Are there 100% scholarships in USA for Indian students?

Yes, like any other 100% scholarships, they are extremely competitive in nature. Among the most prestigious fully funded scholarships is the Fulbright Nehru Master's Fellowship. The scholarship is designed specifically for outstanding Indian students, covering tuition, living expenses, airfare, and health insurance.

Do any US universities offer need-blind scholarships for Indian students?

Yes, but the number of universities offering need-blind scholarships in USA for Indian students is limited. Among the popular universities offering need-blind financial aid are Harvard University, MIT, Yale University, Dartmouth College, Brown University, Amherst College and others.

What is the difference between a scholarship and an assistantship in USA?

Scholarships are designed to offer financial assistance to students based on their academic merit or financial need. Meanwhile, an Assistantship is an employment-based waiver, where they will be asked to work 15-20 hours a week for the university for a full or partial tuition waiver and a monthly stipend.

Does securing a scholarship make F1 visa process easier?

Yes, if you apply for an F1 student visa after securing an assistantship or scholarship for Indian students, then it makes it easier to secure the US student visa. A basic requirement of the US F1 visa is to prove you have sufficient funds to cover the costs of living and studying in the country for the first year. An official scholarship letter from the university makes it exceptionally easy for the visa official to verify you have access to sufficient funds.

Are GRE, GMAT or SAT scores important to qualify for US scholarships?

Depending on the individual university policies, submitting valid standardised test scores may be required. Even though many universities have become "test-optional" or "test-blind', SAT/ACT scores or GRE/GMAT scores often act as a primary metric to award merit-based US scholarships for Indian students.

Scholarships in USA for Indian Students

Need financial aid and scholarships to reduce your financial commitment? Check out this list of the top US scholarships for Indian students and their respective eligibility and funding coverage.

According to the latest Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors 2025 report, India took the spot for the largest source of international students in the USA. While the dream of an American education has become even more attainable, the increase in numbers has created a highly competitive playground for financial aid. Securing US scholarships for Indian students is not just about having a high GPA but requires out-strategising hundreds of equally qualified students.

Thousands of students miss out on 50% to 100% scholarships in USA for Indian students, simply because they waited too long to apply for their programmes or scholarships. No longer do you need to navigate this complex system alone. This guide highlights the popular US scholarships for Indian students, their eligibility and funding, as well as the application processes. Read on to make the best of your decision to study in USA in the upcoming academic year.

Popular Scholarships for Indian Students to Study in USA

Outlined below are some of the popular full scholarships for international students, specifically Indian students, enrolled at top-ranking universities in the country.

Scholarship Name	Eligibility Criteria	Who Should Not Apply	Funding
Government Scholarships in USA for Indian Students
Fulbright Nehru Fellowships (Master’s and Doctoral Fellowships), Source: Fulbright Nehru Master's Scholarships	Master’s: Indian Citizen with a bachelor’s/master’s degree and 55% marks Doctoral: PhD Scholars with a strong research record	Graduates without valid work experience and those who either have or are currently enrolled in a US programme do not qualify. Candidates seeking US residency should also not apply.	Full Funding, including tuition Stipend for living expenses Fare for a round-trip Health insurance.
Non-Government Scholarships in USA for Indian Students
Tata Scholarships at Cornell University, Source: Cornell - Tata Scholarships for Students from India	Be an Indian citizen Have completed their secondary school from an Indian board of education Be enrolled in an undergraduate programme offered by Cornell University	Candidates who are applying to PhD programmes, whose family can afford to pay for their education, have completed their high school education outside of India and have yet to receive their admission offer letter, should not apply.	Need-based Funding. Can cover: Full tuition fees Accommodation fees Food expenses
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme, Source: AKF-International Scholarship Programme	Be an Indian citizen Have an excellent academic record Demonstrate a genuine financial need Have a confirmed admission to a reputable graduate institution For graduate programmes: candidates under 30 are preferred For doctoral programmes: Candidates under 35 are preferred	Candidates who are seeking short-term or undergraduate funding, who do not demonstrate a financial need, without a valid university admission offer or are older than 30 years of age, should not apply for the scholarship.	50% Grant and 50% Loan, which must be repaid Covers: Tuition Fees and Living Expenses only
Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships Source: Inlaks Foundation - Inlaks Scholarship	Be an Indian Citizen Under the age of 30 Undergraduate degree with first-class distinction from an Indian university	Candidates applying for Engineering, Computer Science, Business Studies/Finance (MBA), Medicine/Dentistry, Public Health, Fashion Design, Music, Film Animation, or Hospitality/Tourism courses, should not apply. Candidates who hold a foreign degree or are already studying abroad, and are over the age of 30 without a valid university admission offer, should also not apply for this scholarship.	A maximum of US $100,000 funding covering: Tuition Fees Living Expenses One-way Travel Expense

Now that we have understood the various scholarships in USA for Indian students, let us segregate these scholarships and check out the best scholarships for Indian students in USA by degree-level.

