Scholarships and fellowships in the basic sciences, 2026
Scholarships and fellowships for the natural sciences and mathematics, from undergraduate awards for science students to doctoral fellowships through the NET examinations and the INSPIRE programme of the Department of Science and Technology.
Science awards often set a marks condition at the previous stage, and some are limited to students in a particular course, such as a BSc or an integrated MSc. Check the qualifying examination and the course condition first. Keep your marksheets, the admission letter and, for fellowships, the NET scorecard or the qualifying letter ready.
Entries for this list are being added from the official calls. Until then, browse all scholarships or all fellowships.
Questions and answers
Which fellowships fund a PhD in the sciences?
The CSIR and UGC fellowships awarded through the NET examinations, the DST INSPIRE Fellowship and the fellowships of research institutes all fund doctoral research in the sciences. The PhD fellowships list gathers them with their stipends.
Does a science scholarship need a minimum percentage?
Most merit-based science scholarships do, and the figure varies by award; it is given in the eligibility section of each entry exactly as the call states it.