Government of India ICCR Scholarship for International Students 2026

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), was established in 1950 with the primary objectives of establishing, reviving and strengthening cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries. Its aims, as enunciated in the Memorandum of Association, are:

• To participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes relating to India's external cultural relations;
• To foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries;
• To promote cultural exchange with other countries and peoples;
• To establish and develop relations with national and inter-national Organization in the field of culture;
• To take such measures as may be required to further these objectives.

Through its scholarship programme, people from different parts of the world have benefited from ICCR. On the one hand, ICCR has helped various countries in capacity-building by providing scholarships to foreign students in the professional fields like engineering, agriculture, management etc.. On the other hand, it has promoted Indian culture by providing scholarships to pursue courses in Indian dance, music, Yoga, Ayurveda and Indian languages. Many of ICCR Alumni have achieved positions of influence in their respective countries and each ICCR scholar is India's goodwill Ambassador abroad.

About Government of India

Government of India ICCR Scholarship for International Students

Aim and Benefits of Government of India ICCR Scholarship for International Students

• Tuition fees
• Living expenses / stipend
• Thesis and Dissertation allowances
• Airfare
• Housing / accommodation
• Health Insurance
• Contingent grant

Requirements for Government of India ICCR Scholarship for International Students Qualification

• All applications will be accepted online through A2A ICCR Scholarship Portal (https://a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in) only. Once the student has obtained admissionon A2A portal and the Mission/Post has decided to award scholarship to thatparticular student, he/she(student) may be advised to register on SII portal forobtaining Unique ID and further process including obtaining visa and registrationwith FRRO (VISA and registration with the FRRO are to be processed on Study inIndia (SII) portal).
• ApplicationswillnotbeacceptedphysicallyinIndianMissionsabroad/ICCR/Universities.
• Applications will not be accepted locally(in India)
• Applications should be complete in every detail to avoid rejection of the same by theA2A portal/University/Institute.
• In case of documents available in local language, applicants are requested to upload certified copies of translations of these documents in English. In case of unavailability of English transcript, the application will be rejected.
• Applicants applying for Doctoral courses should submit a synopsis along with the application.
• Applicants wishing to pursue performing arts course should upload the latest video/audio/ YouTube link of their performance.
• Students who are already pursuing Under Graduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) courses in India and intend to pursue further studies will have to apply afresh through A2A portal to process their applications, as the applications will not be entertained and processed physically.
• ICCR scholarships are meant for admissions only in the Indian State/Central universities/Institutes or colleges affiliated to and recognized by the Indian State and Central Universities. The list of such Universities/Institutes, empanelled with ICCR, is available on the Portal.
• Student has the option of applying in 5 Universities/Institutes of his/her choice in preferential order through A2A Scholarship Portal.
• In order to pursue studies in engineering/science, students should have studied Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry at Higher Secondary levels.
• In Biology-based science subjects, students should have studied Biology, Physics and Chemistry at Higher Secondary.
• In order to avoid rejection from Universities/colleges, applicants are advised to make their subject choices carefully, based on the subjects they have studied at Higher Secondary. 2
• For admission in UG level courses, it is compulsory to have 10+2 i.e; (12 years) of schooling. It is, therefore, necessary that the student applying for UG level courses must complete 12 years of schooling.
• List of courses offered and the criteria/pre-requisites for admission in these Universities/Institutes may be referred to on the respective University website by the applicant. This is to avoid time delays in processing applications. A2A Portal has web links of each of the University and courses offered by them.
• Applicants are advised to read all the instructions on the online portal for filling online application and leave no field blank. Subsequent change of University/Institute or course after ICCR scholarship has been awarded will not be entertained.
• Students should not be allowed or supposed to do any part time/full time job along with his/her studies.
• Age limit for availing scholarship Minimum/Maximum
  • Age limit for students under various courses is as under:
    • PhD - 50Yearsmaximum
    • UG/PG - 18-40 Years (18 years as on date 01.07.2026)
    • There is no upper age limit for courses in Hindi/Sanskrit/Indian performing arts such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam etc.

Selection of Subjects, Courses and Universities

1. For admission to science/engineering courses, an applicant should have studied Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry at Higher Secondary level to be eligible.
2. Applicants should clearly mention the course to which they are seeking admission while mentioning choices.
3. For choosing options for Universities, applicant must refer to University website or list of eligible Universities. List of Universities is available on the A2A Portal.
4. As IITs provide admission in B.Tech Course through a separate procedure, ICCR scholarships are not offered for the same.
5. For MBA, GMAT score is mandatory. vi. ICCR does not accept applications for Casual Research. vii. The admissions in Medical/ Paramedical (Nursing / Physiotherapy / anesthesia etc.) / fashion / law courses / integrated courses such as BALLB (5 Years) / B Sc & M. Sc (5 Years) etc. are not admissible.
6. Applicants of Ph.D. courses should upload Synopsis (Proposal)oftheresearchwork.

Medium of instruction and English proficiency

• Medium of instruction is English in all the Universities in India. Applicants should therefore have good knowledge of English to the extent that they are able to speak fluently in English and comprehend lessons in English without any difficulty.
• While filling the application, the applicant has to write a 500 word essay in English language, on one of the topics / subjects mentioned in the A2A Portal.
• There is an optional provision of providing marks obtained in English Proficiency Test like TOFEL/LETS etc. Only the marks obtained in such exams should be filled in.

More than one application of one candidate on A2A Portal will lead to disqualification of candidate.

It is a compulsory requirement of Indian Universities/institutes for foreign students to have a passport to study in India, which also include applicants from countries not requiring passport for travel to India.

Passport size photograph of applicant with white background and visibility of both ears should be uploaded.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Government of India ICCR Scholarship for International Students

• The application once submitted by student will directly go to selected Universities/Institutes through A2A Portal.
• The application will be scrutinized by the respective Universities/Institutes for eligibility of admission of applicant in the applied course and stream.
• Indian Universities/educational institutes are autonomous and independent bodies and have their own eligibility criteria. It is, therefore, for the students to satisfy themselves about the course chosen and about the Universities.
• Decision on admission is solely that of the respective University/Institute and queries on this thus should not be directed to ICCR. Admission is provisional till the time Universities satisfy themselves of the authenticity of requisite documents from the students.
• If on arrival, it is found that the student does not possess the required original documents on the basis of which the admission has been finalized, the students will themselves be responsible for the consequences including denial of admission by the Universities and student will have toreturn to his/her country at own cost. ICCR will not bear cost on such student's return airfare.

Documents Required for Application

The students while coming to India to join their respective University/Institute should invariably bring the following documents:

• Original documents relating to their qualifications for verification by the respective University/Institute.
• English Translation of the documents in original.
• Certified copy of the syllabus of the last qualifying examination.
• Valid passport with appropriate visa. Student visa for Undergraduate/Post graduate studies and research visa for Ph D studies.
• Award of scholarship letter issued by the concerned IndianMission/Postabroad.
• Undertaking from the student that the course and the University as conveyed is acceptable and that he/she will not request for change at the time of admission.
• Undertaking from the student that they have read the terms and conditions/Guidelines of ICCR scholarship as specified in the Scholarship Manual 2026-27 [The one time undertaking will be applicable even when scholarship manual is updated (as per para 36 like provision)], available on ICCR website.

Check also:How To Write a Winning Scholarship Essay (Upcoming Webinar)Free Ongoing Fully Funded Scholarships Guide 2026 (Download Now)

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more information, kindly visit ICCR scholarship webpage.