Since it is not always possible to bear out all the expenses that one needs to go for higher studies, be it inside the country or abroad, scholarships and various study loans provided by different banks, public and private corporates, educational institutes, Trusts and the Ministry of HRD hold great value for the students.

Bank Loans

Most of the nationalised banks such as SBI, UCO, PNB, Union Bank of India etc. offer study loans to students for higher studies in Indian as well as foreign universities/institutes. Normally, the loan would cover the college/hostel/school, examination/library/laboratory fee, purchase of books/study equipments/uniform, caution deposit/refundable deposit supported by institution bills/receipts etc. Purchase of computers is provided in case of necessity to complete the course and other expenses required for the courses like study tours, project work, thesis etc. are also covered by the loan. The maximum limit for studies in India is Rs. 7.50 lakh and for studies abroad it is Rs. 15.00 lakhs with a maximum interest rate of 11.5 % p.a. Most of these banks don’t ask for processing charges and offer long repayment periods up to 5-7 years.
The financing is dependent upon the repaying capacity of parents or guardians or students. Disbursement of loan is directly to the University/College/Hostel etc. One can avail the loan from all branches of public sector commercial banks offering study loans as well as those having personal banking divisions.

The minimum requisite for a scholarship or study loan is that the applicant must be an Indian National and he/she must have secured admission to professional/technical courses through an entrance test or any other selection process in India or has secured admission to a foreign university or institution is eligible to apply for the loan.

Besides, nationalised banks several MNC banks like City bank also provide loans for higher
studies.

Indian Oil Scholarship

Courses: MBBS, MBA, Engineering Programmes, 10+2 and ITI. 500 scholarships are awarded. Loan amounts – Rs. 2000 per month to MBBS, MBA and Engineering students, Rs. 1000 per month to 10+2 and ITI students.

Eligibility

First year students (Class XI and first year of ITI training) who have secured 65 per cent of marks in the last qualifying examination. 5% relaxation in marks is allowed to girls/SC/ST/OBC and 15% relaxation for those who are physically handicapped. Age, between 15 - 30 years.

Application Procedure

Application form can be obtained from the company’s office.The form can also be downloaded from the website: . Notification, in September.

Contact:
Administrator, ABC Assessment Service Pvt. Ltd.
Post Bag No: 007,
Srinivaspuri Post Office,
New Delhi – 110 065.
www.iocl.com

Bharat Petrolium Scholarship for Higher Studies
Awarded to Indian students who have secured at least 65% in humanities and 70% in BE/B Sc/B Com.

www.bharatpetroleum.com

Aditya Birla Scholarship

We foster outstanding academic excellence and humane leadership values, in partnership with select institutions such as the IITs, the IIMs and BITS, Pilani, the ABS programme selects students based on parameters such as their, academic excellence, extra-curricular activities, leadership qualities, values, vision etc.
www.adityabirlascholars.net/

Some other prominent industrial and corporate houses offering scholarships for higher studies in India and abroad are:

Sahu Jain Trust, 4th floor, Times House, 7, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi- 110002.
J.N.Tata Endowment , Bombay House, 24, Homi Modi Street, Mumbai – 400001.
Contact:
Administrative officer,
Mulla House, 51 M G Road,
Mumbai 400 001.

K.C. Mahindra Scholarship Trust,

Contacts :
Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.,
Jeevan Deep Buildings,
8, Parliamentary Street,
New Delhi -110001.

ITC Scholarships, ITC ltd., ITC Centre, 37, Chowrangee, Kolkata -700071.
Rotary Scholarships for higher studies in India and abroad.

Contacts :
Scholarship Committee,
Rotary Foundation, A-1/85, Panchsheel Enclave,
New Delhi – 110017.

(A useful website for availing information on study loans
www.academicsindia.com/study_loans/)

Sri Brihad Bharatitya Samaj Scholarships (National)
Awarded to candidates who are keen to pursue Graduate or Post Graduate degree courses in the areas like Engineering, Nursing, Pharmacy, Agriculture and Medicine. Awarded by – The Govt. of India.
Address :
Sri Brihad Bharatiya Samaj,
NKM International House, 178,
Backbay Reclamation, Babubhai M.
Chennai Marg, Mumbai - 400 020.

Scholarship/GATE (National)
Scores of Graduate Aptitude Test or GATE in Engineering is used for admission to Postgraduate Programme with MHRD by
UPSC/AICTE.www.utd.ac.in/gate, www.gate.usc.ernet.in

NTSC Scholarships
For XI & XII students NCERT, Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi – 16. www.ncert.nic.in
Scholarship for meritorious disabled students

Awarded by: The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP).

Awarded to: Persons with physical disabilities such as Blindness or Low Vision, Speech Hearing Impairments, Locomotors disabilities including those arising from leprosy, Cerebral Palsy, and allied disorders, Thalassemia, Haemophilia etc.
Awarded by:
NCPEDP, 25, Green Park Extension,
Yusuf Sarai, New Delhi – 110 016.
www.ncpedp.org

Cambridge Nehru Scholarships (India)
For research leading to Ph.D degrees at the University of Cambridge.
Awarded by –
Nehru Trust for Cambridge University,
Teen Murti House,
New Delhi – 110 011.
www.admin.cam.ac.uk (/univ/gsprospectus/ funding/overseas/india.html)

Rhodes Scholarship (India)
Scholarship for a course of study leading to a degree of the University of Oxford (UK) is awarded to candidates with a first class honours degree in pure or applied sciences, humanties, law or medicine with an interest and achievement in extra curricular activities like sports, theatre and community work.
Contacts :
The Secretary, Rhodes Scholarship (India),
PO Box No. 2108, Delhi – 7.
www.rhodesscholarships-india.com

Some of the international organisations offering funding to students:

The United Nations, www.un.org;
World Health Organisations.
Soros Foundation, www.soros.org
AMIDEAST, www.amideast.org .


A Country-by-country list of grants for studying in over 100 countries worldwide can be available from the website of Unesco - www.unesco.org

Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships
The Commonwealth Scholarships (offered under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan) are intended for postgraduate study or research in various Commonwealth countries. For details visit -www.acu.ac.uk

British Council Scholarships and Fellowships
For general information on studying in the UK and details of funding sources, one may contact the various British Council offices initially. A full listing of British Council addresses is available at www.britishcouncil.org

SIA Youth Scholarship
Awarded to: Candidates having an aggregate of 85% with English as the first language in the standard 10th state/national examinations.
Awarded by: Singapore Airlines for a 2 year Pre-university course in top junior colleges in Singapore.
The United World Colleges Committee (India),
Mahindra Tower, Ground Floor, Worli,
Mumbai 400 018.
www.uncconimindia.net

Studies in Australia and New Zealand
Financial assistance offered by – The Paras Education Foundation (TPEF). www.isloan.org
The Australia-India Council (AIC) is offering fellowships to PG students from India for higher studies in Australia. Log on: www.ausgovindia.com

Graduate students applying for higher studies in the US, UK, Canada and Australia can use a common application form for over 100 universities. To download form and apply online: www.commonapp.org

Some helpful website for information on financial aid for higher studies abroad: :www.internationalscholarships.com;
www.cies.org/cies ;
www.iefa.org