Tuition, hostel, books, a laptop: the first year of college can cost far more than a family planned. A scholarship can ease that burden, but only if you apply in time.
Applications for several central schemes on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) close on 31 October 2026, just six days from 25 October. Here are 5 scholarships still open in 2026, with benefits, eligibility and documents. Check the eligibility lines first, as every scheme has strict conditions.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Five NSP scholarships are confirmed open, and all close on 31 October 2026.
- They are for girl students, students with disabilities, and OBC/EBC/DNT, SC and ST students.
- Benefits range from ₹50,000 a year (AICTE schemes) to tuition support plus allowances at top institutes.
- Institute verification runs until 15 November and ministry verification until 30 November 2026.
- Details can change, so confirm everything on the official portal before you apply.
How We Picked These 5 Scholarships Still Open in 2026
We started with a target of ten scholarships. But we only wanted to list what we could actually prove, and we could confirm just five.
Every scholarship here has a 2026-27 deadline in an AICTE or Ministry notice. Institutes like AKTU, IIIT Dharwad, NITK and IIT Dharwad have shared these notices with their students.
We skipped private scholarships. No provider’s own page gave us a current deadline we could trust.
We also left out schemes that have already closed, like school-level PM YASASVI (31 August) and Chevening (6 October). Nobody should waste time on a form that no longer accepts applications. The benefit amounts come from official scheme guidelines. Guidelines can be revised, so please recheck the numbers before you apply.
The 5 Scholarships Still Open in 2026
1. AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girl Students
Deadline: 31 October 2026
Benefits: ₹50,000 per year. AICTE’s scheme guidelines split this into tuition fee up to ₹30,000 (or the actual fee, whichever is lower) and ₹2,000 a month for 10 months as incidental charges. It is renewable until the course ends.
Eligibility criteria:
- Girl student admitted to an AICTE-approved degree or diploma course.
- First-year admission, or second year through lateral entry.
- Admission through the central or state centralised process.
- Family income up to ₹8 lakh a year.
- A maximum of two girl children per family.
Documents required: Aadhaar/OTR details, income certificate from the State/UT government, admission proof, marksheet and Aadhaar-linked bank details.
How to apply: Complete OTR on NSP, select the Pragati scheme for your course level, fill the form and upload documents.
Check eligibility and apply on the official portal
2. AICTE Saksham Scholarship for Specially Abled Students
Deadline: 31 October 2026
Benefits: ₹50,000 per year, with the same structure as Pragati (tuition up to ₹30,000 or actuals, plus ₹2,000 a month for 10 months).
Eligibility criteria:
- Disability of at least 40%.
- Admission to an AICTE-approved degree or diploma course, first year or lateral entry.
- Family income up to ₹8 lakh a year.
- For married girls, the higher of parents’ or in-laws’ income is counted.
Documents required: Disability certificate (40% or more) from a competent government authority, income certificate, admission proof, marksheets, Aadhaar and bank details.
How to apply: Register on NSP, choose the Saksham scheme, upload your disability and income documents and submit.
3. PM YASASVI Top Class Education (College Level) for OBC, EBC and DNT Students
Deadline: 31 October 2026 (the school-level scheme has closed)
Benefits:
- Full tuition and non-refundable charges, capped at ₹2 lakh a year at private institutes.
- Living expenses of ₹3,000 a month.
- Books and stationery allowance of ₹5,000 a year.
- One-time laptop assistance up to ₹45,000.
Eligibility criteria:
- OBC, EBC or DNT student admitted to a notified top-class institution.
- Family income below ₹2.5 lakh a year.
- Selection is by merit, and 30% of slots are reserved for girls.
Documents required: Aadhaar, income certificate, caste certificate, bank account details, admission rank and fee details.
How to apply: Apply on NSP after OTR. Your institute then verifies the form.
