Top PhD Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad

Scholarships for Indian students to do PhD abroad: For many Indian students, a PhD abroad represents the pinnacle of academic achievement and a chance to contribute to groundbreaking research on a global stage. However, the financial burden of such an endeavour can be a little daunting for Indian students. This is where scholarships come in. In this article, we have come up with the best scholarships to do a PhD abroad. 

Whether government or private or simply provided by the university based on merits, various scholarships are available for Indian students to do their PhD abroad. However, these scholarships for Indian students to do PhD abroad may be either fully funded or partially funded based on the applications and the financial needs of students. 

If you wish to do a PhD in abroad with scholarship then, this article is for you. This article covers all the information that you may need about the list of scholarships for Indian students to study abroad. These scholarships covered in this article serve in various countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France and more. Before moving on to learn about these PhD scholarships in detail, let us first go through some reasons to understand why a PhD abroad is good for you in the long run. 

Check:

• What is PhD?
• How to Apply for PhD Abroad in 2024?

Why Do a PhD Abroad?

Along with the reputation that comes after pursuing a PhD successfully, there are a lot many benefits of pursuing a PhD abroad, as listed below.

• Globally recognised universities: Pursuing a PhD abroad may provide you with the chance to work under the guidance of world-class faculties with cutting-edge technology available to conduct experiments on your ideas alongside getting diverse opinions from peers to improve the way you approach your course of research program.
• Advanced research opportunities: Doing a PhD abroad gives you various chances to participate in groundbreaking research projects in your chosen field.

• Enhanced Career Prospects: Completing a PhD abroad provides the opportunity to secure several lucrative jobs such as that of a university professor or a scientist in an R&D team of MNCs abroad. 

• Availability of Scholarships: Scholarships abroad are comprehensive of tuition fees, living costs, health insurance and travel costs. While in India, scholarships are mainly focused on providing tuition and research fees. 

Check some other useful links:

PhD of Science in Abroad	PhD of Business & Management Studies
PhD of Humanities & Social Sciences in Abroad	PhD of Medicine & Health Sciences in Abroad

List of Top PhD Scholarships Abroad for Indian Students

There are 3 types of scholarships offered to students for doing a PhD abroad namely, government scholarships, private scholarships and university scholarships. These scholarships are provided for science-related fields such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology and other fields such as law, humanities and more. Students are advised to choose the right PhD scholarships for Indian students to study abroad by reading all the terms and conditions, courses covered, durations and grants available. Below is the list of the best PhD scholarships for Indian students to study abroad.

1. Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship (USA)

It is a government scholarship jointly funded by both the US and the Indian government. Provided for a period of 6-9 months, the Fulbright-Nehru Fellowships are provided to students who are enrolled for a PhD at an Indian institution. The Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship covers:

• a monthly stipend, 
• J1 visa support, 
• round trip economy class air travel, 
• tuition fees, 
• travel costs and 
• health insurance for Indian students pursuing doctoral research in the USA.

2. S.N. Bose Scholars Program (Various Countries)

Named in the hour of the visionary Indian physicist, Mr. Satyendra Nath Bose, the S.N. Bose Scholars Program is an effective student exchange program between the premier institutes in the USA and in India. To encourage and motivate the students of today to take up research as their career, the SN Bose Scholars program provides Indian students (who are enrolled in either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in a recognised Indian institution) with an opportunity to pursue research in a research facility in the USA. The program offers: 

• a stipend, 
• airfare and 
• health insurance. 

3. DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

One of the most prestigious scholarships for doing a PhD in Germany, the Research Grants – Doctoral Programmes in Germany (DAAD) spans a duration of 4 years. Funded by the the German Federal Foreign Office, the DAAD research scholarships for doing a PhD in Germany are initially awarded for a period of a year, however, extensions can be provided based on the need of the research project in which the student is enrolled. The scholarship provides:

• monthly grants of 1300 euros, 
• any payments towards health and accidents, 
• travel allowance, 
• monthly rent subsidy, 
• annual research allowance, 
• personal liability insurance cover and monthly allowance for carrying family members towards the awardees.

