BDS scholarships in India follow a rolling annual calendar: most private and corporate CSR awards open applications between August and January, government schemes run from June through December via the National Scholarship Portal and state DBT portals, and a handful, like the Sitaram Jindal Foundation Scholarship, accept applications year-round. For the 2026-27 academic session, Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students across India can access a mix of private, government, and NGO-run scholarships worth anywhere from ₹10,000 to over ₹4,20,000.
Important Dates for BDS Scholarships 2026-27
Application windows vary widely by provider, and several 2026-27 cycles were not yet officially notified at the time of writing. Bookmark the table below and check the official links closer to the date, since deadlines are frequently extended.
| Scholarship | Category | Application Deadline (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| Sensodyne IDA Shining Star Scholarship Programme | Private | Expected Dec 2026–Jan 2027 (cycle not yet notified) |
| Colgate Keep India Smiling Scholarship | Private | Expected Oct–Nov 2026 (cycle not yet notified) |
| Infosys Foundation STEM Stars Scholarship Programme | Private | Expected Oct–Nov 2026 (cycle not yet notified) |
| Central Sector Scholarship Scheme (CSSS) | Government | September 30, 2026 (renewal); fresh applications typically close by late October |
| Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Fee Reimbursement Scholarship Scheme | Government (Maharashtra) | September 30, 2026 |
| Ishan Uday Special Scholarship Scheme | Government (UGC, for NER students) | Expected December 2026 (cycle not yet notified) |
| NEST-Senior Scholarship | NGO | Exam held last Sunday of January 2027; late registration (with fee) till March 2027 |
| AIMSET (All India Medical Scholarship Entrance Test) | NGO | AIMSET 2027 cycle expected to open around November 2026 |
| Sitaram Jindal Foundation Scholarship | NGO | Rolling – accepted throughout the year |
Private BDS Scholarships in India 2026-27
Private and corporate CSR scholarships are among the most generous funding options for BDS students, often designed specifically for dental education by companies in the oral care and healthcare space. Most are implemented through Buddy4Study, making the application process fairly standardised.
Sensodyne IDA Shining Star Scholarship Programme
This CSR initiative by Haleon India (makers of Sensodyne), run in partnership with the Indian Dental Association (IDA) and Buddy4Study, is one of the few multi-year scholarships built specifically for first-year BDS students.
2. Award: ₹50,000 per year for 4 years (₹2,00,000 total), disbursed toward academic and living expenses.
3. Application Link: Via Buddy4Study platform
Colgate Keep India Smiling Scholarship
Funded by Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited and administered via Buddy4Study, this one-time grant supports both undergraduate BDS and postgraduate MDS students, with preference to applicants from Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.
1. Eligibility: Indian nationals enrolled full-time in BDS (any year) or MDS courses at recognised institutions; minimum 65% in Class 12 for BDS applicants (60% in the last semester for 2nd year or above); annual family income below ₹8,00,000.
2. Award: One-time grant of ₹75,000 toward tuition, hostel fees, books, and related academic expenses.
3. Application Link: Via Buddy4Study platform
Infosys Foundation STEM Stars Scholarship Programme
A CSR initiative by the Infosys Foundation aimed at closing the gender gap in STEM and medical education, this scholarship supports female students pursuing BDS along with engineering, MBBS, and B.Pharm courses at NIRF-ranked institutes.
2. Award: Up to ₹1,00,000 per year for up to 4 years, covering tuition, hostel/mess charges, and study materials.
3. Application Link: Via Buddy4Study platform
Government BDS Scholarships in India 2026-27
Government scholarships for BDS students operate at both the central and state level, ranging from merit-based central schemes to state-specific fee reimbursement programmes for economically weaker sections. Most are processed through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) or a state DBT portal.
Central Sector Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)
Run by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, this is one of India’s largest merit-based scholarships, open to top-performing Class 12 students who go on to pursue any UG degree, including BDS.
1. Eligibility: Must rank in the top 20th percentile of their respective board’s Class 12 results; enrolled full-time in a regular UG or professional degree course (including BDS) at a recognised institution; family income up to ₹4,50,000 per annum.
2. Award: ₹10,000 per year for the first three years, and ₹20,000 per year for the 4th and 5th years of professional/5-year courses like BDS.
Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Fee Reimbursement Scholarship Scheme
Introduced by the Government of Maharashtra for Economically Backward Class (EBC) students, this scheme reimburses a significant share of professional course fees, including for BDS, at government-aided, corporation, and private unaided colleges.
1. Eligibility: Domiciled resident of Maharashtra; admission to a BDS (or other listed professional course) at a government-aided, corporation, or private unaided college; annual family income not exceeding ₹8,00,000.
2. Award: Up to 50% reimbursement of tuition and development fees.
3. Application Link: MahaDBT Portal
Ishan Uday Special Scholarship Scheme
Launched by the UGC in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Ishan Uday supports students domiciled in India’s North Eastern Region (NER) pursuing undergraduate courses, including professional degrees like BDS, MBBS, and BAMS.
1. Eligibility: Valid domicile certificate from a North Eastern state; passed Class 12 from a recognised NER board; enrolled in the first year of a full-time UG degree program; annual family income up to ₹4,50,000.
2. Award: ₹7,800 per month (₹93,600/year) for students in technical, medical, or professional courses like BDS; ₹5,400 per month for general degree courses.
3. Application Link: National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
NGO BDS Scholarships in India 2026-27
Alongside corporate and government funding, several registered trusts and non-profit foundations run merit-based or means-based scholarship programmes that BDS students can apply to, either through an entrance test or a direct application.
