Scholarships for Nepali Students in India: The Complete 2026 Guide

Q: Does the ICCR scholarship pay for my flight from Nepal?

No — ICCR's 2026–27 guidelines state airfare and related travel expenses are not covered unless a scheme specifically says so . The **AYUSH scheme is the exception**, providing a one-time economy return airfare .

Q: Is my NEB +2 certificate accepted for Indian bachelor's admission?

Generally yes — NEB Grade 12 is a two-year higher-secondary qualification that fits the "10+2 or equivalent" clause most Indian universities use . The **Association of Indian Universities (AIU)** is the nodal agency for foreign-qualification equivalence, and some universities may ask for an AIU Equivalence Certificate; each institution can also set its own subject and marks requirements .

Q: Can ICCR scholars study at IITs or private universities?

ICCR does not fund private universities — only empanelled State/Central institutions . IITs and NITs (e.g. IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, NIT Trichy) do appear on ICCR's empanelled list , but ICCR guidelines state **no B.Tech admission at IITs** for foreign students under the scheme — IITs are available only for other eligible courses .

- Nepali students can access ICCR (ABVGSS + Sushma Swaraj Silver Jubilee), AYUSH, COMPEX and university-level scholarships: around 1,500 Government of…

TL;DR

Nepali students can access ICCR (ABVGSS + Sushma Swaraj Silver Jubilee), AYUSH, COMPEX and university-level scholarships: around 1,500 Government of India scholarship seats go to Nepali nationals each year [2].
Official 2026–27 ICCR stipends: ₹18,000/month (UG), ₹20,000/month (PG), ₹22,000/month (PhD), plus full tuition [1].
The ICCR A2A window for 2026–27 closed on 22 April 2026 [5][6]. Dates for the next (2027–28) cycle are not yet announced; the A2A portal usually opens late February to late April. Watch a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in and indembkathmandu.gov.in.
If you don't win an award, recognised public universities like the University of Mumbai remain affordable: international tuition is approximately ₹1–1.25 lakh/year for many programmes, though fees vary widely by course [16].

What scholarships can Nepali students get to study in India?

Nepali students can apply for four main scholarship families to study in India: ICCR scholarships (the Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme and the Sushma Swaraj Silver Jubilee Scheme), AYUSH scholarships for Ayurveda and traditional medicine, COMPEX scholarships for engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, food technology and nursing, and university-level merit and need-based awards. The Embassy of India in Kathmandu notes that around 1,500 scholarships per year in total are provided to Nepali nationals under all Government of India schemes combined [2].

Each family works differently: ICCR and AYUSH applications go through the A2A portal (a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in), COMPEX is run directly by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu with its own entrance test [12], and university awards are applied for after admission. This guide covers amounts, deadlines and the exact steps for each, with every figure cited to an official source.

How much do these scholarships pay? Amounts and coverage at a glance

You will find wildly conflicting stipend figures online: some pages quote ₹4,500–8,000, others ₹12,000–25,000. The confusion arises because different pages mix up scheme components (the AYUSH annual contingent grant is ₹4,500, while unofficial COMPEX guidance mentions ₹6,000–8,000/month) [10][12]. Here are the cross-verified official figures for 2026–27:

Scheme	Level	Monthly stipend	Housing	Tuition	Airfare	Seats for Nepal
ICCR ABVGSS	UG	₹18,000 [1]	Hostel fees paid, or HRA if no hostel [1][7]	Full, at empanelled universities [7]	Not covered unless scheme states otherwise [1]	Not published; varies by year [2]
ICCR ABVGSS	PG	₹20,000 [1]	As above	Full	Not covered [1]	Not published
ICCR ABVGSS / SJSS	PhD	₹22,000 + ₹12,500/mo HRA + ₹10,000/mo contingency [1]	As above	Full	Not covered [1]	SJSS: 64 total (60 PG + 4 PhD) [3]
AYUSH (via ICCR)	UG (BAMS/BHMS/BUMS/BSMS)	₹18,000 living allowance [10]	HRA up to ₹6,500/mo [10]	As per actuals (full) [10]	One-time economy return airfare covered [10]	30 (BIMSTEC pool) + 29 (SEAR pool); no per-country split [10][11]
COMPEX	UG (BE/B.Tech, B.Pharm, B.Sc Ag/Food Tech/Nursing)	Not officially published (unofficial claims of ₹6,000–8,000 are unverified) [12][13]	Accommodation covered (100% scholarship) [13]	Full [13]	Not stated	~220/year [13]
University merit awards	All	Varies by university and scheme [15]	Varies	Partial/prizes	No	Open competition

What are ICCR scholarships (ABVGSS and Silver Jubilee) and who can apply?

