Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarship Guide for Indian Postgraduates

What the Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarship is

The Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarship is awarded by the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, an Indian foundation that funds talented Indian graduates to pursue full-time postgraduate study at leading institutions abroad. According to the Foundation, the scholarship supports study in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.

It is one of the most established India-specific awards for study abroad, and it is competitive. Rather than a fixed tuition-only grant, the Foundation describes support that can extend to tuition, living costs, one-way travel, visa costs and a health allowance, up to a stated maximum. The exact ceiling, and whether your particular case attracts full or partial support, are set by the Foundation each cycle — always confirm on the official site.

This guide explains the concept, the broad eligibility idea, and how the process works, so you can decide whether to invest time in an application. It is general information, not a guarantee — every figure and rule below defers to inlaksfoundation.org.

Who can apply (eligibility, in brief)

The Foundation sets its own eligibility rules and updates them each year. At a high level, applicants are Indian passport holders resident in India who hold a degree from a recognised Indian university, and the Foundation applies an age bar (defined by a 'born on or after' date that shifts each cycle) plus minimum academic grades that differ by field of study.

Crucially, you must already have prior admission — an offer to the specific institution and course — at the time you apply; the Foundation does not consider applicants without evidence of admission. Certain applicants are excluded, for example those who have already completed a postgraduate qualification abroad or have already begun postgraduate study abroad.

• Indian passport holder, resident in India (per the official rules)
• A recognised Indian university degree, meeting the field-specific academic threshold
• An age limit defined by a 'born on or after' date that changes each cycle
• Prior admission (an offer) to your chosen institution and course before you apply
• Confirm every criterion — and the exact grade thresholds — on the official site

Fields supported — and fields excluded

The Inlaks Scholarship is not open to every subject. The Foundation publishes a list of ineligible fields, which has historically included areas such as Business/Finance, Computer Science, most Engineering, Management Studies/MBA, Medicine and Dentistry, Fashion Design, Hospitality/Tourism and Film/Animation, with narrow, specific exceptions.

Because the excluded-fields list is set by the Foundation and can change, do not assume your subject is in or out. Check the current subject rules on inlaksfoundation.org before you build an application, and read the specific exceptions carefully — a field that looks excluded may have a defined carve-out (or vice versa).

• There is an official list of excluded subjects — read it in full
• Some excluded areas have narrow, named exceptions
• Subject rules are set by the Foundation and can change each cycle

What the scholarship can cover

The Foundation describes support that can include tuition fees, living expenses, one-way travel, visa costs and a health allowance, up to a maximum value that it publishes for the cycle. Support can run for a period tied to the length of the course.

Treat the headline maximum as a ceiling, not a promise: the actual award reflects your circumstances and the Foundation's assessment. Because amounts, the funded duration and the components covered are all volatile, this guide does not quote figures — confirm the current value and terms directly on the official site.

How the application works

The process is admission-first: secure your offer to a qualifying institution and course, then apply to the Foundation within its published window. Applications are reviewed, and shortlisted candidates are typically called for interview(s) before final decisions.

The Foundation runs on an annual cycle with fixed dates for submission, review and interviews, and these move every year. Plan backwards from the Foundation's deadline and your admission timeline, because you need the offer in hand to apply. Always work from the current cycle's dates on the official site — do not rely on last year's calendar.

• Step 1 — Apply to your institution and secure an offer
• Step 2 — Submit the Inlaks application within the published window
• Step 3 — Shortlisting and interview(s)
• Step 4 — Final decision and award terms
• Dates change annually — always use the current official calendar

Staying safe and realistic

No legitimate scholarship is ever sold, and no one can 'guarantee' you an Inlaks award for a fee. Apply only through the official Foundation channels, never pay an agent to secure a scholarship, and never share bank details or documents with anyone promising a guaranteed result.

Selection is merit-based and competitive, so treat the scholarship as one part of your funding plan rather than a certainty. Line up your admission, budget and any backup funding in parallel, and keep the official site as your single source of truth for eligibility, coverage and deadlines.