Thursday, July 23, 2026

Government Scholarships & Funding Schemes for Overseas Higher Education (India & Tamil Nadu)

If you are planning to pursue Bachelor's, Master's, MBA, PhD, Postdoctoral Research, Medical Residency, or Research Fellowships abroad, there are several government-funded scholarships available. Below is a comprehensive list of major schemes.


Government of India Scholarships



Scheme

Eligible For

Benefits

National Overseas Scholarship (NOS)

SC, Denotified Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers, Traditional Artisans

Tuition fees, living allowance, airfare, visa, insurance for Master's & PhD abroad. (Social Justice)

Ministry of Tribal Affairs National Overseas Scholarship

Scheduled Tribe (ST) students

Financial assistance for Master's, PhD and Postdoctoral studies abroad.

National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

Various Central Scholarships

Gateway for multiple Central Government scholarship schemes.

Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships

Master's, Doctoral, Postdoctoral, Research

Tuition, airfare, living expenses, insurance (India–USA).

Commonwealth Scholarships

Master's & PhD

Fully funded scholarships for Commonwealth countries.

Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships

Master's, MPhil, PhD

Tuition, travel and living expenses.

JN Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship

Postgraduate & PhD

Loan scholarship with partial travel grant.

Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarship

Postgraduate

Interest-free loan scholarship.

Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship

Oxford University

Fully funded research fellowship.

DAAD Scholarships

Germany

Master's, PhD and research funding.

Chevening Scholarships

United Kingdom

Fully funded one-year Master's programmes.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

Europe

Full tuition, stipend, travel and insurance.

MEXT Scholarships

Japan

Undergraduate, Master's, PhD, Research.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Switzerland

PhD, Postdoctoral and Research.

Australia Awards Scholarships

Australia

Tuition, travel, living allowance.

New Zealand Scholarships

New Zealand

Fully funded postgraduate education.



Research Fellowships (Government of India)

These support doctoral, postdoctoral or collaborative research.

Department of Science & Technology (DST)

  • INSPIRE Fellowship

  • INSPIRE Faculty Award

  • National Postdoctoral Fellowship

Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)

  • National Postdoctoral Fellowship

  • Core Research Grant

  • International Travel Support

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

  • Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)

  • Senior Research Fellowship (SRF)

  • Research Associateship (RA)

University Grants Commission (UGC)

  • NET JRF

  • Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Postdoctoral Fellowship

  • Research Fellowships for SC/ST/OBC/EWS candidates

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

  • JRF

  • SRF

  • Postdoctoral Fellowships

Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)

  • Doctoral Fellowship

  • Senior Fellowship

  • International Collaborative Research

Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)

  • Doctoral Fellowship

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship

ANRF (Anusandhan National Research Foundation)

  • Research grants and collaborative international research programmes.


Ministry-specific Overseas Scholarships

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

  • National Overseas Scholarship (NOS)

  • Overseas education support for eligible marginalized communities. (Social Justice)

Ministry of Tribal Affairs

  • National Overseas Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe students.

Ministry of Minority Affairs

  • Educational support schemes and overseas opportunities announced from time to time.

Ministry of Education

  • Bilateral exchange scholarships

  • Cultural exchange programmes

  • International academic partnerships


Tamil Nadu Government Schemes

1. Annal Ambedkar Higher Education Assistance Scheme

For: SC/ST students

Supports:

  • Master's

  • MS

  • MBA

  • Engineering

  • Medicine

  • Law

  • Research programmes abroad

Benefits include financial assistance for tuition and related expenses. Tamil Nadu has significantly expanded funding for this scheme in recent years. (The Times of India)


2. TAHDCO Overseas Education Support

The Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) provides support such as:

  • Overseas education guidance

  • Coaching for IELTS/GRE/TOEFL and related exams

  • Assistance with scholarship applications

  • Financial support for eligible students

(The Times of India)


3. Chief Minister's Research Fellowship (CMRF)

For:

  • Full-time PhD scholars

  • Research in Tamil Nadu universities and colleges

Provides a monthly fellowship and research support for selected scholars. (TNDCE)


4. Tamil Nadu State Scholarship Portal

Offers various scholarships for:

  • BC

  • MBC

  • DNC

  • SC

  • ST

  • Minority communities

Some students may use these alongside other educational funding, subject to scheme rules. (TNDCE)


5. Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils

Provides educational assistance for eligible children from low-income Tamil families affected while working abroad. (Rehab for Non Resident Tamils)


International Government Scholarships

Many foreign governments also sponsor international students.

United Kingdom

  • Chevening Scholarship

  • Commonwealth Scholarship

  • GREAT Scholarship

United States

  • Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship

  • Humphrey Fellowship

Canada

  • Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

  • Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship

  • Ontario Graduate Scholarship

Australia

  • Australia Awards

  • Destination Australia

  • Research Training Program (RTP)

Germany

  • DAAD

  • Heinrich Böll Foundation

  • Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

France

  • Eiffel Excellence Scholarship

Japan

  • MEXT Scholarship

South Korea

  • Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)

Singapore

  • Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)

New Zealand

  • Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships

Switzerland

  • Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships

Europe

  • Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

  • Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)


Major Research & PhD Funding Programmes

  • Fulbright Doctoral Fellowship

  • Commonwealth PhD Scholarship

  • Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

  • Horizon Europe Research Grants

  • DAAD Research Grants

  • Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

  • Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship

  • MEXT Research Scholarship

  • SINGA PhD Programme

  • Australian RTP Scholarship


Typical Expenses Covered

Many fully funded scholarships may include:

  • ✔ Tuition fees

  • ✔ Monthly living allowance

  • ✔ Accommodation support

  • ✔ Health insurance

  • ✔ Airfare

  • ✔ Visa expenses

  • ✔ Research grants

  • ✔ Thesis support

  • ✔ Conference travel

  • ✔ Books and study materials


Tips to Improve Your Chances

  • Maintain a strong academic record (typically 70–80% or above).

  • Prepare early for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, GRE, or GMAT if required.

  • Build research experience through projects or publications.

  • Participate in internships and community service.

  • Develop leadership and extracurricular achievements.

  • Write a compelling Statement of Purpose (SOP).

  • Obtain strong Letters of Recommendation (LORs).

  • Apply well before scholarship deadlines.

  • Apply to multiple scholarships rather than relying on a single opportunity.


Compass Clock Consultancy – Overseas Education & Scholarship Guidance

Planning to study abroad but unsure where to begin?

Compass Clock Consultancy provides guidance on:

  • University selection

  • Scholarship identification

  • Admission counselling

  • SOP & LOR preparation

  • IELTS, PTE & English proficiency coaching

  • Visa documentation support

  • Career counselling

  • End-to-end overseas education consultancy

📧 Email: training@compassclock.in

📞 Call / WhatsApp: +91 78450 50100

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