The ICCR scholarship umbrella offers Nepali students two schemes: the Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme (ABVGSS) for UG, PG and PhD study, and the Sushma Swaraj Silver Jubilee Scholarship Scheme (SJSS), which currently offers 64 scholarships for Nepali nationals: 60 PG and 4 PhD slots [3]. ABVGSS seat numbers for Nepal are not published separately and vary by year [2][3].

Who is eligible?

ICCR's central policy sets a minimum age of 18, with maximum ages of 35 for UG/PG and 40 for PhD, but ICCR documents are internally inconsistent, and the Embassy of India, Kathmandu's 2025–26 advertisement used more relaxed limits: 18–40 for UG/PG and up to 50 for PhD (as on 1 July). Always follow the current Kathmandu advertisement [1][4]. There is no single ICCR-wide minimum percentage; you must meet each university's own requirements (e.g. PCM subjects for B.E./B.Tech) [1][4]. Unofficial guides mention "60%+ in Class 12" as a practical threshold, but this appears nowhere in official policy [1][4]. Since AY 2023–24, a mandatory 500-word English essay on the A2A form assesses English proficiency; TOEFL/IELTS scores are an optional field, not compulsory [1][4].

What does ICCR cover, and not cover?

ICCR covers full tuition at empanelled universities, the monthly stipend, hostel fees where hostel is available (or House Rent Allowance where it isn't), an annual contingency grant for books and materials, a one-time thesis grant for PhD scholars, and medical cover via insurance [1][7]. You must hold medical insurance of at least ₹5 lakh coverage as a mandatory prerequisite [1]. Exclusions matter: mess/food charges, security deposits and caution money are yours to pay, as are laboratory chemicals for science courses [7]. Critically, ICCR's 2026–27 guidelines state: "Airfare and other related travel expenses are not covered unless specifically stated under the scholarship scheme", so budget for your Nepal–India travel [1].

When are the ICCR deadlines?

The 2026–27 application window is now closed. The A2A portal for 2026–27 ran from 27 February 2026 to 22 April 2026 [5]; the Embassy of India, Kathmandu initially announced 15 April 2026 as the last date, then extended it to 22 April 2026 [6]. That deadline has passed, so you cannot apply for the 2026–27 intake anymore.

Dates for the 2027–28 cycle are not yet announced. For reference, recent windows were 20 February to 30 April 2025 (last cycle before this one) [4] and 27 February to 22 April 2026 [5], so the A2A portal usually opens late February and closes in late April. Check a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in and indembkathmandu.gov.in from early 2027 for the official announcement.

What is the AYUSH scholarship for Ayurveda and traditional medicine?

ICCR's general schemes exclude all medical courses: MBBS, BDS, nursing and para-medical programmes are not eligible [9][18]. The AYUSH Scholarship Scheme, administered by the Ministry of Ayush through ICCR, fills that gap for traditional medicine: BAMS (Ayurveda), BHMS (Homeopathy), BUMS (Unani), BSMS (Siddha), plus B.Sc/B.A. Yoga degrees and MD-level postgraduate AYUSH programmes [10].

The current UG package for Nepali AYUSH scholars: a monthly living allowance (reported as around ₹18,000, though the exact amount is not clearly stated in official AYUSH notices; confirm on the A2A portal), HRA up to ₹6,500/month, a contingent grant of ₹4,500 per year, tuition covered as per actuals, and, unlike general ICCR schemes, a one-time economy return airfare [10]. On seats, there is no fixed Nepal quota: roughly 30 AYUSH scholarships sit in the BIMSTEC pool and 29 in the SEAR pool, both of which include Nepal, with no per-country allocation specified [10][11]. Applications go through the same A2A portal and Kathmandu embassy channel as ICCR schemes [11].

What is the COMPEX scholarship and which courses does it cover?

