National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) 2026: Benefits & Eligibility

What Is the National Overseas Scholarship?

The NOS scheme is a Central Sector Scheme of the Government of India that helps students from financially weaker and marginalised sections of society secure meritorious positions in postgraduate studies abroad.

Key points to highlight

• 125 scholarships per year: 115 for SC category, 6 for DNT category, 4 for landless agricultural labourers & traditional artisans.
• Students belonging to the ST community have a separate dedicated pool of 20 awards.
• Master’s and PhD courses for a maximum duration of 3 and 4 years respectively
• 100% scholarship – includes tuition, maintenance, airfare, visa, contingency allowance
• 30% total seats reserved for female applicants
• Online application process through nosmsje.gov.in

Which Ministry Manages NOS – and Who Falls Under Which?

The NOS scheme does not act as a single window for all categories of students, as there are parallel schemes operated by two different Ministries within the ambit of the NOS scheme. These include:

1. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) operating through the nosmsje.gov.in website for handling applications from:

• Scheduled Castes (SC)
• Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT)
• Landless Agricultural Labourers
• Traditional Artisans

2. Ministry of Tribal Affairs operating through the overseas.tribal.gov.in website for handling applications from Scheduled Tribes (ST).

NOS Scholarship Eligibility Criteria 2026

The NOS eligibility criteria are quite clear-cut, but vary a little between the schemes offered by each ministry. Failure to meet even one criterion will lead to disqualification.

Community Eligibility

A genuine certificate of Caste or Tribe from a competent authority is compulsory in both cases. Any application made through an incorrect portal will be considered ineligible.

According to MoSJE, one should be among any of the following communities:

Scheduled Castes (SC) Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT) Landless Agricultural Labourers (without any land or property, surviving through agricultural labour) Traditional Artisans According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, one should be among the following communities: According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, one should be among the following communities: Scheduled Tribes (ST)

Age Limit and Academic Qualifications

Both ministries have distinct age criteria and academic requirements:

1. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment

• Maximum age limit 35 years as on 1st April 2026 for M.A. and PhD candidates.
• For admission to Masters Programs: 60% marks or higher in Bachelor’s degree program.
• For admission to PhD Programs: 60% marks or higher in a Master’s degree program.
• University Requirements: Should have unconditional admission into one of the recognised universities outside India which ranks within the top 500 universities in QS World University Rankings.

2.  Ministry of Tribal Affairs

• Master’s degree candidates – Maximum age limit is 32 years as on 1st July 2026.
• PhD course candidates – Maximum age limit is 35 years as on 1st July 2026.
• For admission to Master's Programs: 60% marks or higher in Bachelor’s degree program.
• For admission to PhD Programs: 60% marks or higher in Master’s degree program.
• University Requirements: Should have unconditional admission into one of the recognised universities outside India which ranks within the top 500 universities in QS World University Rankings.

Income Limit and Admission Requirement

For a successful application, a valid income certificate must be produced for either of the above schemes. Income ceiling varies as per the following schemes:

1. For MoSJE Scheme, family annual income should be less than ₹8,00,000.
2. For the Scheduled Tribes (Ministry of Tribal Affairs scheme), family annual income should be less than ₹6,00,000 

Who Is Not Eligible

• Candidates who are already studying abroad or who have been studying abroad through any other scholarship or personal expense
• Applicants whose course is related to Indian culture, heritage, history, or social studies
• Individuals who have already secured any other scholarship funded by the Government
• No more than two children of the same parents can avail themselves of this scheme, but the second child can apply only when seats are available in the last round.
• Government officials have to provide an NOC from their office.

NOS Scholarship Benefits 2026 — Full Financial Breakdown

The NOS is arguably amongst the most generous scholarships offered by the government for Indian students. The list below indicates the components of the NOS Scholarship:

Maintenance and Contingency Allowance

• $15,400 as maintenance allowance and between $1,500 and $1,532 as contingency allowance annually for students in the US and in all other countries other than the UK
• $9,900 as maintenance allowance and between £1,100 and £1,116 as contingency allowance annually for students studying in the UK
• Maintenance allowance covers housing, food, and cost of living, whereas contingency allowance covers books, study material, and research costs.

Tuition Fees, Airfare, and Other Components

Actual fees for tuition are directly deposited at the university by the Indian Missions abroad. This is neither borne by the students nor refunded later; nor is the payment routed through any other intermediary.

Other Financial Components:

• One-off economy class round-trip airfare from India to the destination of studies and back
• Refund of visa fee on submission of verifiable documents
• Student service charges, which include library charges, registration and examination fees
• Journey and equipment allowance of USD 20 or its equivalent in Indian rupees

Duration of Financial Support

The tenure of financial support differs according to the level of the course.

• For Master's courses: 3 years
• For PhD courses: 4 years

Note - Funds are not given to the students directly. The disbursements are made by the Indian missions abroad based on the academic performance of the students. However, the maintenance allowance is paid regularly.

Which Universities Are Eligible for NOS 2026?

This is where most candidates tend to make mistakes. There are specific criteria for university eligibility set by the NOS, which are linked to the QS World University Rankings.

