AYUSH Scholarship Scheme for BIMSTEC Countries — Bachelor's Scholarship

The AYUSH Scholarship Scheme for BIMSTEC Countries sends students from the Bay of Bengal region into India’s traditional-medicine degrees. Thirty scholarships are offered each year, and the eligible nationalities are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations runs the scheme as agency work for the BIMSTEC Division of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Scholars take degrees in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homoeopathy or Yoga at Indian universities, institutes and colleges, from bachelor’s level through to a PhD.

Everything moves through ICCR’s A2A scholarship portal on a single annual cycle. Applicants file through the Indian Mission in their own country, and the Indian university — not ICCR — decides whether to admit them.

Benefits & funding

Tuition and the compulsory course fees are paid directly to the institution.
Monthly stipend under ICCR’s published AYUSH rates: INR 18,000 for undergraduate study; INR 35,500 in year one of an MD and INR 38,000 in years two and three; INR 43,500 for PhD scholars.
House rent allowance of up to INR 6,500 a month, paid against actuals where hostel accommodation is not provided.
Annual contingent grant of INR 4,500 to INR 12,000 depending on the level of study, plus INR 7,000 to INR 10,000 towards thesis or dissertation costs.
One economy-class return air ticket: to India on admission, and home after the course ends.
Three months of stipend are released on arrival; scholars then open a State Bank of India account for the payments that follow.
Medical treatment is provided under Central Government Health Scheme rules.

Eligibility

Open to nationals of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Applicants must have turned 18 by the time of admission.
The undergraduate medicine tracks (BAMS, BSMS, BUMS, BHMS) require 12 years of schooling with physics, chemistry and biology; the three-year yoga degrees (B.Sc. Yoga, B.A. Yoga Shastra) require 12 years of schooling in any stream.
MD applicants need a relevant bachelor’s degree recognised by the Central Council of Indian Medicine or the Central Council of Homoeopathy; PhD applicants need the matching master’s-level degree.
Applicants must be medically fit and have enough English to follow the course.
Applications are handled by the Indian Mission covering the applicant’s country, which selects within that country’s share of the slots.

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Eligible nationalities
Bangladesh · Bhutan · Myanmar · Nepal · Sri Lanka · Thailand
Education required
High School · Bachelor · Master
Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs

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Application process

1
Confirm on the A2A scheme list that the AYUSH scheme covers your nationality and your intended subject.
2
Register on the A2A portal for the academic year; applicants from Bangladesh must register on the Suborno Jayanti portal before using the A2A portal.
3
Complete the online application under the AYUSH category for your level (UG, PG or PhD) and rank your institution and course preferences.
4
Upload certified copies of every document, with English translations.
5
Submit whatever printed set and application fee your Indian Mission requires — in Nepal that is a non-refundable NRs 400 payment at Nepal SBI, with the receipt attached to the printed application.
6
Indian institutions assess admission against their own criteria; ICCR awards the scholarship only after an institution confirms admission.
7
On selection, complete medical and visa formalities and travel in time to join the course. Admission is treated as cancelled if the scholar cannot join within a month.

Program timeline

8 June 2025
closing date for the 2025–26 AYUSH round.
31 May 2026
closing date for 2026–27 AYUSH applications on the A2A portal; ICCR noted that all its other scholarship schemes had already closed.
an example of Mission-level cut-offs — online form first, printed set a few days later.
15 May 2026 and 20 May 2026
Early 2027 (expected)
the 2027–28 cycle opens on the A2A portal, with the AYUSH closing date expected around May 2027.