National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education

The National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students is a central sector scheme fully funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to support meritorious Scheduled Tribe students in pursuing higher education in India. The scheme consists of two components, the National Fellowship Scheme, which provides financial assistance to ST students who have completed their master’s degree and wish to pursue M.Phil. or Ph.D. programs.

The other one is the National Scholarship Scheme, which offers scholarships to ST students undertaking undergraduate or postgraduate studies in premier government and non-government institutions identified by the Ministry. These courses cover professional fields such as management, medicine, engineering, information technology, law, and other related disciplines.

National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students – An Overview

Name of the Scheme	National Fellowship and Scholarship For Higher Education of ST Students
Sub-Schemes	National Fellowship Scheme and National Scholarship Scheme
Scholarship Provider	Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Beneficiaries	ST Students
Mode of Application	Online
Application Deadline	October 15, 2025
Official Website	fellowship.tribal.nic.in

National Fellowship Scheme Eligibility Criteria 2025

The objective of the National Fellowship Scheme is to offer financial support to meritorious students belonging to Scheduled Tribes, enabling them to pursue higher education beyond the postgraduate level. The fellowship provides assistance to ST students who have successfully completed their postgraduate or master’s degree and wish to undertake MPhil or PhD programs.

National Fellowship Scheme – Eligibility and Course Duration

Program	Eligibility	Duration
M.Phil.	Completion of post-graduation, admission to specified universities, and a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent in the final postgraduate examination.	Two years or until submission of a dissertation, whichever is earlier
M.Phil. + Ph.D.	Completion of post-graduation, admission to specified universities, and a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent in the final postgraduate examination.	Two years for M.Phil., followed by three years for Ph.D., totalling five years, or until submission of a dissertation, whichever is earlier
Ph.D.	Completion of post-graduation, admission to specified universities, and meeting the requirements of the Ph.D. program.	Five years or until submission of a dissertation, whichever is earlier

There are no income criteria in order to become eligible for this fellowship scheme.
The maximum age limit is 36 years, calculated as on the first day of July in the relevant year of the scholarship award.

National Fellowship Scheme – Awards

Course	Stream	Monthly Scholarship	Annual Contingency
M.Phil.	Humanities & Social Sciences	₹31,000	₹10,000
M.Phil.	Science/Engineering/Technology	₹31,000	₹12,000
Ph.D.	Humanities & Social Sciences	₹31,000 (first two years) and ₹31,000 (remaining three years)	₹20,500
Ph.D.	Science/Engineering/Technology		₹25,000

Monthly House Rent Allowance (HRA) for All Courses: Equivalent to UGC rates, determined based on categories of cities 8%, 16%, or 24%.
Monthly Escort Allowance for Persons with Disability (PwD): Fixed at ₹2,000 in alignment with UGC rates.

National Fellowship Scheme – Universities/Institutions Covered Under the Scheme

Eligible students can enrol in regular and full-time M.Phil./Ph.D. courses in the following categories of universities and academic institutions:

Universities/Institutes/Colleges included under section 2(f)/12(B) or 2(f) and 12(B) of UGC Act.
Deemed to be Universities included under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 and eligible to receive grant-in-aid from UGC.
Universities/ Institutes/ Colleges receiving grants from the Central/ State Government.
Institutes of National Importance, as notified by the Ministry of Higher Education, Government of India.

Also Read: National Scholarship Portal 2025: Scholarships Last Date, Application Process and Check Status

National Fellowship Scheme – Distribution of Fellowship

Each year, 750 new fellowships are awarded for M.Phil, Ph.D, or integrated M.Phil + Ph.D programs.

If there aren’t enough eligible Scheduled Tribe (ST) applicants, the unused fellowships will be carried forward to the next year.
There is no limit on the number of fellowships per state or university.
If applications exceed 750, selection will be based on post-graduation marks.

National Fellowship Scheme – Slot Distribution

Priority	Category	Slots
1	Divyangjan (Persons with Disabilities) – 5%	38
2	Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)	25
3	Female Candidates – 30%	225
4	ST Others	462
Total		750

Additional details:

Applicants admitted to IITs, AIIMS, IIMs, or IISERs will get priority.
Divyangjan applicants must have a minimum 40% disability certificate.
If seats remain vacant in any subcategory, they’ll be transferred to the next category in order of priority.
If still vacant, remaining seats will go to eligible ST applicants based on merit.
Female reservation (225 slots) includes Divyangjan and PVTG candidates.