1. The first round selection is only available to those students who have received unconditional offer letters from universities ranked among the top 500 by the QS World University Rankings.
2. Second round selection is offered when places are still left after the first round. This round includes all those candidates having offers from other QS-accredited institutions.
3. As far as eligibility is concerned for the ST category applicants via the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, they should have applied to the universities ranked within the top 1,000 QS World Rankings.
4. Some extra points are:

• The university should be outside India
• The program should be a full-time Master’s or PhD program
• Subjects dealing with Indian culture, heritage, history, and social studies do not come under the scheme

How to Apply for NOS Scholarship 2026 — Step-by-Step Process

The application for the scholarship is submitted online. There is no manual method of filling out the forms.

Step 1: Visit the official NOS portal — nosmsje.gov.in (or overseas.tribal.gov.in for ST applicants). Create an account using your email ID and mobile number.

Step 2: Fill out the application form carefully. Enter personal details, category information, academic qualifications, and foreign university details. Every field must match your supporting documents exactly.

Step 3: Submit all necessary documents, making sure that each document is clear, valid, and properly labelled.

Step 4: Check the entire application prior to submitting it. Incomplete or inconsistent applications are generally rejected during the document verification process.

Step 5: After submitting your application, monitor the merit list and selection notifications through the official website and your registered email ID.

A correction window is usually opened after the main application period closes, for a limited number of days. This allows submitted applicants to fix errors before the list is finalised, but this window should not be relied upon as a safety net.

Documents Required for NOS Scholarship 2026

Document errors account for many of the reasons behind the failure of NOS applications during verification, so it is essential that all necessary documents be ready and each document must be in accordance with the information provided in the application form.

Documents at Application Stage

• Fresh passport-size photograph
• Scanned signature
• Caste certificate duly signed by an authorised officer
• Income certificate stating that the annual income of your family is less than ₹8,00,000
• Marksheets and certificates of all the qualifying exams
• Unconditional offer letter from foreign university
• Copy of valid passport
• NOC from your employer (for government employees only)

Documents After Award Letter

• Letter confirming enrolment/joining at the university
• Letter confirming Visa approval (student visa/J-1 visa if the student is travelling to USA)
• Bank account particulars as per requirements of Indian Embassy/High Commission abroad
• Academic progress certificate, to be provided periodically as per scheme guidelines 

NOS Selection Process — How Winners Are Chosen

Selection is based on merit and is directly related to the QS ranking of the university where you have been accepted. 

Two-Round Selection and Merit List

The selection process for NOS takes place in two stages every year.

• Round 1 prioritises those candidates only who are offered unconditional admission into the top 500 universities as per the QS World University Rankings and the top 1000 for the ST category. These candidates shall be ranked on the basis of their merit list.
• The second round starts if all 125 places are not filled in the first round. Students with offers from other QS universities are taken into consideration starting from the highest QS ranking.
• The merit list is prepared mainly depending on the QS ranking of the university where the student has been offered admission. In case the students receive an offer letter for universities of the same QS ranking category, then marks obtained in the qualifying examination serve as a tiebreaker.

Waitlist, Deferral, and Confirmation Deadline

• Waitlists are created of up to 50% of the total number of seats. These waitlists are valid till 31 March of the selection year. In case an awardee, who has confirmed his/her seat, withdraws or does not confirm his/her seat on time, then candidates from the waitlist are selected.
• The deferral of an awarded scholarship is normally not allowed. In case a chosen individual is unable to join the university in the year of award, the scholarship will expire.
• The awardee has to accept the award and provide necessary joining documents in accordance with the time frame indicated in the Provisional Award Letter. In case the student fails to meet the deadline, this may lead to the transfer of the seat to the next person from the waiting list.

Common Reasons for NOS Application Rejection

Understanding why applications fail is useful before you sit down to fill yours in:

• Incomplete documentation— Missing income, caste, or admission offer documents triggers automatic rejection during verification
• Income certificate errors— Family income exceeding ₹8,00,000 per year, or a certificate from an unauthorised authority, leads to disqualification
• Incorrect community category—Caste certificates that do not clearly reflect the eligible notified community
• Admission offer from an ineligible university— Provisional or conditional offers, or offers from universities outside the QS ranking threshold
• Age condition not met—Applicants whose age exceeds 35 (Master's) or 40 (PhD) as of 1 April 2026
• Identical scholarships—Applicants already receiving another central government scholarship are ineligible
• Subject restriction—Programmes related to Indian culture, heritage, history, or social studies are explicitly excluded
• Two-child condition—A second child from the same family applying when no seats remain after Round 1 

Terms and Conditions Every NOS Awardee Must Know

Getting selected is only the beginning. A few conditions govern what happens while you are on the scholarship:

• Return obligation: Awardees are expected to return to India after completing their studies abroad. There is no formal bond, but the scheme's intent is that scholars contribute to India's development post-return.
• Change of institution: Scholars cannot change their university unless their supervisor leaves and no alternative supervisor is available at the institution. Any change must be approved by the Ministry.
• Cannot combine with other central scholarships: The NOS cannot be combined with any other full government scholarship. Partial university assistantships may be permissible — check the latest scheme guidelines before accepting additional funding.
• J-1 visa for USA: Students going to the United States on the NOS are required to obtain a J-1 Exchange Visitor visa. This is a scheme-specific requirement tied to how the scholarship funds are routed through Indian Missions.
• Academic progress: Continued disbursement of the maintenance allowance depends on satisfactory academic progress as reported to the Indian Mission.
• Government employees: Must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before applying and must confirm leave sanctioning from their employer.

