities. Thus, some of the scholarship benefits for Indian students are as follows. 

• Financial support: Scholarships provide financial support to the students. It is one of the most obvious benefits for students as a scholarship covers tuition fees, living expenses, and other costs. 
• Access to High-Quality Education: Study abroad scholarships for Indian students open the opportunities to access high-quality education at top-class universities. 
• Global Exposure: Studying abroad exposes students to diverse cultures, perspectives, and different ways of thinking; thus, it opens up the doors for varied cultures. 
• Enhanced Career Opportunities: Once a student gets higher education at a foreign university, there are enhanced career opportunities for students, and it creates a competitive edge in the job market. 
• Research Opportunities: Private organisations provide various scholarships and study abroad scholarships by the Indian government that provide research opportunities in the universities. Students can explore various courses in which they can do their research and complete the doctorate. 

To conclude, it is essential to say that there are various scholarships available for Indian students to study abroad, and it also plays a pivotal role in achieving the dream of higher education; thus, students can grab the opportunity and move a step ahead for achieving their dreams. The diverse range of scholarships for Indian students to study abroad by private institutes in combination with government initiatives opens up the world for students.

FAQs

Can I get a 100% scholarship to study abroad?

Obtaining a 100% scholarship to study abroad is a challenging task. However, it is not impossible. Various Universities in the world provide 100% scholarships, like universities in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and other countries. There are scholarships such as the Chevening scholarship and Full-bright scholarship that provide 100% scholarships to students.

Which country provides fully funded scholarships for Indian students?

Various countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, and Australia provide fully funded scholarships for Indian students. The Canada scholarships, Full-bright, Chevening, and other such programmes help students achieve a fully funded scholarship.

Which country is most accessible to get a scholarship?

The most accessible country for getting a scholarship can depend on various factors such as your academic background, chosen field of study, and the specific scholarship available to you. However, if we talk about general scholarships, the UK and the US have become one of the easiest countries to get a scholarship.

How do Indian students get a scholarship to study abroad?

Securing a scholarship to study abroad as an Indian student requires complete knowledge about scholarship opportunities. You must be aware of varied options, their eligibility criteria, required documents, extra-curricular knowledge, and work experience. Once you fulfil all the requirements, apply for the scholarship and submit the form well in advance to get the scholarship.

How do Indian students get a full scholarship to study abroad?

It would help if you looked for fully funded scholarship opportunities from various sectors such as government, private organisations, and universities. Besides, you must be ready with excellent academic achievements and leadership skills to get a full scholarship. You must fulfil and emphasise all the required eligibility criteria to reduce the chance of rejection in the scholarship application.

How can an Indian student get a scholarship to study abroad?

An Indian student can get a scholarship to study abroad by fulfilling all the academic criteria for the scholarship. Once the student finds the relevant scholarship for any university abroad, then it will be their task to apply mindfully and get the scholarship.