List of PhD Abroad Scholarships (2025) for Indian Students

A PhD from a top-ranked university is no longer a utopia if you win a scholarship. There are many PhD scholarship for Indian students to study abroad & these scholarship for PhD students are crucial, who otherwise would have to bear high tuition fees and living costs. No need to be tense; most of the reputed universities across the globe offer scholarships for doctoral students with the best research facilities.

 

In this article, you will learn about international PhD scholarships for Indian students to which they can apply.

The scholarship for PhD students to study abroad can be either fully or partially funded. The applicant must carefully read the details regarding the scholarships for which they apply. Today PhD in USA for Indian students with scholarship has gained popularity, making it attractive for other students to pursue their dream of higher education in USA.

 

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  Fully Funded Scholarships - The fully funded scholarships cover all the major expenses related to your overseas education. The fully funded PhD in USA for Indian students is an attractive option. These scholarships cover your tuition fee, living allowance, study material cost, travel, insurance, etc.

• 
  Partial Scholarships - Partial scholarships cover only part of your total study cost. The coverage will be either for the tuition fee or living expenses. The funding conditions differ for various scholarships.

This section will guide you about scholarship for PhD in USA for Indian students and other popular scholarships offered by various universities. You can also avail the benefit of a fully funded PhD in USA for Indian students and students of other nationalities.

Commonwealth Scholarship:

The UK awards the Commonwealth Scholarship to students from the Commonwealth countries who excel in academics, leadership, and innovative thinking. Around 800 scholarships are awarded annually; the beneficiaries study in UK universities without worrying about the high tuition fees for their first three years of study.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Citizen or permanent resident of a commonwealth country or a refugee or a British-protected person
• 
  Financially unable to study in the UK without the scholarship
• 
  Less than 40 years of age

Amount/Expenses Covered:

• 
  Monthly stipend of GBP 1,236 or GBP 1516 (for universities in the London metropolitan area)
• 
  Airfare for first arrival & departure 
• 
  Extra allowances and grants

Duration: 3 years

Destination Australia Program:

A PhD scholar in Australian regional universities can apply for the Destination Australia Program. Scholarship receivers channel the cross-cultural takeaways that would merit Australian society in general. For 2023, priority falls on courses aligned with the Australian Government’s National Skills Priority List.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Studying in a regional institution of Australia
• 
  No other sponsorships

Amount/Expenses Covered: AUD 15,000 per year

 

Duration: Maximum 4 years

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships:

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is for doctoral scholars in Health Research, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Only scholars with exceptional academic performance, research ability, and proven leadership skills are eligible to be the beneficiaries. The scholars must apply through their enrolled institution.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Institution’s nomination
• 
  Exceptional academic merit
• 
  Research potential
• 
  Leadership skills

Amount/Expense Covered: The annual sum of CAD 50,000

 

Duration: 3 years

Friedrich Naumann Foundation for International students:

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation Scholarship is for researchers in German Universities. It aims to support researchers financially with a convincing and innovative research project. Annually around 150 students avail the scholarship, which makes it reliable among the international research scholar community in Germany. Relevance of the project to the discipline, the applicant’s academic merit, and the candidate’s need are the primary criteria for selection.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Must be an international student
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  Relevance of the research proposal
• 
  Academic merit
• 
  Financial necessity for the scholarship

 Amount/Expenses Covered: EUR 800 to EUR 1200 per month.

 

Duration: Up to 3 years

AAUW International Women’s Fellowship:

AAUW International Fellowships support women for doctoral studies in US Universities. Established in 1917, the scholarship beneficiaries must be passionate about their research and commit to the betterment of women and girls in their home country. The research work's relevance, quality, and applicability would play a vital role in the selection process.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Should be a woman scholar of non-US citizenship
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  Full-time availability for the fellowship
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  Intend to return to their home country after studies
• 
  Underprivileged candidates will get more preference

Amount/Expenses Covered: USD 50,000 for a year

 

Duration: 1 year

Fulbright Nehru Doctoral Research fellowship:

A program that helps Indian scholars study in the US, the Fulbright Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship financially backs selected doctoral students of an Indian university to conduct research in a host institution in the US for 6-9 months. Unique to the program, the beneficiaries can audit non-degree courses and gain practical work exposure in the US.

 

According to the USIEF (United States-India Educational Foundation) message dated February 02, 2022, fostering the US-India relation through providing personal, academic, and professional growth opportunities for Indian students and growing mutual understanding between the US and India are of prime concerns for the Fulbright program.

 

Eligibility:

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  Recommendation letter from the supervisor that documents the applicant’s research excellence and needs for the fellowship.
• 
  Only ongoing researchers can apply for this scholarship.
• 
  Applicants must have registered for their Ph.D. at an Indian institution on or before November 1, 2023

Amount/Expenses covered:

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  J-1 Visa support
• 
  Monthly stipend
• 
  Round trip economy class travel
• 
  Applicable allowances and affiliation fees

Duration: 6-9 months

DAAD Scholarship Germany:

DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst ) research grants aim to promote doctoral research projects. For a maximum duration of 6 months, the selected candidates would receive euros 1200 per month and health, accident, and personal liability insurance cover. There are 25 DAAD scholarships for Indian students every year.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Two years of work experience
• 
  Academic merit
• 
  German language requirements

Amount/Expenses covered:

• 
  Tuition fees
• 
  Travel allowance
• 
  Health insurance
• 
  Accompanying spouse/child allowance

Duration: 1 year

Exploring ways to fund your education? Watch our video to learn about scholarships offered by the Indian government for students like you!

