ST Higher Education Scholarship 2026-27: Rs 3,000 a Month

The National Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students is a central sector scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It gives 100% funding to meritorious Scheduled Tribe students who take admission at Graduate and Post Graduate level in premier institutes notified by the Ministry.

Under the scheme a selected student gets the full tuition and admission fee, a book and stationery allowance, a monthly stipend and a one-time computer grant. For the 2026-27 session the National Scholarship Portal lists the student application as open till 31 October 2026.

This page gives the amount, the eligibility and income rules, the documents needed, the important dates and the official links, all taken from the scheme’s own official guidelines and the National Scholarship Portal’s official listing.

National scholarship for higher education of ST students 2026-27 - full tuition fee, Rs 3,000 a month stipend and Rs 45,000 computer grant, apply by 31 October 2026

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National Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students 2026-27: quick facts

Quick facts2026-27

Scholarship from	Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India
Scholarship value	Full admission and tuition fee with other non-refundable charges, plus books and stationery of Rs 5,000 a year, a stipend of Rs 3,000 a month and a one-time computer grant of Rs 45,000
Who can apply	Scheduled Tribe (ST) students who have secured admission on merit to a Graduate or Post Graduate course in a premier institute notified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Income limit	Total family income up to Rs 6 lakh per annum
Course level	Graduate and Post Graduate courses (professional and general streams covered by the notified institute list)
Last date to apply	31 October 2026 (student application on the National Scholarship Portal)
Official website	scholarships.gov.in – National Scholarship Portal scheme list

Go to official website

What is the National Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students?

This is Part B of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs scheme National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students. The scholarship component (earlier called Top Class Education for Scheduled Tribe Students) encourages meritorious ST students to pursue courses at Graduate and Post Graduate level in premier institutes identified by the Ministry, in professional fields such as Management, Medicine and Science, Engineering and Technology, Humanities, Law and Social Science.

It is a central sector scheme, fully funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Once awarded, the scholarship continues till the completion of the course tenure, subject to the student’s satisfactory performance as assessed by the institute.

How much money does the ST higher education scholarship pay?

Tuition and admission fee: the full admission fee, tuition fee and other non-refundable charges are covered for Government institutes. For private sector institutes there is a ceiling of Rs 2.50 lakh per annum per student.
Books and stationery: Rs 5,000 per annum per student, paid without bills or vouchers.
Stipend: Rs 3,000 per month.
Computer and accessories: Rs 45,000 as one-time assistance during the course tenure, for a desktop or laptop and accessories, without bills or vouchers.

The scholarship amount is paid to the student’s Aadhaar-seeded bank account through the Direct Benefit Transfer mode. The tuition fee and admission fee component is released to the institute on submission of receipts or vouchers.

Eligibility for the ST higher education scholarship

As per the official guidelines, you are eligible if you meet all of these conditions:

You belong to a Scheduled Tribe (ST) community and hold a valid ST certificate signed and stamped by the competent authority.
You have secured admission on merit to a Graduate or Post Graduate course in an institution notified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Your total family income from all sources is up to Rs 6 lakh per annum. For an orphan supported by a guardian, the income criteria does not apply.
You are not claiming the benefit of any other scholarship scheme of the Centre or State Government for the same study.

Who is not eligible: students admitted in Management quota in a private institute are not entitled to the scholarship. Students who have taken admission in the notified institutions are also not eligible under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme of the Ministry, in order to avoid duplication.

Documents needed for the application

ST certificate or PVTG certificate (required for fresh candidates), signed and stamped by the competent authority.
Income certificate for the financial year immediately preceding the selection year, issued by the designated State/UT authority.
Proof of admission to the notified institute and course, plus the fee receipt or voucher.
Aadhaar number or Aadhaar enrolment number (mandatory) with an Aadhaar-seeded, DBT-enabled bank account.
Photograph, proof of age and the previous qualifying examination marksheet.

How to apply for 2026-27

Complete One Time Registration (OTR) on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in if you have not done it already.
Log in and select the National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students – Scholarship scheme.
Fill in your personal, academic, course, bank and category details.
Upload the ST certificate, income certificate and the admission and fee documents.
Submit the online application before 31 October 2026.
Your institute verifies the application on the portal; institute verification closes on 15 November 2026 and DNO/SNO/MNO verification on 30 November 2026.

Important dates for 2026-27

Scheme opened on the National Scholarship Portal: 1 June 2026
Last date for students to submit the application: 31 October 2026
Institute verification closes: 15 November 2026
DNO / SNO / MNO verification closes: 30 November 2026

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Who is eligible for the ST higher education scholarship?

Scheduled Tribe students who have secured merit-based admission to a Graduate or Post Graduate course in a premier institute notified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, with total family income up to Rs 6 lakh per annum.

How much does the scheme pay?

The full admission and tuition fee with non-refundable charges (ceiling Rs 2.50 lakh per annum for private institutes), books and stationery of Rs 5,000 a year, a stipend of Rs 3,000 a month and a one-time computer grant of Rs 45,000.

What is the income limit for this ST scholarship?

The total family income from all sources should not exceed Rs 6 lakh per annum. For an orphan supported by a guardian, the income criteria does not apply.

What is the last date to apply for 2026-27?

The National Scholarship Portal lists the student application as open till 31 October 2026. Institute verification closes on 15 November 2026 and DNO/SNO/MNO verification on 30 November 2026.

Can I apply if I got admission in the Management quota?

No. Students admitted in the Management quota in a private institute are not entitled to the scholarship under this scheme.

Can I take another scholarship along with this one?

No. Students availing this scholarship are not eligible to claim the benefit of any other scholarship scheme of the Centre or State Government for the same study.

Which portal do I use to apply?

You apply online on the National Scholarship Portal at scholarships.gov.in. There is no separate Ministry of Tribal Affairs application portal for this scholarship.

Official links

Explore more: browse national scholarships, SC ST OBC scholarships and graduation scholarships.

ST Higher Education Scholarship 2026-27: Full Tuition Fee, Rs 3,000 a Month