IISc Bangalore Scholarships 2026: Eligibility, Types & Application Process

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore provides a range of scholarships and fellowships to support students across its undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs. These are primarily institute-funded through government agencies like CSIR, UGC, DBT, ICMR, MHRD, AICTE, DAE (NBHM), and DST, with additional opportunities from industry, alumni, and external sponsors. Whether you're an undergraduate researcher or a returning Ramanujan Fellow, IISc Bangalore scholarships ensures that financial constraints don't hinder access to world-class education at India’s premier science university. This guide details the eligibility criteria, application timelines, and award structures for these opportunities. You'll discover department-specific awards such as the Infosys Scholarship for computer science and the CSIR Fellowship for chemistry researchers, alongside need-based provisions including interest-free loans and the Earn While You Learn scheme. By understanding the distinct pathways—from the J.N. Tata Endowment for Indian nationals to external funding like the Google PhD Fellowship—you can strategically align your academic profile with the right financial support. This can transform your admission into a fully funded research career.

IISc Bangalore Institute-Funded Scholarships and Fellowships

IISc awards scholarships or fellowships to most students from the date of joining, except for specific programs like M.Sc., M.Mgt., BS (Research), B.Tech., M.Tech. (through CFTI mode), Joint M.Tech. in Semiconductor Technology, and 1-Year M.Engg. IISc Bangalore scholarships are typically activated by submitting a joining report to the relevant funding agency. Students receiving salaries from employers or sponsors are ineligible.

Key conditions include:

• Duration Limits: Up to 2 years for M.Tech./M.Des./M.Tech. (Research); up to 5 years for Ph.D.
• Refund Policy: Students leaving M.Tech./M.Des. programs midway must refund the entire scholarship amount drawn.
• Exceptions for CFTI Mode: B.E./B.Tech. graduates from IITs with a CGPA ≥ 8.0 may receive a scholarship/assistantship of ₹12,400 per month, subject to Ministry of Education guidelines.
• Medical Insurance: Mandatory for all students, with premiums payable as per actual costs.

The monthly stipend amounts for institute-funded scholarships are as follows:

Students in non-entitled programs (e.g., BS Research, B.Tech.) may still access external scholarships from agencies, subject to their terms. For instance, M.Tech. students from Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs) with high CGPA can qualify for limited institute support.

IISc Bangalore Scholarships: Additional Fellowships through ODAA

The Office of Development and Alumni Affairs (ODAA) at IISc manages a wide array of industry-sponsored, alumni-funded, and external fellowships. These are often merit- or need-based, with a focus on underrepresented groups like women in STEM. While specific details (e.g., amounts, eligibility) vary and are available on individual ODAA pages, they supplement institute scholarships and can include top-ups, tuition waivers, or research grants.

Undergraduate Level (BS Research and B.Tech.)

These fellowships support students in programs like BS (Research) and B.Tech. in Mathematics & Computing, often prioritizing women or high-achieving students.

• IISc-AANA Midwest Chapter Fellowship for Women in Science
• Mallika Women in Science Fellowships
• Prof J Nagaraju Memorial Fellowship for Women UG Students
• IISc 1975 BE EECS Batch Fellowships
• Late Hallimysore Hirannaiah & Late Subbalakshamma Fellowships
• Smt Jayalakshmi & Late Sri KT Venkataramanachar Fellowship for Women Students
• Vasant Natarajan UG Fellowships
• Chamarahalli Nagappa & Kamala Iyer Fellowship (for Integrated B.Sc. 5th year)
• Ms Sumana Memorial Women UG Fellowship
• Square Point Foundation Fellowships (B.Tech.)
• Synchronoss Technologies BTech Fellowships
• ITTIAM BTech Fellowships (e.g., up to ₹7,000/month plus tuition support for eligible students with CGPA ≥ 8.0 or JEE ranks under 2000)
• Kotak Women BTech Scholarship
• Jay Pullur Memorial Fellowship for BTech Students
• Dibakar Das Research Endowment Award and Fellowship
• Kunal Roy and Neelam Roy BTech Fellowships
• Dr Kolar and Mrs Girija Kodandapani Family Fellowship
• Axis Bank BTech Fellowships
• Subodh Arati Chakraborty Endowed Fellowship
• Dr Priyadarshini Panda UG Women Fellowships
• IISc Class of 1998 ME Fellowship for UG Women and Deep Asher Fellowship
• Pratibhodh Foundation Fellowship for Women Students

Postgraduate Level (M.Tech., M.Sc. Research)

Focused on advanced coursework and research, with many aimed at women in technology and specific fields like AI or green skills.

