SDEF India Scholarship Program 2026-27

The SDEF India Scholarship Program 2026-27, an initiative of the Swami Dayanand Education Foundation (SDEF), is a merit-cum-means based scholarship designed to support eligible first-year students pursuing selected professional undergraduate courses in India, including B.Tech./B.E., MBBS, BDS and B.Arch. The scholarship offers financial assistance of up to INR 50,000 per academic year and may be renewed for up to four years, subject to continued eligibility and satisfactory academic progress. Eligibility is also linked to the applicable academic and entrance examination criteria for the respective course, with the programme aimed at helping deserving students continue their higher education with greater financial stability.

• Outreach Project
• Undergraduate

Applicants must be taking admission in the first year of a full-time professional undergraduate degree programme in India for the 2026-27 academic year. Applicants must have secured at least 80% marks, or an equivalent CGPA, in Class 12, unless a different course/category-specific threshold is stated in the selection table below. Total annual family income from all sources must not exceed INR 12,00,000. The scholarship is open to the following professional undergraduate programmes: Engineering & Technology: B.Tech./B.E, Medicine: MBBS, Dentistry: BDS, Architecture: B.Arch, Category-wise Ranking and Selection Eligibility Criteria, Applicants must meet the applicable course and category-wise selection criteria given below. Use the table below to check the applicable rank or percentage requirement for your course and category before applying, Exam / Course, General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, JEE Advanced (IIT students only), Up to 10,000, Up to 4,500, Up to 2,300, Up to 1,100, Up to 1,700, JEE Main (NIT and other Govt institutes), Up to 10,000, Up to 4,000, Up to 2,200, Up to 1,000, Up to 1,600, NEET (MBBS), Up to 20,000, Up to 20,000, Up to 30,000, Up to 40,000, Up to 23,000, BDS (NEET or Equivalent Examinations), 60%, 55%, 50%, 50%, 60%, B.Arch. (NATA), 60%, 55%, 50%, 50%, 60%. Note: Applicants who have taken a drop or gap year after Class 12 are not eligible. JEE Advanced criteria apply to students admitted to IITs. JEE Main criteria apply to students admitted to NITs and other government institutes through JEE Main. For MBBS, the applicable NEET rank varies by category. For BDS and B.Arch., eligibility is assessed using the category-wise percentage thresholds shown in the table. Students from agricultural families may apply with applicable details of agricultural land holdings, and supporting land documents should be provided accurately. Preference may be given to first-generation college students and academically meritorious female students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This is a selection consideration and does not replace the core eligibility requirements.

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  Gender Requirement

  Open to female candidates only.

• 

  Admissions & Course Track

  Post-Matric (Class 11–12), Professional courses and Undergraduate students in Class 12, UG Year 1 at Institute of National Importance institutions studying Engineering & Technology, Medicine & Health Sciences and Architecture & Urban Planning.

• 

  Nationality

  Open to applicants of any nationality.

• 

  Social Category

  Open to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates.

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  Annual Family Income Threshold

  Gross annual family income must not exceed ₹12,00,000 (₹12 lakh) per annum.

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  Academic Standing

  Minimum 80% aggregate marks in the qualifying examination.

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  First-Generation Learners

  Preference is given to first-generation learners.

The award is paid once a year.

Additional Benefits

approved educational expenses, with total scholarship support extending up to INR 2,00,000 across four academic years

Keep clear scanned copies of these ready before you begin your application.

• 

  Passport

  A valid passport — scan the bio-data page.

  Essential
• 

  Aadhaar Card

  The applicant's own Aadhaar card.

  Essential
• 

  Marksheets

  Marksheets of the qualifying examinations, validating merit.

  Essential
• 

  Admission Letter

  Current-year admission or allotment letter from your institution.

  Essential
• 

  Fee Receipt

  Your most recent fee payment receipt.

  Essential
• 

  Income Certificate

  Issued by the competent revenue authority (Tehsildar / SDO).

  Up to ₹12 lakh
• 

  Passport-size Photograph

  A recent passport-size colour photograph.

  Essential

1. 1

   Application Registration Opens

   8 October 2026

   The online application opens.

2. 2

   Application Deadline

   30 November 2026(Active)

   Last day to submit your application and supporting documents.

Applications for this scheme are online. Follow these steps in order.

SDEF India Scholarship

University

Swami Dayanand Education Foundation (SDEF) administers education-support programmes for academically deserving students who may otherwise find the cost of higher education difficult to manage. Its India scholarship programme follows a merit-cum-means approach, with selection based on published eligibility conditions, financial need, supporting documents and a structured review process. Under the programme, scholarship funds are paid directly to the selected student’s college or university for approved educational expenses. Continued support is reviewed each year, making academic progress, accurate documentation and timely communication important throughout the scholarship period.

• scholarships@swamidayanand.org
• +91-120-4146823