Scholarships for Indian Students to Study in USA after 12th

Here is our list of some of the more popular scholarships for Indian students to study in USA after 12th:

Yale University Undergraduate Financial Aid: Based on your family's financial status, eligible candidates will receive financial support from Yale University. (Source: Yale University - Undergraduate Admissions)
Harvard University Undergraduate Financial Aid: All students depicting a financial need for financial support will receive the same from Harvard, based on its "need-blind" policy. (Source: Harvard College - Financial Aid)
Princeton University Financial Aid: To support talented and high-achieving students from lower or middle-income families, Princeton University offers a grant-based financial aid. (Source: Princeton University International Students - Financial Aid)
Dartmouth College Financial Aid: Similar to other Ivy League and top-ranking US universities, Dartmouth also offers a need-blind policy where all high-achieving students who need financial support are selected without considering their financial ability to cover the tuition costs. (Source: Dartmouth College International Students)
Amherst College Aid: It is among the few liberal arts colleges in the USA to offer need-blind scholarships to international students. (Source: Amherst College Financial Aid)

Scholarships for Master's in USA for Indian Students

For those seeking scholarships for Master's in USA for Indian students, here is our list of the most popular scholarships available:

Fulbright-Nehru Scholarships: Exclusively offered to Indian students, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 55% in their previous programme and 3 years of full-time work experience, with a commitment to return to India post completion. (Source: Fulbright Nehru Masters Fellowships)
The Quad Fellowships: Citizens of Quad countries, including India, interested applicants must be applying to a Master's or PhD in the STEM field in the USA. (Source: Quad Fellowship)
AAUR International Fellowships: Strictly for non-US female candidates, in a bid to empower women, aiming to study a Master's or PhD in USA, with a commitment to return to India after completion. (Source: AAUW International Fellowships)
Aga Khan Foundation for International Students: Academically outstanding students from developing nations, aiming to study a highly competitive Master's course, without any means to fund their studies. (Source: Aga Khan Foundation's Foreign Scholarships)
Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships: Indians under 30 years of age wishing to study Master's at top-tier US universities. (Source: Inlaks Scholarships)

Fully Funded PhD Scholarships in USA for Indian Students

We have outlined some of the best fully-funded PhD scholarships in USA for Indian students here:

Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford University): Full tuition fees, a generous living stipend and an annual travel grant for eligible students, including Indian students, who wish to pursue a PhD (or Master's) at Stanford. (Source: Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford)
Schlumberger Foundation Faculty of the Future: For women pursuing a PhD or post-doctoral study in STEM at a top-tier US university, with a track record of encouraging women into STEM and a commitment to return home to teach. (Source: Faculty for the Future)
Google PhD Fellowship: Nominated by an eligible US university where the applicant has been enrolled in a Computer Science or closely related field, receive 100% tuition fee coverage and a comprehensive stipend for 2 years. (Source: Google PhD Fellowship Programme)
IBM PhD Fellowship Abroad: International students, including Indian students at US universities, nominated by a doctoral faculty member with research aligned with focus areas such as AI, Quantum Computing, Hybrid Cloud and Security. (Source: IBM Academic Awards Programme)

Not sure if your academic profile qualifies for Stanford, Cornell or Fulbright funding? Do not risk your chances by guessing the best ways to navigate the strict regulations about US academic equivalency and eligibility for scholarships. Let our seasoned US admissions counsellors evaluate your academic profile and match you with the best US scholarships for Indian students, where you have the highest chances of winning.

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How to Apply for Scholarships in USA for Indian Students?

Once you ensure that you qualify for the different scholarships, including fully-funded scholarships for Indian students in USA, you must complete the application processes required to secure such scholarships as well.

Merit-based Scholarship Application Process

For merit-based scholarships, which are usually automatically granted by the universities, certain steps still need to be followed, as outlined below:

Apply for Admissions: Either via the Common Application App (for UG courses) or the individual portals for PG courses, students must apply for the appropriate programme they wish to study.
Opt for Merit-Based Scholarships: During the application process, students may encounter a checkbox asking if they wish to be considered for merit-based scholarships/financial aid. Select the box if you are interested.
Submit supplemental documents: While many universities will determine your eligibility based on your admissions Statement of Purpose (SOP), some departmental scholarships may require additional application. Candidates may be required to submit a specific Scholarship SOP to qualify.
Priority Deadline: Submit your application before the priority deadline of the university, in a bid to trigger the scholarship review process.

Need-Based Scholarship Application Process

As an Indian student, you will have to follow a much more rigorous process, which is managed by the College Board, to prove your financial eligibility.

Create a College Board Account: To access need-based scholarships, you must create an account on the College Board website and access the College Scholarships Service Profile (CSS)
Complete the CSS Profile: Enter detailed information regarding your family’s income, assets, and expenses in Indian Rupee (INR/₹).
Upload Tax Documents: Upload your parents’ tax documents or the official Income Tax Returns (ITR). For documents that are not in English, official certified translations of the documents must be submitted.