• IISc-Siemens Healthineers Women MTech Fellowship
• IISc-Wipro GE Healthcare MTech Women Fellowships
• Sony India Software Centre Women MTech Fellowships
• Wells Fargo Women MTech Fellowships
• Shell MTech Fellowships for Green Skill Development
• Axis Bank MTech Fellowships
• CNI MTech Fellowships
• Kotak MTech Scholarship
• IISc-Kunal Roy and Neelam Roy MTech Fellowships
• IISc-Mallika Women MTech Fellowships
• Prem Prakash and Raj Mittal Memorial Fellowship
• Dr Rajan Varadarajan MTech Top Up Fellowships
• IISc-Sri BM SreeRama Raju Top-up Fellowship
• IISc-Siemens Technology India MTech and PhD Fellowships
• Ansys MTech (Research) Fellowship
• Danaher MSc Life Sciences Scholarships
• Synchronoss Technologies MSc Chemistry Fellowships
• Dr Reeta Gupta WiSTEM MSc Chemistry Fellowships

Ph.D. Level

These often provide top-ups to base fellowships, supporting research in areas like cyber-physical systems, networked intelligence, and more.

• Axis Bank PhD Fellowships
• Hindustan Unilever Women PhD Fellowships
• CNI PhD Fellowships (e.g., supported by Cisco CSR for networked intelligence research)
• VeARC Top-up PhD Fellowships
• Kotak PhD Scholarship
• Prabakar Family Foundation PhD Fellowship
• IISc-Siemens Technology India MTech and PhD Fellowships
• Google PhD Fellowship Program
• Microsoft Research India PhD Award
• ACM India Doctoral Dissertation Award
• IKDD Doctoral Dissertation in Data Science Award

IISc Bangalore Scholarships: Externally Managed and Other Opportunities

IISc Bangalore students can also apply for broader external scholarships:

• Reliance Foundation Undergraduate & Postgraduate Scholarships (up to ₹2 lakhs for UG; higher for PG, prioritizing lower-income students).
• TCS Research Scholar Program
• Princeton Foundation National Fellowship for Peace & Learning India
• Department-specific options, e.g., MHRD stipends in Computational and Data Sciences (₹25,000–28,000/month for Ph.D., plus HRA).
• Industry collaborations like Zeiss Group MTech Fellowships (6 students over 3 years for AI in eyecare) or Booking.com scholarships for women in engineering masters.

IISc Bangalore Scholarships: Application Process

The application process for IISc Bangalore scholarships varies depending on the type: institute-provided (often through external agencies like CSIR/UGC/DBT), external government fellowships (e.g., PMRF, INSPIRE), or industry-sponsored/endowed fellowships coordinated by the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs (ODAA).

Most scholarships/fellowships for research programs (PhD, Integrated PhD, M.Tech (Research), M.Tech/M.Des) are not applied for separately during admissions but are activated upon joining, based on eligibility tied to your admission mode and national qualifications (e.g., NET/GATE/JRF). Coursework programs like M.Sc., B.Tech., BS (Research), and certain M.Tech. modes generally do not qualify for institute scholarships.

1. Institute-Provided Scholarships/Fellowships (via CSIR/UGC/DBT/ICMR/MHRD/AICTE/DAE-NBHM/DST etc.)

These are the primary support for most admitted students in research-oriented programs.

Application Process:

• No separate application during admissions. Scholarships are awarded from the date of joining the program.
• After admission and joining IISc (submitting joining report), eligible students must immediately send a joining report to the respective funding agency (e.g., CSIR, UGC, DBT, ICMR, DST) within 15 days to activate the fellowship.
• For UGC-JRF: Submit the joining report specifically to Canara Bank, IISc Campus.
• Provide bank account details for direct credit of stipend.
• Scholarship bills/requests are submitted monthly via the department office (by the 20th of each month) for timely payment.
• Renewal/continuation depends on academic progress (e.g., timely Comprehensive Exam for SRF upgrade), supervisor recommendation, and no dues.

