National Scholarship for ST Students 2026-27: full fees, ₹3,000 a month and a ₹45,000 computer grant, apply by 31 October
For ST students admitted on merit to one of the premier institutions notified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, with family income up to ₹6 lakh. Pays the full admission and tuition fee at government institutes (capped at ₹2.5 lakh a year at private ones), ₹3,000 a month as stipend, ₹5,000 a year for books, and ₹45,000 once for a computer. There is no institute-wise slot limit. Open on the National Scholarship Portal until 31 October 2026.
This is the scholarship part of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs' National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students — the scheme that used to be called Top Class Education for Scheduled Tribe students. The fellowship part of the same scheme funds MPhil and PhD research and is a separate track; this page is about the scholarship for degree and postgraduate study.
Who can apply
- You belong to a Scheduled Tribe
- Total family income from all sources is not more than ₹6 lakh a year
- You have taken admission, on merit, to a graduate or postgraduate course in one of the premier institutions notified by the Ministry — the guidelines list 252 of them, across management, medicine and science, engineering and technology, humanities, law and the social sciences
- Students admitted in the management quota of a private institute are not entitled to this scholarship
One thing to check before anything else: if you are studying in one of these notified institutions, you cannot also apply under the Ministry's Post-Matric Scholarship — the guidelines rule that out to avoid duplication. So confirm with your institute which of the two applies to you.
What you get
- Full admission fee, tuition fee and other non-refundable charges at government institutes. At private-sector institutes there is a ceiling of ₹2.5 lakh a year per student
- A stipend of ₹3,000 a month
- ₹5,000 a year for books and stationery, paid without bills or vouchers
- ₹45,000 once during the course for a computer and accessories — desktop or laptop — again without bills
No slot ceiling — and what that means
This is the unusual part, and it is worth reading twice. The guidelines say every eligible student who has taken admission on merit to an identified premier institute, and who is verified by the institute and the Ministry, is eligible to receive the scholarship. There is no institute-wise, state-wise or stream-wise ceiling on the number of slots.
So unlike most premier-institute schemes, you are not competing against a fixed quota. What decides your case is whether your papers are in order and whether your institute verifies you in time.
The published guidelines run for 2021-22 to 2025-26 and the portal is taking 2026-27 applications; the notified institution list is revised by the Ministry from time to time, so check that your institute is on the current list.
Other conditions
- You cannot claim any other Central or State Government scholarship for the same course of study
- Once awarded, the scholarship continues till the course ends, subject to satisfactory performance certified by your institute
- Income is gross income from all sources — salary, interest, house property, business, agriculture. Income Tax Act deductions and exemptions do not apply to this calculation
- If both parents work, both incomes count. A sibling's income does not. For a married candidate, the spouse's income counts. For an orphan supported by a guardian, the income condition does not apply
Documents to keep ready
- ST certificate
- Income certificate for the financial year immediately before the selection year — Form 16 is accepted for salaried parents; for other income, a certificate from the designated state authority. You need it once, at admission, for a multi-year course
- Proof of admission and your merit rank
- Fee structure from the institute
- Aadhaar seeded with your bank account, and your bank details
How to apply
Apply on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in. Complete One Time Registration first, then apply under the National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students (Scholarship). Your university or institute verifies the application on the portal and the Ministry verifies it after that, so submit well before 31 October and follow up with your scholarship cell.
Dates checked on 4 August 2026. Deadlines in India move without notice, so confirm on the official portal linked above before you apply.
Published 4 Aug 2026. Dates change without warning, so check the official site before you apply. We never take your application, your documents or your money. You apply directly, always.