Scholarships for Girl Students in India 2025
Complete list of government and private scholarships specifically for girl students — Class 10 to postgraduate level
Why Scholarships for Girls Matter
India has made significant strides in female education, but financial barriers remain a critical challenge — especially for girls from rural areas, economically weaker sections, and SC/ST communities. Central and state governments run dedicated scholarship programmes to encourage girls to continue education beyond Class 10 and 12.
These scholarships cover tuition fees, hostel charges, books, and sometimes monthly stipends. Many are automatically applied for during the admission process, while others require a separate application. This guide covers scholarships from Central Government, CBSE, state governments, and select private organisations.
All scholarships here are from established government or reputable institutional sources — always verify details at the official portal (scholarships.gov.in) before applying.
Central Government Scholarships for Girls
1. Pragati Scholarship (AICTE): For girl students admitted to technical education (engineering/pharmacy/architecture) in AICTE-approved institutions. ₹30,000/year tuition fee reimbursement + ₹2,000/month contingency allowance. Eligibility: Girl student in first year of technical degree, family income ≤ ₹8 lakh/year, obtained seat through centralised admission. Apply on NSP (National Scholarship Portal): scholarships.gov.in. One girl per family per year.
2. Vigyan Jyoti Scholarship (DST): For outstanding girl students in Class 11-12 Science stream, encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers. 100 girls per year selected through KVPY-like selection. ₹1,25,000/year for Class 11-12 + hostel, mentoring, lab visits to premier institutes (IISc, IISER), summer camps. Contact DST (Department of Science and Technology) at dst.gov.in.
3. CBSE Merit Scholarship for Single Girl Child: For girls who are the only child in the family (or have only sisters) and have passed CBSE Class 10 with 60%+. ₹500/month for Class 11-12. Apply through CBSE official website cbse.gov.in. Income limit: family income ≤ ₹1.5 lakh/year (most recent limit — verify at CBSE).
4. National Scholarship Portal (NSP) Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarships for SC/ST girls: Major scholarships for SC/ST girl students at pre-matric (Class 9-10) and post-matric (Class 11+) levels. Pre-matric: ₹3,500–7,000/year. Post-matric: varies by state and level (₹15,000–1 lakh/year). Apply on scholarships.gov.in with caste certificate, income certificate, Aadhaar.
AICTE Saksham Scholarship and Other AICTE Scholarships
AICTE Saksham Scholarship: For differently-abled students (including girls) in AICTE-approved technical institutions. ₹50,000/year. Gender-specific benefit: single-parent girls with disability. Apply on scholarships.gov.in.
AICTE Swanath Scholarship: For students who are wards of COVID-19 deceased, deceased armed forces personnel, or paramilitary forces. Covers girl students in AICTE-approved technical programmes. ₹50,000/year tuition + ₹2,000/month. Apply via NSP.
ICSS (Ishan Uday) for North-East girls: Special scholarship for students from North-East India studying outside North-East in professional/technical/general courses. ₹5,400/month for professional courses, ₹3,800/month for general courses. Limited to students from Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh.
State Government Scholarships for Girls
Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC Girls (Central + State): All states have OBC Post-Matric Scholarship for girl students. Income limit varies (usually ₹1–2.5 lakh/year OBC). Covers tuition, maintenance allowance. Apply through state-specific OBC welfare portal or NSP.
Madhya Pradesh Gaon Ki Beti Scholarship: For girl students who have passed Class 12 with 60%+ from rural MP schools. ₹500/month × 10 months/year during graduation. Applies automatically through MP Scholarship Portal.
Maharashtra Scholarship for Girls in Engineering: Several Maharashtra government schemes for girl engineering students — partial/full tuition fee waiver at government engineering colleges. Admission-time application.
Uttar Pradesh Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Scholarship: Free UPSC/state PSC coaching for underprivileged students including girls in UP. Not cash — free coaching centres across districts.
Karnataka Mukhyamantri Medhavi Vidyarthi Yojana: For students scoring 85%+ in Class 12, including girls. ₹5,000–10,000/month during graduation/professional degree at government institutions.
Delhi Ladli Scheme: Cash transfer scheme for girl child from birth to Class 12 — not exactly a scholarship but provides ₹5,000–11,000 at different education milestones. Apply through Delhi Social Welfare Department.
Private and Corporate Scholarships for Girls
L'Oréal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship: For girl students who have cleared Class 12 with 85%+ and are pursuing science graduation at BSc/B.Tech level. ₹2,50,000/year (one of India's highest private scholarships for girls in science). Highly competitive — portfolio, essay, and interview.
Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) — Fellowship: For outstanding science students (girls and boys) in Class 11, 12, and graduation. ₹5,000–7,000/month fellowship + annual contingency grant. Admission through KVPY aptitude test + interview. KVPY scholars can study at IISc and IISERs.
Aditya Birla Scholarship: For students (including girls) admitted to IITs, BITS Pilani, IIMs, and law schools (NLU Delhi). ₹65,000/year. Apply through the institution.
Tata Capital Pankh Scholarship: For meritorious students (Class 11-12 and graduation) from economically weaker sections, including girls. ₹10,000/semester. Apply through Buddy4Study platform.
NSP (National Scholarship Portal) Umbrella: The unified portal scholarships.gov.in hosts all central and many state scholarships. Create one account and check eligibility for multiple scholarships simultaneously.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for scholarships for girl students in India?
Main application portal: scholarships.gov.in (National Scholarship Portal / NSP) — this is the government's unified portal for most central and state scholarships. Steps: (1) Register with Aadhaar + bank account; (2) Fill the application form; (3) Upload documents (income certificate, caste certificate, marks certificate, Aadhaar, bank passbook); (4) Submit and track status. Applications typically open in August–October every year. CBSE scholarships are applied directly through cbse.gov.in.
What is the income limit for girl student scholarships?
Income limits vary by scholarship: NSP Pre/Post-Matric SC/ST: usually ₹2.5 lakh/year. AICTE Pragati: ₹8 lakh/year (wider eligibility). CBSE Single Girl Child: ₹1.5 lakh/year. OBC scholarships: ₹1.5–2.5 lakh/year. For private scholarships (L'Oréal, Birla): merit-based, may not have strict income limits. The income is based on combined family income from all sources — verified by income certificate from Tehsildar/SDM.
Is the Pragati Scholarship only for engineering?
AICTE Pragati Scholarship is for girl students in AICTE-approved technical courses — this includes engineering (B.Tech/B.E.), pharmacy (B.Pharm), architecture, MCA (some cases), and hotel management. Pure science BSc or arts degrees are not eligible. The key criterion is AICTE approval of the institution and programme.
What documents are needed for girl student scholarships?
Common documents: (1) Aadhaar card of student + parent; (2) Bank account details (student's account) linked to Aadhaar; (3) Income certificate from Tehsildar/SDM/revenue officer; (4) Caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC) if applicable; (5) Last qualifying exam mark sheet; (6) Admission proof (fee receipt + bonafide certificate from institution); (7) Passport size photo. For CBSE scholarships: also need Class 10 mark sheet and single-girl-child affidavit (notarised).
Can girls apply for both state and central government scholarships?
Generally, most scholarships restrict candidates to one scholarship at a time — if you receive one scholarship, you are not eligible for another that covers the same expenses. However, different scholarships sometimes cover different costs (one covers tuition, another covers books). Read the terms of each scholarship carefully. The NSP portal has a system to check and prevent duplicate applications. Apply for the scholarship with the highest value and broadest coverage first.
Related resources
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