ICCR vs COMPEX vs Study in India: Which Indian Scholarship Fits You?

Use this list as a first filter. If you do not meet the citizenship or study-level requirement of a scheme, you can stop there and put your energy into the ones that fit.

• ICCR: citizens of ICCR-eligible countries; undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD study in India; selected through university admission plus ICCR approval; designed as fully funded; online on the A2A portal followed by embassy document submission
• COMPEX: Nepalese citizens; undergraduate engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, food technology and nursing in India; selected by a computer-based test in Kathmandu; fully funded; online through the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, after obtaining an SII ID
• Study in India (SII): many nationalities including Nepal; undergraduate and postgraduate study at a very wide range of Indian institutions; merit review by each institute; tuition waiver of 100, 50, 25 or 0 percent; online at studyinindia.gov.in
• MGSS: Nepalese regular Class 11 students; study in Nepal; academic record plus a family income limit; fixed annual financial assistance; apply online through the link published by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu
• GJSS: Nepalese regular first-year undergraduates; study in Nepal; Class 12 marks plus a family income limit; annual assistance that depends on the course; apply online through the link published by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu
• SAARC Hospitality and Hotel Management: Nepalese Class 12 graduates; BSc in hospitality and hotel management at Institutes of Hotel Management in India; academic record; paper application to the Embassy in three sets
• Dr. Homi J. Bhabha (HJBSS): Nepalese engineering graduates; ME or MTech in India; academic record; paper application to the Embassy in three sets

ICCR is what most international students mean when they talk about an Indian government scholarship. It covers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral study, it is open to citizens of many countries rather than only Nepal, and it offers the widest range of subjects, from sciences and engineering to commerce, humanities and the arts. You need a completed qualification at the time of applying, so Class 12 appearing students and diploma holders cannot use it for undergraduate entry.

Selection works from two sides: the universities you list decide on admission, and ICCR confirms the scholarship. There is no entrance exam, which means your marks, your essay, the fit between your background and your chosen courses, and the quality of your documents carry the weight. It suits students with a clear subject in mind and a solid record.

COMPEX is run by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, and only Nepalese citizens can apply, with preference for those who completed their schooling in Nepal. It is limited to five undergraduate fields: engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, food technology and nursing. Engineering accounts for most of the seats in the 2026-27 breakdown shown on our COMPEX page.

Unlike ICCR, selection is driven by a computer-based test covering English, physics and chemistry, plus mathematics or biology depending on the course. That changes how you prepare: your Class 12 marks need to clear the eligibility thresholds, and after that your exam performance matters most. Appearing Class 12 students may apply with a certificate from their principal, which is a key difference from ICCR.

Tip: COMPEX and ICCR run on different calendars, so Nepalese science students often consider both. Read each notice carefully for rules on holding one scholarship while applying for another, and never accept a placement you do not intend to take up.

Study in India is the Government of India's admissions programme for international students rather than a single scholarship. You register on studyinindia.gov.in, receive an SII ID, and apply to as many courses and institutes as you like without ranking them. Each institute reviews applications on merit and may offer a full, half, quarter or no tuition waiver, and you then accept only one offer.

The trade-off is funding. Even with a 100 percent tuition waiver, accommodation and living costs are usually your responsibility, so SII works best for students who can support themselves or have family backing. The SII ID is also used in the student visa process for nationalities that need a visa, and it is required before applying for COMPEX, so many Nepalese students register on SII regardless of which scheme they finally choose.

The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship Scheme and the Golden Jubilee Scholarship Scheme are offered by the Embassy of India to Nepalese students, but they fund study in Nepal, not in India. MGSS supports regular Class 11 students through Class 11 and 12, while GJSS supports regular first-year undergraduates through their degree. Both carry a family income ceiling, both exclude students already receiving another scholarship, and neither covers diploma programmes.

These schemes are easy to overlook if you are focused on going abroad, yet they are a strong option for a capable student who wants to stay home. They also require yearly renewal documents, typically the previous year's mark sheets and a promotion certificate from the institution, so they reward steady performance rather than one good result.

The SAARC scholarship for a BSc in hospitality and hotel management and the Dr. Homi J. Bhabha Scholarship Scheme for ME or MTech share a similar process. Both are for Nepalese citizens aged 25 or under on the cutoff date in the notice, both select mainly on academic record, and both require a downloaded form submitted to the Embassy's Education Wing in three complete sets, with notarised documents and an original bank voucher for the fee.

They suit very different students. The SAARC scheme fits a Class 12 graduate set on a hospitality career and asks for at least four institute preferences. HJBSS fits an engineering graduate with at least 60 percent in their bachelor's, asks for at least three branch choices, and does not accept appearing candidates. Withdrawing after placement under HJBSS can lead to being debarred from future scholarships and asked to refund costs, so apply only if you are committed.

Start with your citizenship and your current level of study, then let your goals and finances narrow the list. Working through these questions in order usually settles it.

1. Are you a Nepalese citizen? If not, ICCR and Study in India are your main routes.
2. Do you want to study in India or in Nepal? MGSS and GJSS are only for study in Nepal.
3. Is your goal an undergraduate degree in engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, food technology or nursing? Consider COMPEX alongside ICCR.
4. Are you stronger in exams or in your academic record? COMPEX rewards test performance; ICCR, SAARC HHM and HJBSS lean on your record and documents.
5. Can your family fund your living costs? If so, Study in India widens your choices; if not, prioritise fully funded schemes.
6. Is your goal hotel management or an engineering master's? Look closely at SAARC HHM or HJBSS, which are built for exactly those paths.

The most frequent mix-up is treating COMPEX and ICCR as the same programme. They have different portals, different calendars and different selection methods, and an application on one does not count for the other. Another is assuming every scheme is fully funded, when SII waivers can be partial and MGSS and GJSS provide fixed annual assistance rather than covering all costs.

Also be clear about the rules on agents. The Embassy schemes for Nepalese students state that applications routed through consultants, middlemen or agencies are liable to be rejected. Every scheme on this list can be applied for directly by the student, and each scholarship page on our site links to the official portal or Embassy website.