The Mekong Ganga Co-operation Scholarship Scheme is the education strand of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation grouping, which links India with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations runs it for the Government of India, and it carries scheme code G0172 on ICCR’s A2A scholarship portal.
Awards cover undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses at Indian universities. Each of the five countries has its own allocation of places, and the Indian Mission in the applicant’s country runs the selection.
Applications go through the same A2A portal and the same annual cycle as ICCR’s other scholarships. The 2026-27 round opened on 27 February 2026 and closed on 22 April 2026; the portal now lists every scheme except AYUSH as closed.
Benefits & funding
- Tuition fees at the host university are paid in full.
- A monthly living allowance set by ICCR’s financial terms, which varies by course level; the first payment takes about 2–3 months after arrival and is transferred to the student’s Indian bank account, as are later instalments.
- A fixed monthly House Rent Allowance; students arrange and pay for hostel or private accommodation themselves, and ICCR does not provide accommodation.
- An annual contingency allowance for books and stationery, and a thesis allowance for research students.
- Return economy-class airfare to the nearest airport to the place of study; if air does not cover the onward sector, 3-tier AC train or bus/coach costs are reimbursed against original tickets.
- Visa fees are covered.
- Students bear all medical costs through self-funded health insurance or personally; ICCR bears no cost or liability. The Embassy of India in Phnom Penh sets a minimum of USD 6,000 of annual cover for Cambodian scholars.
Eligibility
- Open to nationals of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
- Applications are filed through the Indian Mission for the applicant’s country and selected against that country’s allocation of places.
- Minimum age is 18 as on 1 July of the year of admission. Upper limits differ by Mission: Yangon publishes 35 years for undergraduate and postgraduate courses and 40 for PhD, Ho Chi Minh City publishes 40 and 50, Phnom Penh publishes 30 and 45, and the 2026-27 guidelines circulated by other Missions give 40 and 50. Confirm the figure with the Mission handling the application.
- Undergraduate applicants need school transcripts through the final year, postgraduate applicants a relevant bachelor’s degree, and PhD applicants a master’s degree.
- A 500-word essay in English is part of the form, and courses are studied in English.
- A valid passport, certified English translations of transcripts, and a character or migration certificate are required.
- Awards are tenable at Indian State and Central universities only, not at private or deemed universities.
- Medical, paramedical (nursing, physiotherapy, anaesthesia), fashion, law and five-year integrated courses such as BALLB or the five-year B.Sc and M.Sc sit outside the scheme.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Cambodia · Laos · Myanmar · Thailand · Vietnam
Education required
High School · Bachelor · Master
Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs
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Application process
- 1Confirm with the Indian Mission in your country that MGC is the scheme covering your nationality and intended course.
- 2Register on the A2A portal for the academic year and complete the online application.
- 3Upload transcripts, passport, the 500-word English essay, and the character or migration certificate.
- 4List university and course preferences in priority order, up to the number the form allows.
- 5Universities assess admission eligibility and confirm provisional admission on the portal.
- 6The Indian Mission allocates the award within its country’s places and issues the offer letter.
- 7Accept the offer, complete medical and visa formalities, and travel for the academic year that begins in July or August.
Program timeline
27 February 2026
2026-27 applications opened on the A2A portal.
last date for students to apply.
22 April 2026
last date for universities to upload admission confirmations.
25 June 2026
the academic year begins in India.
July to August 2026
Late February 2027 (expected)
the 2027-28 cycle opens.