NEST-Senior Scholarship
Sponsored by the Students’ Unity Foundation of India (SUFI) and conducted by SEMCI India, the Nationwide Education and Scholarship Test (NEST) awards scholarships to meritorious students, including those pursuing BDS, based on performance in a national-level test.
1. Eligibility: Students in the 1st/2nd year (NEST Senior-I) or 3rd/4th year (NEST Senior-II) of BDS, MBBS, BAMS, or BHMS courses at a registered medical university or college.
2. Award: Ranges from approximately ₹35,000 to ₹1,00,000, depending on category and rank secured in the test.
3. Application Link: Official NEST website (via SEMCI India)
AIMSET (All India Medical Scholarship Entrance Test)
Conducted by the AIMSET Educational Foundation, this national-level entrance-cum-scholarship test is designed for Class 12 students (pass-outs or appearing) aspiring to join BDS, MBBS, or other medical and allied health courses at over 300 government and 500 private participating institutions.
1. Eligibility: Passed or appearing in Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, scoring at least 50% overall; open to students from economically weaker backgrounds.
2. Award: Tuition fee scholarships ranging from a full 4-year fee waiver (top scorers, government colleges) to a one-year fee waiver or a standard laptop, based on the AIMSET score band.
3. Application Link: AIMSET portal
Sitaram Jindal Foundation Scholarship
Run by the Bengaluru-based Sitaram Jindal Foundation, this is one of India’s most inclusive private charitable scholarships, open to students from Class 11 through postgraduate medical courses (excluding MDS) with no fixed application deadline.
1. Eligibility: Enrolled in a government, government-aided, or affordable private BDS program; minimum 65-70% marks (with relaxed cut-offs for women and reserved categories); family income up to ₹4,00,000 (salaried) or ₹2,50,000 (others).
2. Award: Monthly stipend of up to ₹3,200 for medical/professional courses, disbursed half-yearly via Direct Benefit Transfer.
3. Application Link: Sitaram Jindal Foundation
More BDS Scholarships to Explore in 2026-27
Beyond the nine scholarships detailed above, BDS students can also explore the following options depending on their state, gender, category, or plans to study abroad:
| Scholarship | Category | Eligibility | Application Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Overseas Scholarship (SC Students) | Government | SC students pursuing postgraduate dental/medical courses abroad | CLICK HERE |
| Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) | Government | Students from J&K and Ladakh pursuing professional courses, including BDS | CLICK HERE |
| National Fellowship for SC/ST/OBC Students | Government | Reserved-category students in professional/technical UG-PG courses | CLICK HERE |
| State Fee Reimbursement Schemes (other states) | Government | EWS/SC/ST/OBC students in state-run BDS colleges (varies by state) | Respective state DBT/scholarship portals |
| Kotak Kanya Scholarship | Private | Girl students pursuing professional courses after Class 12, including BDS | CLICK HERE |
| Bharti Airtel Scholarship | Private | Meritorious students from low-income families in professional courses | CLICK HERE |
| JN Tata Endowment | NGO/Trust | Postgraduate dental (MDS) and other higher-education funding | CLICK HERE |
| Indian Dental Association (IDA) Local Chapter Scholarships | NGO/Association | BDS/MDS students, varies by state IDA chapter | Contact local IDA branch |
| Commonwealth Scholarships | NGO/International | Postgraduate dental studies for Commonwealth-country students | CLICK HERE |
BDS Scholarships in India – FAQs
1. Can a BDS student apply for more than one scholarship at the same time?
Yes, in most cases. Private, government, and NGO scholarships generally don’t overlap in funding source, so a student can hold, for example, a state fee reimbursement scheme alongside a private CSR scholarship such as Colgate Keep India Smiling. The main exception is when a scheme explicitly disqualifies applicants who are already receiving another scholarship, such as the Sensodyne IDA Shining Star Scholarship always check the specific terms before applying to multiple schemes.
2. Are private and NGO BDS scholarships only for government college students?
Not always, but several of the largest ones are. The Sensodyne IDA Shining Star Scholarship, for instance, is restricted to first-year students at government or government-aided colleges, while others like Colgate Keep India Smiling and Sitaram Jindal Foundation Scholarship also accept students from private and affordable private institutions, subject to income limits.
3. What is the typical family income limit for BDS scholarships?
Most private and government schemes for BDS students set the annual family income ceiling between ₹4,50,000 and ₹8,00,000, though it varies by provider. Central government schemes like the Central Sector Scholarship Scheme and Ishan Uday tend to have a lower cap (around ₹4,50,000), while several private CSR scholarships allow up to ₹8,00,000.
4. Do any of these scholarships cover MDS (postgraduate dental) students?
A few do. The Colgate Keep India Smiling Scholarship explicitly covers MDS students alongside BDS, and postgraduate dental funding is also available through NGO/trust options like the JN Tata Endowment and Commonwealth Scholarships for those pursuing dental studies abroad. Most of the other scholarships listed here, however, are limited to undergraduate BDS students.
5. When should a BDS student start applying for scholarships each year?
Since most 2026-27 cycles were still pending official notification at the time of writing, the safest approach is to start preparing documents (income certificate, marksheets, admission proof) by July-August each year. Government schemes on the National Scholarship Portal typically open around June, private CSR scholarships open between August and October, and a few, like the Sitaram Jindal Foundation Scholarship, can be applied to at any point in the year.