Study Abroad Scholarships Closing March 2026

Indian students planning a Master's or PhD abroad for Fall 2026 have a narrow window left to apply for six major funding programmes, all with deadlines between 12 and 31 March 2026. From a fully funded Ireland government award to the prestigious Inlaks Scholarship worth up to USD 120,000, here is everything you need to know about these scholarships and their requirements.

Study Abroad Scholarship Upcoming Deadlines

Government of Ireland Scholarship (GOI-IES) — Closes Today

Deadline: 12 March 2026, 5pm Irish time (10:30 PM IST)

The GOI-IES awards 60 scholarships annually to non-EU/EEA international students including Indian students. Each award includes a €10,000 stipend plus a full tuition fee waiver for one year of full-time Master's or PhD study at an eligible Irish university.

Eligibility: Non-EU/EEA national; conditional or unconditional offer of admission required at time of application; strong academic record and extracurricular profile.

Results: Early June 2026.

Apply: hea.ie/policy/internationalisation/goi-ies

J.N. Tata Endowment — Closes 15 March 2026

A merit-based loan scholarship for overseas Master's, PhD, and post-doctoral study across all disciplines, administered by Tata Trusts.

Cycle: Fall 2026–Spring 2027.

Eligibility: Indian citizen; under 45 as of 30 June 2026; UG from a recognised Indian university with min. 60% marks; admission letter not required at application stage.

Not eligible for: Online/distance PG, India-based PG, exchange programmes, undergraduate study abroad.

Apply: application.jntataendowment.org

Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation PG Scholarship — Closes 18 March 2026, 5:00 PM IST

Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation PG Scholarship offers repayable, interest-free financial assistance for postgraduate study at prestigious institutions in India or abroad. Repayment begins one year after course completion.

Eligibility: Indian national residing in India; under 30 as of 31 January 2026; UG from an accredited Indian university; admission not required at application stage. Application fee: Rs. 500 (non-refundable).

Apply: pg.nsfoundation.co.in

Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship (AKF ISP) — Closes 31 March 2026

AKF is a need-and-merit-based award structured as 50% grant + 50% loan. Covers tuition and living expenses for postgraduate study abroad. India is an explicitly eligible country.

Eligibility: Indian citizen; Bachelor's degree; genuine financial need; admitted to a reputable postgraduate institution; entering first year of programme; preference for applicants under 30. Not available for study in the UK or Russia.

Note: Applications for India are processed through AKF's local India office — use the eligibility chatbot on the AKDN website for the India-specific application route.

Apply: akf.org/international-scholarship-programme

Inlaks Scholarship — Closes 31 March 2026, 12:00 PM IST

An outright grant (not a loan) of up to USD 120,000, covering tuition, living expenses, one-way travel, visa costs, and health allowance for study at top universities in the UK, Europe, or USA.

Eligibility: Indian passport holder resident in India; born on or after 1 January 1996; UG from a recognised Indian university (min. 65% for humanities/arts; 70% for sciences); offer of admission required at time of application; applicants already studying abroad are not eligible.

Excluded subjects: Business, Computer Science, Engineering (except Imperial College London), MBA, Medicine, Fashion Design, Hospitality.

Apply: inlaksfoundation.org/opportunities/scholarship

Chinese Government Scholarship – Type B (CSC) — Deadlines March–April 2026

A fully funded scholarship for Master's and PhD study at designated Chinese universities, covering tuition, accommodation, monthly stipend, and medical insurance. Students apply directly to individual universities.

Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizen; under 35 (Master's) or 40 (PhD); min. GPA 3.0/4.0 or 80/100; IELTS 6.0+ or TOEFL iBT 80+ for English-taught programmes.

Deadline note: Set by individual universities — most fall between March and April 2026. Check each target university's portal via campuschina.org.

Note for Indian students: Verify current visa processing timelines and travel advisories given the India-China diplomatic context before applying.

Also Upcoming: JJ/WBGSP (World Bank) — Window 2 Opens 30 March 2026

Covers tuition, living stipend, round-trip airfare, and health insurance for Master's study in development-related fields at 44 programmes across 24 universities in the US, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan. India is eligible.

Window 2: 30 March – 29 May 2026.

Key requirement: Minimum 3 years of paid, development-related work experience within the past 6 years; unconditional admission to a JJ/WBGSP participating programme required before applying.

Details: worldbank.org/en/programs/scholarships/jj-wbgsp

Students targeting Fall 2026 should prioritise applications with the earliest deadline first: J. N. Tata Endowment (15 March), then Narotam Sekhsaria (18 March, 5 pm), and finally Inlaks (31 March, 12:00 pm IST)—while double-checking eligibility and required documents on each official portal.