COMPEX is a competitive-examination-based scheme run and administered directly by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu (not ICCR) for Nepali students pursuing undergraduate degrees in Engineering (BE/B.Tech), B.Pharmacy, B.Sc Agriculture, B.Sc Food Technology and B.Sc Nursing in India [12][13]. It reportedly offers around 220 seats per year (the exact seat count is not stated in official Embassy documents) on a 100% scholarship covering tuition and accommodation [13]. A cash stipend exists, but the exact monthly amount is not stated in official embassy documents; the ₹6,000–8,000/month figure circulating online comes from unofficial guidance [12][13].

Selection is by a computer-based competitive test conducted by the Embassy in Kathmandu. For reference, in the last announced intake (COMPEX-2025), online registration ran 26 June to 9 July 2025 (11:45 PM), with fee deposit at Nepal SBI Bank by 11 July and final submission by 13 July; the CBT was held tentatively in the fourth week of July 2025 [14]. That window is long past. COMPEX usually opens around mid-year, so if a 2026 round is running or upcoming, the notice will appear on indembkathmandu.gov.in; check it now, as registration windows are short. Note the embassy's caution: nomination does not guarantee admission: that is confirmed only once an Indian college issues admission [12].

Can Nepali students get university merit or need-based scholarships without a government award?

Yes, and this route is underused. Indian universities rarely brand scholarships as "Nepal-specific," but Nepali students admitted through regular channels can compete for general merit awards and fellowships on the same terms as other students. Universities including the University of Mumbai officially list a range of merit awards, exam-linked prizes and research fellowships: most are small annual awards, and many are restricted by income or social category and won't apply to international students [15]. Always check the university's own scholarships page for the current schemes and their exact terms before counting on any specific amount [15]. For a wider view of what's available nationally, see our complete list of scholarships for international students in India.

For Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), no official published international-scholarship amounts could be verified; Nepali students at SPPU are more commonly placed there through Government of India schemes. Treat any specific SPPU scholarship figure you see online as unverified. Also remember: after admission through ICCR, PhD scholars can pursue university/UGC-funded fellowships in addition to their ICCR support [1].

How do you apply on the ICCR A2A portal, step by step?

The entire ICCR/AYUSH application is online-only via a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in: applications sent directly to embassies or universities are not accepted [8]. The official process [1][8][9][22]:

Register using "Student's registration" on the A2A portal. You'll receive a Unique User ID and Password by email [22].
Log in and complete the form page by page: personal details, education, course/university choices, English proficiency. Click "Save" after each page [8][22].
Choose up to 5 universities/courses in order of priority. You may study only at empanelled State/Central universities; ICCR does not fund private universities [9][19].
Write the mandatory 500-word English essay (and optionally add TOEFL/IELTS scores) [1][4].
Upload documents per specifications (see checklist below). Non-English documents need certified English translations or the application is rejected [8].
Submit and note your registration number for tracking [22].
Embassy scrutiny: the Embassy of India, Kathmandu examines your application and forwards eligible cases to universities [8][9].
Accept your offer within 7 days of receiving admission-with-scholarship, submitting the acceptance letter digitally on the portal [9].
Pre-departure: coordinate with your university's International Student Advisor and ICCR at least 15 days before travel; originals are verified on arrival [9].

Which documents do you need for the ICCR application?

Prepare these before the portal opens: translations take time [1][8]:

Photograph: recent passport-size, max 3.5 × 4.5 cm, ≤25 KB, white background, both ears visible, no spectacles [1][8]
Passport: certified copies of relevant pages; must be valid for the full course duration [1]
Age/nationality proof: birth certificate or government-issued ID showing clear date of birth [1]
All academic certificates and mark sheets from school-leaving onwards (Grade 10, Grade 12/NEB +2) [1]
PG applicants: bachelor's degree, transcript, and certified syllabus of your last qualifying examination [1]
PhD applicants: master's degree, transcript and syllabus [1]
Certified/notarized English translations of any document not originally in English. "In case of unavailability of English transcript, the application will be rejected" [1][8]
Medical fitness certificate on the prescribed proforma [8]

Bring originals plus notarized translations to India for verification at admission [1].

What if you don't win a scholarship? The affordable, recognised route

Here is the honest truth most scholarship pages skip: ICCR and COMPEX are competitive, and most applicants won't win. But studying in India from Nepal can still be remarkably affordable at self-funded, government-recognised universities.