National Fellowship Scheme – Documents Required

Applicant will be required to upload the following documents on the portal for registration:

Latest coloured passport size photograph
ST/PVTG certificate issued by the competent authority
10th /Matriculation/equivalent certificate in support of date of birth
Divyangjan certificate issued by the competent authority
Post-Graduation mark sheet [Aggregate marks in %] /equivalent % marks in case of CGPA (Conversion formula from CGPA to percentage which was issued by Institute/University to be produced.)
Admission/Joining certificate of M.Phil/Ph.D / Integrated M.Phil+Ph.D from the University concerned.
Offer of admission in respect of students admitted to IITs/AIIMS/IIMs/IISERs.

National Fellowship Scheme – Leave Benefits for Fellowships

Candidates are entitled to a maximum of 30 days of leave in a year and public holidays. They are not allowed to take any other vacation.
Candidates are eligible for maternity/paternity leaves as per the Government of India norms, and this will be granted at the full rates of the fellowship. Such leaves can be availed once during the tenure of the award.
In addition to the above, women candidates may be granted an ‘Intermittent Break’ for one year. This leave can be availed three times during the fellowship.
Academic leave without fellowship will be permissible for one year throughout the tenure. This leave can be availed for the purpose of academic assignments, teaching responsibilities, or foreign visits related to research work.

National Fellowship Scheme – Selection Process

1. Research scholarship application is accepted online once a year via the online portal at fellowship.tribal.gov.in developed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

The opening and closing dates of the portal are publicised through print and electronic media, as well as through the universities and institutes.

2. Typically, the portal opens on July 1st and closes on September 30th during the academic year.

These dates change depending on prevailing circumstances, which will be communicated through the Ministry’s portal.

3. Applicants must regularly monitor the portal for updates on the application form availability.

4. Applicants must carefully review the Instruction Manual before applying online through the portal.

5. Applicants can refer to the help desk module provided on the portal for any inquiries or assistance.

6. Before completing the online application form, research scholars must register on the fellowship portal online.

7. Additionally, they must create accounts on Digi Locker. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has made Aadhaar number a mandatory requirement for uploading documents.

8. The portal provides online verification by the universities where the applicant has been admitted.

To facilitate this process, a Nodal Officer from the university and a verifying officer responsible for managing scholarships must register on the online portal.
Candidates can refer to the Instruction Manual available at fellowship.tribal.gov.in for comprehensive details.

9. The Nodal Officer from the university will verify the physical documents uploaded by the research scholars on the portal.

10. It is the university’s responsibility to ensure that the information provided by the research scholar is accurate and matches the physical documents submitted during verification.

11. After receiving details of the student that the institute has duly verified, the Ministry will verify the application online.

12. If any discrepancies are discovered in the application, the Ministry will label it as defective, and the defective application will be visible to the student.

13. The student is advised to correct the defective application and submit it again through the institute’s portal.

14. The institute will then reverify the corrected application and submit it to the Ministry through the portal for final verification and submission before the specified deadline.

15. A merit list will be compiled for the remaining eligible research scholars, considering their performance in the post-graduation examination and adhering to the selection criteria determined by the selection committee.

The allocation of slots across different research streams will be determined using the methodology adopted by the committee.

Also Read: Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF)

National Scholarship Scheme – Detailed Information

The National Scholarship Scheme aims to support meritorious Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in pursuing higher education at the graduate and postgraduate levels across premier institutes identified by the Ministry. It covers professional fields such as management, medicine, science, engineering and technology, humanities, law, and social sciences. As a central sector scheme fully funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, it provides 100% financial assistance to eligible ST students enrolled in courses and institutions approved and notified by the Ministry.

National Scholarship Scheme – Eligibility Criteria

The scholarship is available for both graduate and postgraduate level courses.
Eligible students are those belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category who have secured admission in institutes and courses approved by the Ministry.
Students availing this scholarship cannot receive any other Central or State Government scholarship for the same course.
The scholarship continues till the completion of the course, subject to satisfactory academic performance certified by the institute.
The total family income from all sources must not exceed ₹6.0 lakh per year. If both parents are working, their combined income will be considered.
- If only one parent is alive, only that parent’s income will be considered.
- In the case of orphans supported by a guardian, the income criteria will not apply.
- For married candidates, the spouse’s income will also be included while calculating total family income.

National Scholarship Scheme – Awards

Assistance Component	Amount
Books & Stationery	₹5,000 per annum per student without producing bills/vouchers.
Computer & Accessories	₹45,000 as a one-time assistance during the tenure. This can be used to purchase a desktop, laptop, computer and related accessories.
Stipend	₹3,000 per month
Tuition Fees	Full tuition fee and other non-refundable dues for government/government-funded institutions. For private sector institutions, up to ₹2.50 lakh per annum per student.

