What is Scholarship?
Scholarship is an incentive as well as encouragement to meritorious students. A special emphasis is given to studies abroad where also the innovative methods are used and substantial developments have taken place in the field of education.
Why Apply for Scholarships?
Scholarships can help you pay for your college expenses including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and other required materials. The costs of attending college are rising, and if someone is willing to pay you money to go to school, why not go for it? Scholarships are an organization’s financial investment in your potential. They award scholarships to individuals whom they see as people who will make a difference, so see it as a challenge to go out and achieve your best. Even if you don’t win a major national scholarship, there are still many local scholarships for which you can apply. $500 can go a long way when textbooks can cost upwards of $100. If you can attend college without having to take a large amount in loans and not have to earn a lot through work study, you will be in a better shape financially after you graduate.
In addition, applying for scholarships demands and develops organizational skills. The importance of being organized and well-prepared is essential to winning scholarships. Organization counts not only in time management, but in filing and keeping documents as well. It is important to make photocopies of your applications and any submitted documents so you have a template for additional scholarships and even college applications.
Best Scholarships
Education has been the top most priority of the philanthropist. No wonder then that there are a number of scholarships offered by various trusts and foundations that help you gain some financial freedom in your quest for higher studies abroad.
The oldest amongst them is ‘The JN Tata Endowment Scholarship’ that was set up in 1892 by the founder of the Tata group, Jamsetji N Tata, to encourage young people to take up higher studies at some of the best universities in the world. It is the first Tata benefaction in the field of education, and possibly the first of its kind in Asia.
The Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation scholarships are perhaps the most recent, started a few years back. Most of these are loan-based scholarships that are applicable to graduates with an exceptional academic record, who have either applied to, or secured admission in a foreign university in a course of their choice. Areas of study can range from all varied fields (JN Tata) to theatre and art (Inlaks).
Here is more information on a few others.
ITC Overseas Scholarships
Amount: Rs.100,000 per annum for 2 years of study.
Course of study: Postgraduate studies in Business Management/Environment Management/Environment Engineering or related programmes in universities in the US/UK.
Eligibility:
- Graduates (or in the final year graduation) from a recognised Indian university.
- Resident in India for one year preceding the award.
- Below 28 years as on the specified date 4. Should have procured admission to a Master’s course.
Selection procedure: Screening, followed by an interview in Kolkata by an eminent panel. Preference to those with work experience.
Notification: May
Last date: June
Address: Corporate Public Relations, 37 Chowringhee, Kolkata-71 (Fax: 033 2452259)
Narottam Sekhsaria Fellowship
Amount: Upto Rs.10 lakhs decided as per the assessment of the foundation.
Course of study: PG studies at prestigious institutions in India and abroad, in the fields of Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, Law, Architecture and Management.
Eligibility: Resident Indian nationals below 30 years of age as on 31st January of the year of the award.
Graduates/final year students of a recognised Indian university planning to pursue PG studies in the upcoming year.
Selection procedure: Shortlisted candidates attend a personal interview at Mumbai in April.
Website: www.nsscholarship.net/nsf-scholarship-program.asp
Debesh Kamal Scholarship
Amount: Rs. 1.00 lakh for one year only
Course of Study: Postgraduate studies in humanities, basic sciences, social sciences, applied science and technology.
Eligibility: First class in Honours or Master’s degree from an Indian University/College along with a letter confirming admission (in the subject of choice) to a foreign university. Should not be more than 30 years of age.
Selection procedure: Shortlisted candidates interviewed in June.
Notification: Late February
Last date: Late April
Website: www.sriramakrishna.org/scholarship.php
Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarship
Amount: Covers tuition fees, adequate living expenses and one-way travel for upto 2 years.
Course of study: Degrees in various subjects at universities in the US/UK, except Engineering, Computer Science, Urban Planning, Business Studies, Medicine, Public Health, Indian Studies and History.
Eligibility: Resident Indians with a good degree from a recognized university at the time of application. Prior admission to the institution (top rank) and course.
Below 30 years of age on the first of July in the year of application.
Selection procedure: Shortlisted applicants appear for interviews in Mumbai or Delhi at the end of May: preliminaries, and then finals.
Notification: January
Last date: April
Website: www.inlaksfoundation.org/Inlaks-Scholarship-Abroad.html
JN Tata Endowment Scholarship Programme
Amount: Rs. 1.50 Lakhs to Rs. 8 Lakhs
Number: 120
For whom: Fresh graduates to mid-career professionals and academics with several years of work experience.
Course of study: Higher education in all areas and fields of study (ranging from short-term training programmes to a full- fledged Master’s or doctoral programme diplomas to postgraduate and doctorate studies). Newly emerging fields of relevance to the country encouraged.
Eligibility: Open to resident Indian nationals, graduates/final year students of a recognised Indian university.
Selection procedure: After the initial screening of applications, candidates are shortlisted for an interview held in Mumbai between March and June.
Notification: December
Last date: End of February
Website: www.dorabjitatatrust.org/about/endowment.aspx
Cambridge Nehru Scholarship
Amount: Tenable for 3 years it covers university composition fee at the home rate, approved college fees, maintenance allowance sufficient for a single student and a contribution towards a return airfare by the cheapest available route.
Number: 10 scholarships annually (eight Cambridge Scholarships and two Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Cambridge Scholarships).
Eligibility: First Class Honours Degree followed by a Master’s degree. Intend to pursue a course of research at Cambridge (PhD) 2. Age - 30 years as on October 1
Address: Nehru Trust for Cambridge University, Teen Murti House, New Delhi 110011.
SK Patil Loan Scholarships
Course of Study: PG courses in Engineering, Technology, Medicine and similar professional courses.
Eligibility: First class degree from a recognized Indian University/studying in the final year. With admission, or at least applied for admission, in foreign universities for courses commencing from September of the year of award and not later than February next year. Below 27 years of age.
Notification: March Last date: April
Address: SBB Samaj, N.K. Mehta International House, 178, Backbay Reclamation, Mumbai-20
KC Mahindra Scholarship
Amount: Not to exceed Rs. 95,000/- for the tenure of the study
Course of study: Advanced studies in Engineering, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Medicine & Business Management including the study of Military, Naval and Aviation Sciences.
Eligibility: First class degree/equivalent diploma/final year of degree from a recognized Indian university. Must have secured admission or applied to foreign universities for courses commencing from September of the same year and not later than February next year.
Selection procedure: Interviews held in the month of July.
Notification: March
Address: Cecil Court, 3rd Floor, Mahakavi Bhushan Marg, Mumbai