On 27 October 2026, the Times of India highlighted that several major scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year will close on 31 October 2026. The deadline applies to central schemes on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) as well as to a number of private and institutional programmes. Applicants must act before the cut-off to avoid losing eligibility.

Key points

• NSP opens on 1 June 2026; most central schemes close 31 Oct 2026.
• Verification stages: L1 by 15 Nov 2026, L2 by 30 Nov 2026.
• AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath offer ₹50,000 per year.
• National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMSS) gives ₹12,000 per year to Class-8 pass students.
• Private schemes such as Satya Scholarship, SDEF India Scholarship and others also close 31 Oct 2026.
• Applications must include Aadhaar-verified bank account, income certificate, and other documents.

Details

National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
Students must register once to get a unique candidate number. Log in at scholarships.gov.in, choose the scheme, fill in academic, personal and bank details, and upload required documents such as Aadhaar card, income certificate, bank passbook and admission receipt. The bank account must be Aadhaar-verified for Direct Benefit Transfer.

AICTE Pragati Scholarship
For girl students in AICTE-approved technical degree and diploma institutions. Income ceiling ₹8 lakh per year. Two daughters per family may benefit. Award: ₹50,000 per annum.

AICTE Saksham & Swanath
Saksham supports students with disabilities; Swanath targets specified dependents. Both offer ₹50,000 per year with a family income limit of ₹8 lakh.

National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)
For Class-8 pass students from economically weaker families. Income cap ₹3.5 lakh, minimum marks as per guidelines. Award: ₹12,000 per year.

Other NSP schemes
PM YASASVI Top Class, Top Class SC, ST National Fellowship, DEPwD Post Matric, PMSS for Railways, Police, CAPF/AR wards, NEC Merit scholarship, etc., all close 31 Oct 2026.

Private & institutional scholarships
Satya Scholarship Programme: 100% course fee, hostel, accommodation and meals; deadline 31 Oct 2026.
Swami Dayanand Education Foundation (SDEF) India Scholarship: renewable support for professional undergraduates; deadline 31 Oct 2026.
Winnie Sun, Muskaan, Parivartan ECSS, GEV Memorial Merit and Eastman Powerup Eduskill Scholarships: deadlines 31 Oct 2026. Awards range from ₹12,000 to ₹2,00,000 per year.

What it means for students

Students should:

• Register on NSP before 31 Oct 2026 and keep the candidate number handy.
• Gather all documents early – Aadhaar, income certificate, bank passbook, marksheet, admission receipt.
• Check each scheme’s specific eligibility (income limit, category, academic level) on the official portal.
• Apply well before the deadline to avoid server slowdowns; aim for at least a week in advance.
• Track verification stages: L1 by 15 Nov, L2 by 30 Nov.
• For private scholarships, visit the respective programme websites (e.g., Buddy4Study for Satya Scholarship) for exact criteria.

Acting promptly can secure financial support that eases the cost of higher education for the 2026-27 year.

Source: The Times of India. Written for students by the Isolated Study News Desk from public reports. Always check the official website for final dates and details.