Yale University Scholarships:

Yale University offers financial support to PhD scholars through fixed categories of fellowships, such as University Fellowship (UF), Teaching Fellowship (TF), Travel Health Fellowships, etc. There are fourteen types of funding for Ph.D. scholars at Yale University.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Excellent research project and Statement of Purpose
• 
  Academic merit and achievements
• 
  Entrance test scores(IELTS, TOEFL, etc.)

Amount/Expense covered:

• 
  Fully funded
• 
  Tuition fees
• 
  Living expenses

Duration: 2-5 years

Gates Cambridge Scholarship:

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Program is offered by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for international students to study for postgraduate degrees at Cambridge University. This broadly fully funded program benefits around 80 students annually; two-thirds of the beneficiaries are PhD scholars. Exceptional candidates with leadership and social commitment are selected for the scholarship.

 

Note that some courses are excluded from the scholarship, like Business Doctorate (BusD), Master of Business (MBA), Master of Finance (MFin), etc. The student must ensure that their program of study is on the list of funding.

 

Eligibility:

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  Pursuing a full-time postgraduate degree 
• 
  Academic merit
• 
  Leadership skills
• 
  Commitment for the betterment of society

Amount/Expenses covered:

• 
  Tuition fees
• 
  Living Allowance
• 
  Economy airfare for first arrival and departure
• 
  Inbound visa costs
• 
  Immigration Health Surcharge

Apart from these, additional funding will be there on a discretionary basis, such as:

• 
  Academic development funding
• 
  Family allowance
• 
  Fieldwork
• 
  Maternity/Paternity allowance
• 
  Hardship funding

Duration: Up to 4 years

Australian Govt Research Training Program International Scholarship (AGRTPS) at Flinders University:

The Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarships (AGRTPS) (International) helps students study at Flinders University for a postgraduate degree. Since the maximum number of scholarships awarded per year is five, the selection rounds are highly competitive.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Commencing a postgraduate degree at Flinders University
• 
  Academic merit
• 
  Academic research training

Amount/Expense covered:

• 
  AUD 28,854 per annum
• 
  Tuition fee 
• 
  Living Allowance
• 
  Overseas Health Care Cover

Duration: 3 years

Presidents PhD Scholarships - Imperial College:

The President’s PhD Scholarships help deserving students study for PhD at Imperial College, London. The scholarships cover full tuition fees and offer an attractive monthly stipend for 3.5 years. Full-time and part-time study options are available under the scholarship.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Academic brilliance
• 
  Excellent research potential

Amount/Expenses covered:

• 
  Tuition fees
• 
  Living Allowance

Duration: 3.5 years

Stanford University Scholarships:

Stanford GSE (Graduate School of Education) provides full scholarships for all PhD programs for five years. Recipient selection for the scholarships is based on the financial need and excellence of the research project. The scholarships include tuition fees, monthly stipends, and other expenses.

 

Eligibility:

• 
  Academic merit
• 
  Potential of the research project
• 
  Financial need of the candidate

Amount/Expenses covered:

• 
  Tuition fees
• 
  Monthly stipend

Duration: 5 years

 

PhD Universities/ Colleges In the USA:

Below are some of the universities that provide doctoral courses and scholarship for PhD in USA for Indian students.

PhD Universities/ Colleges In Canada:

PhD Universities/ Colleges In the UK:

PhD Universities/ Colleges In the Germany:

PhD Universities/ Colleges In Australia:

In this section, you will learn about various PhD scholarships in India for general category students that are available for students who are either pursuing their doctoral program or willing to pursue the same. Below are some of the prominent PhD scholarship for Indian students.

Prime Minister Research Fellowship (PMRF):

Eligibility: Students must have completed or be pursuing the final year of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Science or Technology from recognized institutions like IISc, IITs, NITs, IISERs, or equivalent.

• 
   A minimum CGPA of 8.0 (on a 10-point scale) is required, and GATE scores above 750 may be necessary for certain categories.

Benefits: Fellowship amounts up to INR 70,000 - 80,000 per month along with a research grant of INR 2 lakh annually.

 

Process: Direct entry and lateral entry options are available. Selection involves an interview, research proposal evaluation, and academic performance review

CSIR-UGC NET Junior Research Fellowship (JRF):

Eligibility: Students must hold an MSc or equivalent degree in relevant science disciplines with at least 55% marks.

• 
  The age of the student should not exceed 28 years.
• 
  Moreover, to avail the benefits of this fellowship program, you must qualify for the CSIR NET exam, which is mandatory.

Benefits: Fellowship of INR 31,000 per month for the initial two years and INR 35,000 per month for the remaining tenure. A contingency grant of INR 20,000 annually is also provided.

 

Process: Online applications for JRF-NET are invited normally twice a year on all India basis. The information with respect to inviting applications is also made available on the HRDG website

DBT Junior Research Fellowship:

Eligibility: This fellowship is open to students with a postgraduate degree in Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, or allied fields, with at least 60% marks. 

 

Benefits: Fellowship of INR 31,000 per month for two years which is extendable with performance reviews.

 

Application Process: The selection process is based on the Biotechnology Eligibility Test (BET) and one must be admitted to a PhD program at a recognized institutions

Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF):

Eligibility: Students must belong to minority communities (Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi).

• 
  Students must qualify for UGC-NET or CSIR-UGC-NET for JRF and Assistant Professor eligibility.
• 
  Moreover, the students already admitted to M.Phil./PhD are preferred.

Benefits: INR 31,000 per month for the first two years and INR 35,000 per month for the next three years.

• 
  Contingency benefit of up to INR 25,000 annually.

Process: Students must apply via UGC-NET or CSIR-UGC-NET.

 

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• 
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