Scholarships for engineering students – The cost of pursuing an engineering course from a recognised college/university generally ranges from INR 8 Lakh to INR 20 Lakh. In government or private colleges, a majority of students find it difficult to meet the costly expenses of the course. This creates a need for financial assistance for students wherein scholarships for engineering students play a crucial role in funding their overall education expenses. To support aspiring engineers to pursue their dream education, central and state government, numerous universities, private organizations, and corporates are offering a plethora of scholarships and fellowships.
This article comprises a list of scholarships for engineering students. Whether a student wants to pursue a BE/BTech programme, M.E./M.Tech. programme or any other programme in the field of engineering, the details in this scholarship will help them get a complete idea of it.
Scholarships for Engineering Students – Government-Funded
A major chunk of scholarships is contributed by different government departments at the central and state levels for students to pursue school and college-level studies. Moreover, to ensure that the upcoming generation is well-versed in both technical and professional skills, it also offers scholarships for engineering students, medical students, research students, law aspirants, and more. The financial assistance that it renders to students through scholarships helps them in acquiring their dream careers without any financial constraints.
Both the central and the state governments offer scholarships to help students pursue engineering from a reputed institution in India and excel in the same field. What are the scholarships offered by the central government? What are the scholarships offered by the state government? Get an answer to all the relevant questions hereunder.
Scholarships for Engineering Students – Funded by Central Government
The government of India hosts a number of scholarship schemes to promote technical and professional education among students. Whether students want to pursue an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree in Engineering, the government has something good to offer them at each level. Every year, the government allocates thousands of crores for the sake of education out of which hundreds of crores worth of scholarships are disbursed to meritorious and needy students.
List of Scholarships for Engineering Students Funded by Central Government
| Scholarship Name | Provider | Application Period* |
| Post Matric Scholarships Scheme for Minorities | Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India | July to September |
| Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Professional and Technical Courses CS (Minorities) | Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India | July to September |
| Scholarships for Top Class Education for Students with Disabilities | Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India | July to October |
| Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles | Welfare and Rehabilitation Board, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. | July to October |
| Post Matric Scholarship for Students with Disabilities | Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India | July to October |
| Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students | Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India | July to October |
| Financial Assistance for Education of the Wards of Beedi/Cine/IOMC/LSDM Workers – Post-Matric | Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India | July to October |
| S.N. Bose Scholars Program | SERB, DST (Govt. of India), IUSSTF & WINStep Forward | September to October |
| AICTE PG (GATE/GPAT) Scholarship | All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) | June to August |
| AICTE-National Doctoral Fellowship Scheme | All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) | April to June |
| Digital India Internship Scheme | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India | April to May |
| Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) | Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India | February to April |
| Khorana Program for Scholars | Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) | December to January |
*The application period mentioned above is tentative and may change at the discretion of the scholarship providing authorities.
Scholarships for engineering students – Funded by State Government
Besides the contribution made by the central government, the state governments too, offer scholarships to provide financial assistance to students who aspire to pursue a career in engineering. Disbursed on the basis of a student’s merit or means or both merit and means, these scholarships cover the cost of pursuing an engineering degree program. Announced separately by the state governments, students can find the information about the scholarships for engineering students either at the National Scholarship Portal or the respective state’s portal.
When can students apply for these scholarships? Find details about the state government-funded scholarships for engineering students in the list given below.