National Scholarship Scheme – Documents Required

The following documents must be uploaded on the NSP portal in the process of completing the online application:

Documents Required for National Scholarship Scheme

Graduate/Post Graduate Level Courses	Fresh Scholarship for Candidate	Renewal of Scholarship for Candidate
ST Certificate/PVTG Certificate	Yes	No
Income Certificate	Yes	No
Fee Receipt	Yes	Yes
Scanned Copy of the Bank Passbook	Yes	Yes
Mark Sheet or Certificate of Qualifying Examination	Yes	Yes
Bonafide Certificate Issued by Institute	Yes	Yes

National Scholarship Scheme – Selection Process

Applications for scholarships are managed through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Upon securing admission to various courses in the designated universities and institutions, students are required to submit their applications online through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
The opening and closing dates of the portal will be publicised through both print and electronic media, as well as through the institutions and concerned State.
For the registration process, candidates must first register on the online portal before filling out the application form.
The NSP portal allows online verification by the institutes where the applicant has enrolled.
Nodal Officers from these institutes must register on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
Detailed instructions can be found in the “Institute Operational Manual” available on the NSP portal.
Nodal Officers from the institutes will verify the documents uploaded by the applicants on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
The institute is not allowed to charge any fee for verification of application.
After receiving details of the student duly verified by the institute on the NSP portal, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) will conduct online verification of the application.
In case of discrepancies found in an application, the MoTA will label it as defective.
The student should correct and resubmit the defective application through the institute’s portal.
The institute will then verify the corrected application and submit it to the MoTA through the portal for final verification before the specified deadline.
The list of candidates selected for scholarship awards will be posted on the website of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Scholarship payments to selected students will be made annually through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the student’s accredited bank account.
Selected candidates must have their bank accounts with banks equipped with Core Banking Solutions (CBS).
If students do not have Aadhaar numbers, they must apply for Aadhaar cards within one month of registration/admission in their respective courses under the scholarship program.

Also Read: AICTE Scholarships 2025 – Dates, Eligibility and Application Process

National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students – Application Process

Steps for filling out the application form of the National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students are as under:

1. Registration as New Users:

First-time applicants need to register with the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
To begin, they should navigate to the ‘Applicant Corner’ section and select the ‘New Registration’ tab.
Candidates must provide all the necessary information and then click on ‘Register’ to complete the registration process.
A unique student application ID and password will be generated upon successful registration, and these details will be sent to the registered mobile number.

2. Logging in to NSP:

After registration, applicants must log in to the NSP using the newly generated ID and password.
An OTP (One-Time Password) will be sent to the registered mobile number to change the password for added security.

3. Accessing the Application Form:

Once the password is updated, candidates will be directed to the ‘Applicant’s Dashboard’ page.
On the ‘Applicant’s Dashboard’ page, applicants should click on ‘Application Form’ to initiate the application process.

4. Providing Details:

Applicants should provide all the necessary information, including registration and academic details, basic personal information, contact details, and scheme-specific information.

5. Document Upload:

Applicants should ensure that all the supporting documents required, such as those verifying their identity and academic eligibility, are uploaded as part of the application.

6. Saving as Draft:

It is advisable to save the filled-in application form as a draft.
This allows applicants to review every detail and ensure accuracy before submission.

7. Final Submission:

Candidates should review all the entered information carefully to complete the scholarship application process.
Once satisfied, they can click on the ‘Submit’ button after having reviewed the application form.

Also Read: PhD Scholarships for Indian Students 2025

FAQs

What is the National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students?

It is a Central Sector Scheme by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs that provides financial assistance to meritorious Scheduled Tribe (ST) students to pursue higher education at graduate, postgraduate, M.Phil., and Ph.D. levels in premier institutions across India.

Who can apply for this scheme?

Only students belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category who have secured admission in institutions and courses approved by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs are eligible to apply.

What are the two sub-schemes under this program?

The program has two components, National Fellowship Scheme for M.Phil. and Ph.D. studies and National Scholarship Scheme for graduate and postgraduate studies.

Is there any income limit to apply for the fellowship?

No, there is no income limit for the National Fellowship Scheme. However, for the National Scholarship Scheme, the total annual family income should not exceed ₹6.0 lakh from all sources.

How many fellowships are awarded each year?

A total of 750 fellowships are awarded annually for M.Phil., Ph.D., or integrated M.Phil. + Ph.D. programs.

What financial benefits are provided under the fellowship?

The fellowship provides a monthly stipend, contingency grant, House Rent Allowance (HRA) as per UGC norms, and a monthly escort allowance of ₹2,000 for students with disabilities.