Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Cultural Exchange Scholarship Scheme

Benefits & funding

• Tuition and the compulsory university charges are paid by ICCR.
• A monthly allowance covering living costs and accommodation, plus an annual contingency allowance for books and stationery.
• A thesis allowance for research students.
• The first three months of the allowance are paid in advance on arrival; later payments run through a State Bank of India account.
• Airfare depends on the slot. ICCR states that some schemes carry a return ticket and others require self-financed travel, and the slots recently announced under this scheme have been offered without airfare.
• Medical treatment follows Central Government Health Scheme rules, and every scholar must buy a medical insurance policy covering at least INR 500,000 a year at their own cost.

Eligibility

• Open to nationals of countries that hold a Cultural Exchange Programme or Educational Exchange Programme with India; the slots for each country are announced by the Indian Mission there.
• Minimum age 18 as on 1 July of the entry year. The cap is 40 for undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma courses and 50 for PhD, with no upper limit for art and culture courses unless the institution sets one.
• Undergraduate applicants must have passed the 12th standard or its equivalent; postgraduate applicants need the relevant bachelor’s degree and PhD applicants the relevant master’s degree.
• Applicants must be sufficiently proficient in English, as Indian universities teach in English.
• A valid passport issued by the applicant’s own government is required.
• Awards are tenable only at Indian State and Central universities, not at private or deemed universities.
• Medicine, paramedical courses such as nursing, physiotherapy and anaesthesia, fashion, law, and five-year integrated courses such as BA.LLB or BSc and MSc are not covered.
• The one-year Hindi certificate course under this scheme is open to Bulgarian and Chinese nationals, and the Buddhist studies course to Lao PDR nationals.
• Applicants must be free of serious health problems; ICCR does not fund a caretaker or accompanying family member.

Application process

1. 1
   Ask the Indian Mission in your country whether it has slots under this scheme for the coming year, and check the scheme list on the A2A portal.
2. 2
   Register on the A2A portal when it opens in late February and complete the online application; applications are accepted only online, through the Mission.
3. 3
   Rank your university and course preferences on the form. Mission announcements for this scheme have allowed up to five preferences.
4. 4
   Upload the required documents, including class 10 and 10+2 mark sheets, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics certificates for engineering applicants, and English translations of anything not originally in English.
5. 5
   Indian universities scrutinise the applications and upload a provisional admission confirmation.
6. 6
   The Indian Mission allocates its slots and issues offer letters; a vacant slot may be filled in a later round.
7. 7
   Accept the offer, buy the medical insurance, obtain the student or research visa, and travel to India.

Program timeline

1. 27 February 2026

   A2A portal opened for 2026–27 applications.

2. last date for applicants to submit on the portal.

   15 April 2026

3. universities upload provisional admission confirmations.

   30 April 2026

4. Indian Missions allocate scholarships and generate offer letters.

   15 May 2026

5. second round fills slots left vacant.

   10 June 2026

6. Late February 2027 (expected)

   the 2027–28 cycle opens, following the same pattern.