List of scholarships for engineering students funded by State Government
| Scholarship Name | Provider | Application Period* |
| PRERANA Post Matric Scholarship for ST/SC/OBC/SEBC/EBC Communities | Government of Odisha | July to October |
| Swami Vivekananda Merit Cum Means Scholarship for Minorities, West Bengal | Government of West Bengal | July to September |
| Post-matric (Other Than Intermediate) Scholarship for OBC, Uttar Pradesh | Backward Class Welfare Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh. | July to August |
| Post-matric (Other Than Intermediate) Scholarship for Minorities, Uttar Pradesh | Social Welfare Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh. | July to August |
| Post-matric Scholarship for Disabled, Maharashtra | Social Justice & Special Assistance Department, Government of Maharashtra | June to December |
| Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj Scholarship, Maharashtra | Social Welfare Commissionerate Office, Government of Maharashtra | June to December |
| Book Bank for SC Students, Maharashtra | Social Justice and Special Assistance Department, Government of Maharashtra | June to December |
| Technical Education Scholarships for PG/Degree/Engineering Courses, Himachal Pradesh | Directorate of Technical Education, Vocational & Industrial Training, Government of Himachal Pradesh | June to December |
| Professional Training Allowance and Subsistence Stipend Attached to the Hostel Students | Social Justice and Special Assistance Department, Government of Maharashtra | June to December |
| Nagaland State Merit Scholarship | Department of Higher Education, Government of Nagaland | June to July |
| Rajasthan Yuva Vikas Prerak Internship Program (RYVP) | Government of Rajasthan | April to June |
| NEC Merit Scholarship NER | Directorate of Higher Education, Government of Tripura | March to April |
*The application period mentioned above is tentative which may change at the discretion of the scholarship providing authorities.
Scholarships for Engineering Students – Private Funded
When it comes to scholarships for engineering students, there are numerous private players as well who offer scholarships to fund the education of engineering aspirants. These private players can be either government/private colleges, private organisations, institutions, NGOs or foundations. Aiming towards a common goal, these scholarships are making engineering education easily accessible for both meritorious and underprivileged students.
Below is a collective list of all private-funded scholarships for engineering students that aspirants must keep track of.
List of scholarships for engineering students – private funded
| Scholarship Name | Provider | Application Period* |
|---|---|---|
| Keep India Smiling Foundation Scholarship Programme | Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. | June to January |
| HDFC Educational Crisis Scholarship | HDFC Bank | June to August |
| Swami Dayanand Education Foundation Merit-cum-Means Scholarships | Swami Dayanand Education Foundation | June to August |
| National Scholarship Exam | National Institute of Career Education Foundation | June to September |
| North South Foundation (NSF) Scholarship | North South Foundation | June to September |
| Foundation for Excellence Scholarship | Foundation for Excellence | September to December |
| IndusInd Foundation Merit-cum-Means Scholarship | IndusInd Foundation | June to September |
| OP Jindal Engineer & Management Scholarship | O.P Jindal Group | June to August |
| GV School Development Programme (GVSDP), VIT Scholarships | Vellore Institute of Technology | January to March |
| SEST Shoolini Engineering Scholarship Test | Shoolini University | February to April |
| All India Engineering Entrance Scholarship Examination (Primary) | Brainzstorm Technical Excellence Pvt. Ltd. | January to March |
| Amrita Entrance Examination-Engineering (AEEE) | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | January to March |
| Marubeni India Meritorious Scholarship | Marubeni India Private Limited | November to January |
| M-Scholarship | Magma Fincorp | June to August |
| Vidyasaarathi-SNL Bearings Scholarship (B.E/B. Tech) | Vidyasaarathi in association with the SNL Bearings Ltd | May to July |
| Shubh Aarambh Scholarship | Mondelez International | June to August |
| JSPN Scholarship | Jaya Satya Pramoda Nidhi | June to July |
| KIET Group of Institutions Merit Scholarship | KIET Group of Institutions, Uttar Pradesh | June to July |
| G.P. Birla Education Foundation Scholarship | G.P. Birla Educational Foundation | June to July |
| DAIICT Admission Cum Scholarship | Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology | May to July |
| RGIPT M.Tech Fellowship | Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology | April to June |
| NIU Scholarship cum Admission Test | Noida International University | April to May |
| Padala Charitable Trust Scholarship | Padala Charitable Trust | April to May |
| IISc Summer Fellowship in Science and Engineering | Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore | March to April |
| Chandigarh University Scholarship and Admission Test (CU-SAT) | Chandigarh University | March to April |
| Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Admission Test (SAAT) | Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University | March to April |
| Ajmal National Talent Search (ANTS) Examination | Ajmal Foundation | February to March |
| GITAM Admission Test (GAT) | GITAM University | February to March |
| Indian Engineering Olympiad | GATEFORUM Engineering Success | December to January |
| AOEC Talent Test | Academy of Engineering Competence | December to January |
| Vel Tech Mahatma Gandhi National Merit Scholarship | Dr RR & Dr SR University | December to January |
| Karunya Varsham Scholarship | Lourdes Matha College of Science & Technology | December to January |
*The application period mentioned above is tentative which may change at the discretion of the scholarship providing authorities.