4. National Scholarship for Higher Education for SC Students (Top Class Education)
Deadline: 31 October 2026
Benefits: Full tuition and non-refundable charges (capped at ₹2 lakh a year at private institutes). Under the revised guidelines, an academic allowance of ₹86,000 in the first year and ₹41,000 a year after that covers living costs, books and a laptop.
Eligibility criteria:
- SC student admitted to a notified premier institute for a full-time course after Class 12.
- Family income up to ₹8 lakh a year.
- Fresh applications are for first-year students only. Up to two siblings per family can benefit.
- Selection is by merit.
Documents required: Caste certificate, income certificate, Aadhaar, bank details, admission rank and fee proof.
How to apply: Select the scheme on NSP, upload documents and submit. Your institute verifies it by 15 November.
5. National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students
Deadline: 31 October 2026 (Ministry of Tribal Affairs letter)
Benefits:
- Scholarship: Tuition with a ceiling at private institutes, books allowance, a living stipend and one-time computer assistance of ₹45,000.
- Fellowship (M.Phil/Ph.D): Monthly JRF/SRF-rate fellowship plus contingency and HRA.
- Exact current rates are in the Ministry’s guidelines.
Eligibility criteria:
- ST student.
- Scholarship: admission to a notified institute, with family income up to ₹6 lakh a year (both parents’ income counted).
- Fellowship: post-graduation done, with no family income limit and an age limit of 36 years as on 1 July of the application year.
Documents required: ST/PVTG certificate, income certificate (not needed for renewal), fee receipt, Aadhaar and bank passbook. Fellowship applicants also need PG and registration documents.
How to apply: The scholarship is applied for on NSP. Fellowship applicants should follow the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ fellowship process.
Check eligibility and apply on the official portal
Quick Comparison
| Scholarship | Who can apply | Key benefit | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| AICTE Pragati | Girls, technical courses, income up to ₹8 lakh | ₹50,000/year | 31 Oct 2026 |
| AICTE Saksham | 40%+ disability, technical courses | ₹50,000/year | 31 Oct 2026 |
| PM YASASVI (College) | OBC/EBC/DNT, income below ₹2.5 lakh | Tuition + ₹3,000/month + allowances | 31 Oct 2026 |
| SC Top Class | SC, income up to ₹8 lakh | Tuition + academic allowance | 31 Oct 2026 |
| ST Fellowship & Scholarship | ST, scholarship income up to ₹6 lakh | Tuition/fellowship support | 31 Oct 2026 |
Application Tips
- Do OTR first. NSP needs One Time Registration with Aadhaar details before any form.
- Match names exactly. Your name must be the same across Aadhaar, bank passbook and certificates.
- Use valid certificates. Income certificates from private employers or plain-paper declarations are not accepted.
- Apply early. Submit well before 31 October, as the portal gets crowded on the last day.
- Follow up on verification. Your institute verifies by 15 November and the ministry by 30 November.
Document requirements vary by scheme, so read your scheme’s notice. For more options, browse the scholarships section of CareerView24 and our education updates. Preparing for engineering entrance? See the JEE Main 2027 exam dates, and use our career guidance pages to plan your course.
FAQs
1. Which scholarships are still open in 2026?
These five NSP scholarships are confirmed open until 31 October 2026.
2. Who can apply for these scholarships?
Eligibility depends on gender, category, disability, course, institute and family income. Check each section above.
3. Are government and private scholarships both included?
Only government schemes. We couldn’t confirm any private scholarship’s current deadline from an official page.
4. Which documents are commonly required?
Aadhaar/OTR, bank details, income certificate, admission proof and marksheets, plus a caste or disability certificate where relevant.
5. How can students check official deadlines?
Check scholarships.gov.in and your institute’s notice board, as dates can be extended.
Conclusion
The 5 scholarships still open in 2026 all close on 31 October, so act now. Check your eligibility, gather your documents, complete OTR and submit a full application. Then confirm every detail on the official portal.
Source note: Dates were checked against AICTE and Ministry notices circulated by institutes, and benefits against official scheme guidelines. Deadlines and eligibility may change, so verify on the official website before applying.