At the University of Mumbai, international tuition is approximately ₹1–1.25 lakh per year for many degree programmes, though fees vary widely by course and college; some programmes cost several lakh, and this is not an official flat rate, so check the university's current fee circular before budgeting [16]. For SPPU, the "3× domestic fees" figure you may see online is an unverified approximation that depends on the programme; always check SPPU's current international fee circulars before budgeting. Our full breakdown of tuition and living costs covers both.

Two structural advantages make this route work. First, no student visa is required: under the 1950 India–Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Nepali citizens can live and study in India without a student visa. You should still hold a valid Nepali passport: it is needed for university admission, the scholarship application and day-to-day identification [17]. Second, degrees from UGC/AICTE-approved Indian universities are recognised in Nepal via the equivalence process [20]. At Edulab, we have guided students through this self-funded route to graduation without an education loan: for many families, a recognised public-university degree at these fee levels is more realistic than betting everything on a scholarship. If engineering is your goal, compare options in our guide to engineering colleges in India.

What are the 2026–27 scholarship deadlines?

Status as of 19 July 2026: all listed application windows have closed. The dates below are reference points from past cycles; do not treat them as open deadlines.

Scheme	Cycle	Opened	Closed	Status	Source
ICCR (ABVGSS + SJSS) via A2A	2026–27 (last cycle)	27 Feb 2026	22 Apr 2026 (extended from 15 Apr)	Closed. 2027–28 dates not yet announced	[5][6]
ICCR via A2A (reference: cycle before last)	2025–26	20 Feb 2025	30 Apr 2025	Closed	[4]
AYUSH (via A2A portal)	2026–27 (last cycle)	Same A2A window as ICCR	22 Apr 2026	Closed. Next-cycle dates not yet announced	[5][11]
COMPEX (reference: last announced intake)	2025–26	26 Jun 2025	9 Jul 2025 (final submission 13 Jul; CBT 4th week Jul)	Closed. 2026 round not announced in available sources	[14]

The next ICCR/AYUSH cycle (2027–28) has no announced dates yet; the A2A portal usually opens late February to late April, so check a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in and indembkathmandu.gov.in from early 2027. COMPEX-2026 dates have not been announced in the sources available; the embassy's general page says the scheme typically opens around April/May, and it usually runs around mid-year, but exact dates are notified each year [12]. Watch indembkathmandu.gov.in.

Frequently asked questions

Do Nepali students need a student visa to study in India?

No student visa is required. Under the 1950 India–Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (Article 7), Nepali nationals have reciprocal rights of residence and movement in India, so Nepali students do not need a student visa [17]. You do, however, need a valid Nepali passport: it is required for university admission, the ICCR/scholarship application and identification. (Nepali citizens crossing the land border may travel on other photo ID, but a passport is expected for study and enrolment.)

Can I study MBBS or nursing on an ICCR scholarship?

No. ICCR's general schemes exclude all medical and para-medical courses (MBBS, BDS, nursing, physiotherapy and lab technology) as well as integrated law programmes [9][18]. Nursing is, however, covered under COMPEX (B.Sc Nursing) [13], and traditional-medicine degrees (BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS) are covered under the AYUSH scheme [10].

Does the ICCR scholarship pay for my flight from Nepal?

No: ICCR's 2026–27 guidelines state airfare and related travel expenses are not covered unless a scheme specifically says so [1]. The AYUSH scheme is the exception, providing a one-time economy return airfare [10].

Is my NEB +2 certificate accepted for Indian bachelor's admission?

Generally yes: NEB Grade 12 is a two-year higher-secondary qualification that fits the "10+2 or equivalent" clause most Indian universities use [21]. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) is the nodal agency for foreign-qualification equivalence, and some universities may ask for an AIU Equivalence Certificate; each institution can also set its own subject and marks requirements [21].

Will my Indian degree be recognised back in Nepal?

Yes, provided the university is UGC/AICTE-approved and you obtain an equivalence certificate. From 17 July 2026, foreign-degree equivalence moved from Tribhuvan University's Curriculum Development Centre to UGC Nepal; TU-CDC certificates issued before that date remain valid, and school-level (Grade 12) equivalence is handled by the National Examination Board [20].

Can ICCR scholars study at IITs or private universities?

ICCR does not fund private universities, only empanelled State/Central institutions [9]. IITs and NITs (e.g. IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, NIT Trichy) do appear on ICCR's empanelled list [19], but ICCR guidelines state no B.Tech admission at IITs for foreign students under the scheme; IITs are available only for other eligible courses [18].