External/Government Scholarship Application Process

For those applying to the prestigious government scholarships or private financial aid, the application processes will be unique to each funder. However, we have highlighted a basic process that you will need to follow to secure your external/government scholarship.

Compile Necessary Documents: All applicants need to compile valid documentation, which includes the academic transcripts, a statement of purpose, and even standardised language proficiency test scores such as IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT.
Interview Stage: Most external scholarships would require students to participate in an interview stage. Once your application has been reviewed rigorously, the USIEF will inform you to attend an in-person or online interview with a selection panel in India.

A single error in the CSS profile can cost you 100% tuition waivers. Translating Indian tax documents and navigating the College Board financial portals is a notoriously complex process. Why risk your funding on a paperwork mistake? Partner with an AECC counsellor to ensure a flawless CSS profile and tax submission.

Speak to a US Financial Aid Expert

Tips to Apply for US Scholarships for Indian Students

One of the stressful parts of applying for higher studies in the USA is applying for US scholarships for Indian students. It should be noted that the US scholarship ecosystem is not a lottery system; it is a highly structured process that rewards students who are highly strategic, early and meticulously prepared. Outlined here are some tips and tricks you can use to enhance your chances of winning a US scholarship as an Indian student.

Target Priority Deadlines: Instead of waiting until January or the regular deadlines to submit the application forms, it is advisable to target priority deadlines or “Early Action” rounds, which is where a vast majority of institutional merit aid is allocated, according to EducationUSA.
Understand Need-Blind and Need-Aware Admissions: A large number of US universities are need-aware for international students, which means your request for a full scholarship actually affects your admission chances. Only a few elite universities like Harvard, MIT, Princeton and others are Need-Blind for international students. In other words, these universities will still admit you regardless of your ability to pay, where they will cover 100% of your demonstrated financial need.
Do Not Miss Out on Standardised Exams: Even though a large majority of universities have become test-optional, many of them still consider the standardised test scores from the SAT, or the ACT, for undergraduate courses and the GRE or the GMAT, for PG courses,to allocate merit-based scholarships to students. Instead of meeting the university average, you must target at least the 75th percentile or higher to trigger the automatic merit-based financial aid.
Expand Your University Choices: Apart from choosing just the popular choices like California, New York or Massachusetts, state universities in the Midwest and South like Texas, Ohio and Arizona, along with private liberal arts colleges, often possess massive endowments and limited international students. Therefore, if you wish to increase your chances of studying on a US scholarship for Indian students, then review such universities as well.
Frame Your SOP Around Community Impact: A key factor that allows students to secure popular US scholarships is their potential to be future leaders, and not just academic performance. You need to highlight the ways in which your US education will help you make an impact or difference in India or globally to win the hearts of the scholarship committees.

Top-ranking universities allocate their best scholarships during the "Early Action" rounds, deadlines that are approaching fast. From securing your standardised test scores to submitting your CSS Profile before the priority deadlines, timing is everything. Partner with a dedicated AECC counsellor who will provide you with personalised guidance throughout your journey, from your first application to securing your US F1 visa.

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Sources and References:

Fulbright-Nehru Master's Scholarships by USIEF - The official page highlights the terms and conditions that interested applicants must satisfy for the current and upcoming rounds of scholarship awards.
Cornell University Admissions - Tata Scholarships for Indian Students - Official page highlighting the admissions requirements, including the requirements and application process to secure the Tata Scholarships.
The Aga Khan Foundation's International Scholarship Programme - The official page highlighting the important details that qualified candidates need to know to receive their respective awards.
Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation - The Inlaks Scholarship - The official page highlighting the application requirements and processes involved to receive the generous scholarship awards by the foundation.
Yale University International Students - Need-Based Aid - The official page highlighting the basic requirements and process that international students need to clear admissions at Yale, including the basic requirements for need-based aid.
Harvard College - Griffin Financial Aid Office - The official page highlighting everything a student will need to know about the financial aid opportunities at the College.
Princeton University - Admissions & Aid - The official page outlining the basic requirements for undergraduate and graduate studies, including financial aid information for international students.
Dartmouth College - Undergraduate Admissions - International Students - The official page outlining the application processes and admission resources available for international students.
Amherst College - Financial Aid for International Students - The official page outlining the financial aid opportunities, by the office of Financial Aid, available to international students.
The Quad Fellowship by IIE - The official page outlining the QUAD fellowship for international students, including Indian students.
AAUW Fellowships & Grants - International Fellowships - The official page outlining the detailed information regarding the eligibility, selection criteria, timeline, application and more for eligible candidates.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars Stanford University - The current official page for outlining the basic requirements and application process to secure a Knight-Hennessy scholarship.
Schlumberger Foundation Scholarship - The official page outlining the mission, their successes, network and scholarship opportunity that await eligible students this upcoming year.
Google Research - PhD Fellowship Programme - The official page outlining the basic requirements, like research areas and application processes to receive the financial aid from Google.
IBM - PhD Academic Awards Programme - The official page outlining the history, eligibility, selection criteria, award details and more.