4. France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Program (France)

Established by the Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry for Europe, the France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Program was created to attract the top talents from around the world to do their master’s and PhD in universities in France. The scholarship program has set an age limit of 30 years for students enrolling in PhD programs in France and grants: 

• a monthly stipend of €1,800, and 
• additional services such as national and international transportation, cultural activities and housing searches.

5. Australian Government Research Training Program (AGRTP) International Scholarship (Australia) 

Provided by the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training towards full-time higher degree research programs, the Australian Government Research Training Program provides block grants to higher education institutions in Australia to support the higher research (PhD) of domestic and international students in Australia. The AGRTP in close ties with several Australian universities such as the Australian National University and the Charles Strut University (and more) supports the higher research of students by offering:

• A tuition fee offset
• Stipend to cover general living costs
• Other allowances in accordance with the higher education providing institutes. 

Other PhD Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad

Some other famous scholarships to do a PhD abroad with scholarship are given below. 

• The Pierre and Marie Curie Excellence Scholarships (France)
• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Canada)
• President's Ph.D. Scholarships (Various Universities)
• Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarships (Various Countries)
• American Association of University Women International Fellowships (USA)

Other than these, many universities and private organisations also provide scholarships to meritorious students who have completed their postgraduate degrees in a relevant field from a reputed university. These scholarships may vary in terms of their duration, grants offered and whether living costs and health insurance are provided. 

Eligibility Criteria for a PhD Abroad for Indian Students with Scholarship

While the eligibility criteria specific to each scholarship may vary across various parameters, below we have listed some common eligibility criteria to do a PhD abroad with scholarship. 

1. Educational Requirement: Students must have passed their qualifying exams in the postgraduate program with a minimum of 60% of marks.
2. Experience in Research: This is more of a requirement than eligibility. Most universities abroad prefer such students to do a PhD in their established research units who already possess some good experience in research work. Students having their papers published in reputed research journals are preferred over others.
3. Exams: Universities abroad often require students to take qualifying exams such as GMAT and GRE. Along with these, standardised English tests such as TOEFL and IELTS are also required. It must be noted that acing these English language exams can boost the chances of getting a PhD abroad for Indian students with scholarships. 

4. Research Proposal: A well-defined research proposal outlining your intended area of study, research questions, and methodology is essential. Along with this, strong letters of recommendation (LORs) from professors familiar with your research capabilities and potential are invaluable.

5. Statement of Purpose: A compelling Statement of Purpose (SOP) outlining your academic goals, research interests, and why you're a perfect fit for the program is crucial.

Also Read:

• All about PhD in the UK for Indian Students
• PhD Scholarships in UK for Indian Students

How to Apply for a PhD Abroad with Scholarship?

One can follow the below-given steps to get a PhD abroad for Indian students with scholarship:

1. Plan Early: If you have just entered the last year of your postgraduate program then, start looking for various research project openings at universities abroad. Look and follow any professor with whom you wish to work and continue your future research. Start your research for the best PhD project/program for yourself and a university and scholarship a year in advance. 
2. Create Strong Application: Articulate a strong application that rightly describes your competence for the available research spot in your desired universities. You need to create strong research proposal, recommendation letters and a compelling statement of purpose for that purpose. Additionally, gather all the required documents in desired formats in advance so that there will be no delay at the time of applying to the university.
3. Consider Taking the Required Exams: If your chosen university requires you to take an English language exam or other general competence exams such as GMAT and GRE then, you must prepare and take these exams timely. Preparing for these exams early on will give you enough time to work on your weak spots and hence achieve good scores in the final exam.
4. Submit Application Timely: Submit your duly completed application well in time form and attach all the required documents.
5. Apply for Fellowships/Scholarships: The application windows for most scholarships open at the same time when most abroad universities’ applications open up for international students. Keep an eye on your chosen scholarship page and apply for it as soon as the application window opens. 

This was all about international PhD scholarships for Indian students, their eligibility criteria and how to apply for a PhD with scholarship abroad. If you have any doubts about doing a PhD in abroad with scholarship, feel free to post your queries in the comments below.