Scholarships for Engineering Students – Especially for Girls
Most students are not aware that there are about 9 to 10 scholarships available exclusively for girls who are willing to pursue a career in engineering. This section compiles the list of scholarships, especially for girls who aspire to emerge as successful engineers in the near future. Both the government and private organisations offer scholarships for girls to ensure that finances do not become a hurdle in their pathway to success.
List of scholarships for engineering students for girls
| Scholarship Name | Provider | Application Period* |
| Dr Reddy’s Foundation Sashakt Scholarship | Dr Reddy’s Foundation | June to August |
| Bigyani Kanya Medha Britti Scholarship (JBNSTS), West Bengal | Jagadis Bose National Science Talent Search (JBNSTS), Kolkata | May to July |
| L’Oréal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship | L’Oréal India | May to July |
| UGAM – Legrand Scholarship Program | Legrand India | June to July |
| Tata Housing Scholarships for Meritorious Girl Students | Tata Housing | February to March |
| RWTH International Academy – Women in Engineering Scholarship | RWTH Aachen University, Denmark | January to March |
| Indo-U.S. Fellowship for Women in STEMM | Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Indo-U.S. Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF) | January to February |
*The application period mentioned above is tentative which may change at the discretion of the scholarship providing authorities.
Scholarships for Engineering Students – Selective list
Adding to the above information, here is a detailed compilation of information about 10 selected scholarships for engineering students prevailing in India. This includes scholarships offered by private organisations, NGOs and the government.
1. North South Foundation (NSF) Scholarship
This scholarship is meant for students who have passed their Class XII and want to continue their studies in the field of engineering or medicine. A scholarship up to INR 25,000 will be provided to students for the entire course whose family annual income is less than INR 90,000.
2. IET India Scholarship Awards 2023
This scholarship is meant for students studying in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year of a full-time regular undergraduate engineering programme (in any field) approved by AICTE/UGC. Under this scholarship scheme, students can win the cash amount upto INR 1,00,000 and certificates.
3. Swami Dayanand Education Foundation Merit-cum-Means Scholarships
This is a merit-cum-means based scholarship for students pursuing engineering, IT, pharmacy, medical and architecture courses from a recognized government or private institutions in India. Selected students can win a scholarship up to INR 50,000 per annum under this scheme.
4. Yashad-Sumedha Scholarship Programme
This scholarship is meant for talented students belonging to economically backward society, this scholarship for engineering students offer financial assistance of INR 20,000 per annum to students who are studying in the first semester of the BTech programme at any government college.
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Scholarships for Engineering Students – FAQs
What types of scholarships are available for engineering students?
There are various types of scholarships available for engineering students, including need-based scholarships, merit-based scholarships, government-funded scholarships, industry-specific scholarships and scholarships offered by universities and organizations. These scholarships can cover tuition fees, living expenses, and other educational costs. Some scholarships are specifically aimed at supporting students pursuing engineering or technology-related fields.
Can I receive scholarships in addition to other financial aid?
Yes, it is possible to receive scholarships in addition to other forms of financial aid, such as education loans or grants. However, some institutions have policies that require adjustments to other financial awards if a student receives additional scholarships. Hence, it is advised to check with the respective universities for specific guidelines.
Are engineering scholarships renewable?
Some scholarships are renewable i.e. they can be awarded for multiple years as long as the recipient maintains specific academic requirements. Other scholarships may be one-time awards. Review the scholarship terms and conditions to understand if the scholarship is renewable.
Can international students apply for engineering scholarships?
Yes, many scholarships are available for international students pursuing engineering degrees. Some scholarships are specifically designated for international students, while others are open to both domestic and international students. The candidates must check the eligibility requirements of each scholarship to determine if international students are eligible.