Best Scholarships for Indian Students Studying Abroad – 2025 Guide (All Fields)

Studying abroad is a dream for many Indian students. It opens doors to world-class education, cultural exposure, and global career opportunities. However, high tuition fees and living costs often make it difficult. Fortunately, several scholarships are available to help Indian students pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, and more.

This 2025 guide lists the top international scholarships for Indian students across all academic fields.

1. Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships (USA)

• Eligibility: Indian citizens applying for master’s or doctoral programs in the US
• Fields: All except medicine
• Benefits: Full tuition, living expenses, airfare, and insurance
• Apply at: usief.org.in

2. Chevening Scholarships (UK)

• Eligibility: Indian graduates with leadership potential and 2+ years’ work experience
• Benefits: Full tuition, stipend, travel, and visa costs
• Apply at: chevening.org

3. Commonwealth Scholarships (UK)

• Eligibility: Indian students applying to master’s or PhD programs in the UK
• Benefits: Tuition, airfare, and monthly stipend
• Apply at: britishcouncil.in

4. Erasmus+ Program (Europe)

• Eligibility: Indian students applying for Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s degrees
• Benefits: Full tuition, travel allowance, and monthly grant
• Apply at: erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu

5. DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

• Eligibility: Indian graduates applying to German universities (Master’s or PhD)
• Fields: Engineering, science, arts, design, and social sciences
• Benefits: Monthly stipend, travel, tuition waiver
• Apply at: daad.in

6. Australia Awards Scholarships

• Eligibility: Indian students applying to full-time UG/PG programs in Australian institutions
• Benefits: Tuition fees, return airfare, living expenses, and academic support
• Apply at: dfat.gov.au

7. Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (France)

• Eligibility: Indian master’s or PhD students accepted to French institutions
• Benefits: Monthly stipend, travel, health insurance, but not tuition
• Apply at: campusfrance.org

8. Ontario Graduate Scholarship (Canada)

• Eligibility: Indian students admitted to master’s or PhD programs in Ontario universities
• Benefits: CAD 5,000 per term (up to CAD 15,000/year)
• Apply through: University’s graduate studies office

9. Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship (USA)

• Eligibility: Indian MBA applicants to Stanford with financial need
• Benefits: Up to USD 150,000 toward tuition and living
• Apply at: gsb.stanford.edu

10. ADB–Japan Scholarship Program (Asia-Pacific)

• Eligibility: Indian students applying to Asian universities partnered with ADB
• Benefits: Full tuition, travel, housing, and health insurance
• Apply via: Participating universities

Tips for Scholarship Applicants

• Start early – many deadlines are 6–12 months before program start
• Prepare strong SOPs, LORs, and academic transcripts
• Meet English proficiency requirements (IELTS/TOEFL)
• Track each scholarship’s deadline and submit all documents carefully

Conclusion

Whether you plan to study business, science, arts, law, or public policy abroad, there’s a scholarship out there for you. The above-listed programs in 2025 offer life-changing financial support to Indian students. Explore these options thoroughly, prepare a strong application, and take the next big step in your global academic journey.