NOS Scholarship 2026 — Important Dates

There is no doubt that deadlines vary according to categories – SC category and other allied categories use the MoSJE Portal, while the deadline for ST candidates is according to the schedule of Tribal Affairs.

In case there are any changes in deadline, refer nosmsje.gov.in (MoSJE) and overseas.tribal.gov.in (ST).

NOS vs Other Indian Government Scholarships

Not all fully funded scholarships are equal — here is how NOS stacks up against the other major options.

Tips to Strengthen Your NOS Application

Getting to 60% marks and being from an eligible community is the baseline, not the strategy. Here is what actually moves the needle:

• Target a high QS-ranked university. The merit list is built partly on your admitted university's rank. Securing admission to a top 100 or top 200 QS institution puts you in a stronger position than a borderline top 500 admit.
• Apply in Round 1. Round 2 opens only if seats remain. There is no guarantee of seats being available in Round 2 for your subject or region. Do not assume you can use Round 2 as a fallback.
• Get your documents in order before applying. The income certificate, caste certificate, and offer letter must all be current, clearly legible, and consistent. A single mismatch gets your application rejected at verification.
• Your SOP matters more than you think. The scheme does not have a formal interview for all candidates, but a strong statement of purpose that connects your academic goals to a credible post-return plan can support your case, particularly for PhD applicants where academic fit is closely assessed.
• Do not apply to ineligible subjects. Courses in Indian culture, history, or social studies are explicitly excluded. If your subject sits in a grey area, check with the Ministry directly before submitting.
• Know the two-child rule. If a sibling has already received the NOS, your eligibility is contingent on seats remaining in Round 2.
• Declare all funding correctly. If you hold a university merit scholarship, check its terms before accepting. Taking another full central government scholarship alongside the NOS is not permitted.

Contact Details — NOS Scheme 2026

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

• Name & Designation: Shri Yogesh Taneja, Under Secretary (Note: Shri Sanjay Singh is currently assigned to the IFD & Budget section of the Ministry).
• Office Address: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi – 110001
• Email Address: so-nos-msje@gov.in
• Phone Number: 011-23384023
• Calling Window: All working days, strictly between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM only
• Official Application Portal: nosmsje.gov.in

Ministry of Tribal Affairs (ST applicants)

• Name & Designation: Shri Satish Kumar Singh, Under Secretary
• Office Address: Gate No. 3, Ground Floor, Jeevan Tara Building, Ashoka Road, Patel Chowk, New Delhi – 110001
• Email Address: fellowship-tribal@nic.in
• Phone Numbers: 011-23345770 / 011-23366980
• Official Application Portal: overseas.tribal.gov.in

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is the National Overseas Scholarship and who offers it?

The National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) is a Government of India scheme that provides financial support to eligible students from disadvantaged communities pursuing Master's or PhD degrees at recognised universities abroad.

2. What is the income limit for the NOS scholarship in 2026?

For 2026, the annual family income limit is ₹8 lakh for applicants under the Ministry of Social Justice and ₹6 lakh for Scheduled Tribe applicants under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

3. How much financial support does the NOS scholarship provide?

The NOS is a fully funded scholarship that covers actual tuition fees, annual living expenses, airfare, visa costs, and other approved allowances, subject to the scheme's terms and limits.

4. What is the age limit for the NOS scholarship?

Most applicants must be 35 years or younger as of 1 April of the selection year. However, age limits may vary for Scheduled Tribe applicants based on the course level.

5. Which universities are covered under the NOS scholarship?

The NOS supports admission to recognised foreign universities. Under the Ministry of Social Justice, universities must rank among the top 500 globally, while the Ministry of Tribal Affairs accepts institutions ranked within the top 1,000.

6. How is the NOS merit list prepared?

The NOS merit list is prepared by evaluating eligible applications based on academic performance, eligibility criteria, university ranking, and available category-wise scholarship slots.

7. Can employed persons apply for the NOS scholarship?

Yes, employed candidates can apply for the NOS scholarship. They must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their employer and satisfy all other eligibility requirements.

8. What visa is required for NOS scholarship holders going to the USA?

NOS scholars travelling to the USA generally require a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa, as the scholarship is funded under a government-sponsored educational exchange programme.

9. Can the NOS scholarship be combined with a university assistantship?

Yes, NOS scholars can receive Teaching Assistantships (TA) or Research Assistantships (RA), provided these comply with the scholarship guidelines and the university's regulations.

10. What happens if I miss the university joining deadline after receiving the NOS award?

Missing the joining deadline may result in cancellation of the scholarship award. Eligible candidates can usually defer admission for up to one year or two intakes, subject to NOS guidelines.