2. Special/Prestigious External Fellowships (e.g., PMRF, INSPIRE, NBHM)

Application Process:

• Apply through the respective national agency portals (e.g., PMRF via nomination after admission or direct application; INSPIRE via DST portal).
• For PMRF at IISc: Often nominated by the institute after regular admission; selected candidates may receive consent offers to switch to PMRF.
• Once awarded, activate similarly via joining report and agency guidelines.

3. Industry-Sponsored/Endowed Fellowships (via ODAA)

These are additional/top-up or specific fellowships (e.g., TCS PhD Research Scholar Program, Reliance Foundation, Axis Bank, Hindustan Unilever Women PhD, Danaher MSc, Google PhD, ITTIAM BTech, etc.). Many target women, specific departments, or merit/need.

Application Process:

• Separate applications are typically required after joining IISc (or sometimes during/after admission for certain ones).
• Visit the ODAA Fellowships page (odaa.iisc.ac.in/fellowships) for the full list, eligibility, and current calls.
• For many (e.g., MTech fellowships): Submit online applications during announced cycles (e.g., deadlines like August for AY 2025-26; check for 2026 updates).
• Required documents often include CV/resume (with academic scores from Class 10 onward), GATE scores (if applicable), past performance, and sometimes recommendation letters.
• Selection by a dedicated committee based on merit, need, CGPA, etc.

IISc Bangalore Scholarships FAQs

Q1. What scholarships are available for PhD students at IISc Bangalore?

IISc Bangalore offers scholarships/fellowships primarily through government agencies like CSIR, UGC, DBT, ICMR, DST, MHRD/MoE, and others. Eligible PhD students receive Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) of ₹37,000 per month for the first two years, upgrading to Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) of ₹42,000 per month after successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam (typically after 2 years). Extensions beyond 5 years may include financial assistance of ₹12,000 per month for needy students. Prestigious options like Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) provide higher stipends (₹70,000–₹80,000 per month plus ₹2 lakh annual research grant).

Q2. How much stipend do MTech and MTech (Research) students get at IISc Bangalore scholarships?

MTech, MDes, and MTech (Research) students receive a standard fellowship of ₹12,400 per month (as per MoE norms), typically for up to 2 years. Extensions for needy students may provide limited financial assistance (e.g., ₹5,000 per month for up to 6 months in MTech Research). Continuation requires maintaining minimum grades and committing to teaching/research assistance (8–10 hours/week).

Q3. How to apply for scholarships at IISc Bangalore?

Most institute scholarships (CSIR/UGC/DBT etc.) require no separate application—they are awarded based on your admission mode and national qualifications. After joining IISc, submit a joining report to the funding agency within 15 days to activate the fellowship. For industry-sponsored or endowed fellowships (e.g., via ODAA like Reliance, TCS, Danaher, Google PhD), apply separately through the ODAA fellowships portal (odaa.iisc.ac.in/fellowships) during open calls. Prestigious schemes like PMRF often involve institute nomination after admission.

Q4. Are there special scholarships for women or specific categories at IISc Bangalore?

Yes, IISc offers several targeted fellowships through ODAA, such as Mallika Women in Science Fellowships, Hindustan Unilever Women PhD Fellowships, Wells Fargo Women MTech Fellowships, IISc-Siemens MTech/PhD Fellowships, and others for women in science/engineering. Merit-cum-need-based and department-specific IISc Bangalore scholarships (e.g., in EECS, CDS) are also available. SC/ST/PwD students get full tuition waivers.

Q5. Are there scholarships for Integrated PhD students at IISc Bangalore?

Yes. Integrated PhD students receive ₹16,000 per month in the initial stage (first 2 years). Upon transitioning to the PhD stage (post-MSc equivalent), they qualify for JRF ₹37,000 per month, upgrading to SRF ₹42,000 per month after Comprehensive Exam. Maximum duration is up to 7 years, with possible 1-year extension assistance of ₹12,000 per month.