National Overseas Scholarship 2023-24 - Benefits, Eligibility, Slots

The National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme is a flagship program of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, aimed at facilitating access to quality higher education abroad for students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT/SNT), Landless Agricultural Labourers (LAL), and Traditional Artisans (TA).

The scheme provides financial assistance to selected candidates for pursuing Masters programme or Ph.D. courses in any field of study at accredited institutions/universities abroad. The scholarship covers tuition fees, living allowance, contingency grant, allowance for books and study materials including travel expenses.

The scheme aims to empower SC students by enabling them an access to quality higher education opportunities in renowned international institutions, thereby enhancing their skills and knowledge base to contribute effectively to the nation’s development.

National Overseas Scholarship – Highlights

Particulars	Details
Name of the Scholarship	National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2023-24
Scholarship Provider	Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, India
Beneficiaries	Aspirants who wish to pursue Master’s and PhD courses abroad
Eligible Categories	SC, Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes and Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans
Number of Available Slots	125
Objective	Admission to Best in Class 500 Foreign Universities
Mode of Applying	Online
NOSS Official Website	overseas.tribal.gov.in
NOSS Registration site	nosmsje.gov.in
Official Notification	Latest Notification of National Overseas Scholarship for SC Students

National Overseas Scholarship – Slot Distribution

The National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2023-24 is restricted to applicants from certain categories. The 125 slots have been divided among these categories as shown in the table below.

Category	Number of Slots
Scheduled Cast (SC)	115
Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes	6
Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans	4
Total	125

National Overseas Scholarship – Benefits

Scholars selected for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2023-24 will be granted financial assistance for the entirety of their course duration. The following details of the financial support provided to scholars during their course of study are as under:

Annual Maintenance Allowance of $15,400 US Dollars (£9,900 Great Britain Pounds)
Contingency Allowance of $1,500 US Dollars (£1,100 Great Britain Pounds)
Tuition Fee
Visa Fee
Medical Insurance Premium
Incidental Journey Allowance and Equipment Allowance of $20 US Dollars each or its equivalent in Indian rupees
Air Passage

Added to these benefits, students will also get:

Financial assistance for tuition fee, living allowance, contingency grant, books and study materials allowance, and travel expenses
Opportunity to pursue higher education at prestigious universities abroad
Exposure to global academic and research environment
Enhanced career prospects

National Overseas Scholarship – Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SC 2023-24, candidates must fulfill the following criteria:

Nationality:

Applicants must be Indian citizens belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) category.

Age Limit:

The age limit for applying to the NOSS for SC 2023-24 is as follows:

Master’s level courses: Candidates must be below 35 years of age as of April 1 of the selection year.
Ph.D. courses: Candidates must be below 40 years of age as of April 1 of the selection year.

Educational Qualification:

Master’s level courses: Applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree with at least 60% marks or an equivalent grade in the relevant subject from a recognized university in India.
Ph.D. courses: Applicants must have completed a Master’s degree with at least 60% marks or an equivalent grade in the relevant subject from a recognized university in India.
For students who have completed a Bachelor of Engineering degree after completing a Diploma (Lateral Entry to 2nd year), the percentage of marks obtained in the Bachelor’s degree will be considered.

Income Criteria:

The annual family income of the applicant from all sources should not exceed ₹ 8 lakh per annum.
The income certificate must be issued by a Revenue Officer with the rank of Tehsildar or higher.
Additionally, students must submit the ITRs of all family members.

Admission Requirements:

Applicants must have secured unconditional admission to a full-time Masters or Ph.D. program in a recognized foreign university or institution ranked among the top 500 in the QS World University Rankings or equivalent. QS World University Rankings is a portfolio of comparative university rankings. It is compiled by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds, a British company.

Other Eligibility Conditions:

Candidates must not be employed or in receipt of any other scholarship or financial assistance for pursuing the same course abroad.
They must not have availed the NOSS benefits previously as it is a one-time award.
Candidates must be physically and mentally fit to undertake overseas studies.
No more than two children of the same parents/guardians will be eligible under the scholarship scheme. Candidates must submit a self-certification to this effect.
The second child of the same parents/guardians will only be considered if slots are still available in the last cycle of the year of application.

National Overseas Scholarship – Documents Required

A) Necessary documents for filling out the details required in the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2023-24 application form are as under:

Aadhaar Card
Class 10 Board Marksheet/Certificate
Caste Certificate (if applicable)
Scanned photograph of the applicant
Scanned signature of the applicant
Current/Permanent Address Proof (If the current address is different from the permanent address)
Provisional/Qualifying Certificate of applicant’s degree
Marksheet of the Qualifying Exam i.e., Mark Sheet of Bachelor/Master degree programme
Document for admission to foreign University (application/registration/admission document)
Income certificate of all family members
No Objection Certificate (NOC) from employed applicants (if applicable)
Income Tax Return (ITR) acceptance document (if applicable)

B) If the candidate is selected, they will receive a Provisional Award Letter under the scheme of National Overseas Scholarship for SC. The candidate must then submit the following documents:

Attestation form
Self-declaration/Undertaking regarding total annual family income
Self-declaration regarding any pending case/non-conviction of offence
Copy of Passport

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will process the next steps to grant a Confirmation of Award Letter after the students submit the documents mentioned above. Furthermore, the Embassy will verify the candidate’s offer letter after submission of original documents.

