The Oxford-Indira Gandhi Graduate Scholarship was established by Somerville College and the University of Oxford with support from the Government of India. It funds eligible full-time DPhil research connected to sustainable development and India and is held at Somerville College.
Current University and Somerville pages describe the award as DPhil-only, while the Blavatnik School’s MPP funding page still carries an MPP-facing listing. Somerville says final 2027 details, including the eligible-course list, will be available in October 2026.
Benefits & funding
- The scholarship covers course fees and provides a grant for living costs.
- Funding lasts for the recipient’s fee-liability period for the agreed course.
- One scholarship is listed for 2027 entry.
Eligibility
- Applicants must either be ordinarily resident in India or have previously studied at an Indian higher education institution; no nationality requirement is stated.
- The current central listing limits the award to DPhil applicants whose proposed research is relevant to sustainable development and India.
- Published focus areas include sustainable cities, climate change and clean energy, healthcare innovation, environmental sustainability, food and water security, with law, governance and human rights as cross-cutting themes.
- The award is tenable only at Somerville College; successful candidates are transferred there if necessary.
- Oxford has not yet confirmed the final eligible-course list for 2027 entry.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Education required
PhD
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Application process
- 1Apply for an eligible full-time Oxford DPhil by the funding deadline stated for that course.
- 2No separate scholarship application is currently required, and college preference does not affect consideration.
- 3Somerville expects eligible DPhil candidates to receive an email in February or March 2027 inviting them to complete a short online confirmation form.
- 4Shortlisted candidates may attend a video interview, with shortlisting and interviews anticipated in April or May 2027.
Program timeline
October 2026
Somerville expects to publish final 2027 scholarship details and eligible courses.
Course-specific funding deadline
Submit the Oxford DPhil application for scholarship consideration.
Eligible candidates are expected to receive the short confirmation form.
February–March 2027
Shortlisting and video interviews are anticipated.
April–May 2027