Note:- Applicants must visit this ministry in person on any working day, after having sought an appointment and submission of original documents with the application form, for verification purposes.

C) Once the Ministry has verified all the original documents and the Financial Department (IFD) has approved the award, the awardee will receive a Confirmation of Award letter. The candidate applicant must submit the following documents:

2 non-judicial stamp papers worth at least ₹100 each, completed and signed in the presence of a Notary Public by two sureties, as required by the regulations governing the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2023 for SC/ST candidates
Solvency certificates for both sureties
Health certificate
2 copies of the candidate’s passport and visa
An undertaking/declaration on a non-judicial stamp paper stating that the applicant has not yet acquired the qualification for which they have been selected and have not received any other scholarship
The date on which the applicants would like to pursue their flight journey to the foreign university
Selected candidates must visit this ministry in person on any working day, after having sought an appointment in advance, and bring all of the aforementioned documents in original and duplicate form
The applicant is also requested to send PDF copies of all of the aforementioned documents via email

National Overseas Scholarship – Application Procedure

A complete list of the steps required to apply for the National Overseas Scholarship Scheme 2023-24 online is as follows:

Visit the homepage of the NOS portal.
Click on the Register tab.

Fill in the details when the registration form appears on their screen.

Login Process

Upon completion of the registration form, the login credentials will be shared with the applicants. They need to continue following the process given below.

Fill in the details required and upload the documents needed for the NOS application form as per the specified guidelines.
Revisit the completed application form and submit thereafter.

Steps to View the Application Process:

Applicants should visit the official website of the National Overseas Scholarship for SC Students.
They should click on ‘Application Status’ on the home page.
A new page will appear on your screen.
Enter the application number.
Now click on the Search tab.
By following this process, applicants can view the application status.

How to Download Forms?

Applicants should visit the official website of the National Overseas Scholarship for SC Students.
They should click on ‘Download Forms’ on the home page.
A list will appear on the screen.
Click on the form of your choice.
A PDF form will appear on the screen.
Now click on the download option to download the form.

National Overseas Scholarship – Selection Process

Only candidates who have submitted their Aadhaar card and have an unconditional offer of admission to a foreign university or institution ranked in the top 500 in the latest QS rankings for academic session 2023-24 will be selected for the scholarship programme in the first round of selection.
The selection process for the NOS scholarship is based on merit.
The selection process will consist of only two rounds. In each round, the eligible candidates will be ranked on the basis of the QS ranking of the foreign universities/institutions where they have received offers of admission. Scholarships will be awarded in the order of this ranking.
Applicants will be shortlisted on the basis of their academic performance, research experience, and statement of purpose.
Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview thereafter.
Requests to change institutions or universities will not be considered.
Students who have already been accepted to a foreign university and have been selected for the scholarship award will be given provisional awards of scholarship letters.

National Overseas Scholarship – Contact Details

For Queries on Scheme

Shri Sanjay Singh (Under Secretary)

Shastri Bhawan Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi-110001

Phone: 011 23384023 (3 PM to 5 PM on all working days)

Email: so-nos-msje@gov.in

For Technical Queries

Phone: 011 23073443 (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM on all working days)

Email: so-nos-msje@gov.in

National Overseas Scholarship – FAQs

How long can selected aspirants avail the benefits under the NOS Scheme 2023-24?

Successful scholarship applicants will receive the benefits of the scholarship for the entire duration of their programme, which is 3 years for a masters degree and 4 years for a PhD course.

Are general category students eligible to apply under the National Overseas Scholarship Programme 2023-24?

No, the scholarship scheme is only open to students from the Scheduled Castes (SC), Denotified Tribes, Traditional Artisans, and Landless Agriculture Labourer categories.

How long will it take for the first merit list of the NOS scholarship scheme to be released?

The authority will take around 20 to 30 days to scrutinize the applications after the application process is complete. The selection committee will take 10 to 15 days to shortlist the candidates, followed with the release of the merit list.

What is a QS World University Rankings?

The QS World University Rankings is a portfolio of comparative university rankings. It is compiled by the British company and a global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds.

How will applicants be ranked on the merit list if their universities have the same QS ranking?

In case of a tie in QS rankings between two or more applicants, the applicant with the higher qualifying exam (Bachelor’s/Master’s degree) marks will be placed higher on the merit list.