Study in India (SII)

Partial to Full Funded✅ Applications Open

Government of India's flagship program for international students to study in India across 900+ institutions and 8000+ courses.

Deadline
NA
Category
Partial to Full Funded
Official Website
Visit Portal

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1Citizens of eligible foreign countries (including Nepal)
  • 2For UG: Completed 12th grade or equivalent
  • 3For PG: Completed bachelor's degree
  • 4Eligibility criteria (marks, subjects) vary by university/course
  • 5English proficiency may be required by some institutions
  • 6Passport is required for most countries (NOT mandatory for Nepal & Bhutan)
  • 7Nepal & Bhutan students must provide Citizenship ID

Required Documents

  • Online application on Study in India portal
  • Passport copy (or Citizenship ID for Nepal/Bhutan students)
  • Academic mark sheets and certificates
  • English proficiency certificate (if required)
  • Passport-size photographs
  • Medical fitness certificate (recommended)
  • Any additional documents required by specific institutes

Application Steps

1

Register on studyinindia.gov.in and generate your SII ID

2

Complete Basic Information and Academic Information on dashboard

3

Explore courses and institutions based on eligibility

4

Apply to multiple courses/institutes (no limit on applications)

5

Institutes review your application and send offer letters

6

Receive multiple offer letters and choose ONLY one

7

Accept the offer and pay fees to the institute

8

Wait for final approval from institute

9

Apply for student visa using SII ID on indianvisaonline.gov.in

10

After arrival in India, complete FRRO registration within 14–15 days

❓ Have Questions About the Process?

Browse 14 answered questions about the SII scholarship — eligibility, documents, selection and more.

View SII FAQs →

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ✕Thinking you can accept multiple offer letters (only ONE allowed)
  • ✕Not checking eligibility criteria for each course/institute
  • ✕Entering incorrect academic or personal details (can affect visa)
  • ✕Not waiting for final institute approval before applying for visa
  • ✕Ignoring important updates in dashboard (offer letters, deadlines)
  • ✕Not completing FRRO registration after arriving in India

Video Guide

Understanding the Study in India (SII)

Study in India is an initiative of India's Ministry of Education that puts a large number of Indian institutions on one online platform for international students. It is best understood as an admissions system rather than a single scholarship. You build one profile, apply to as many courses as you like, and each institute decides for itself whether to make an offer and how big a tuition fee waiver to include.

The portal matters to Nepalese students in two ways. It is a route in its own right for anyone who wants a course or institution that COMPEX and ICCR do not cover, or who missed their deadlines. It is also a required first step for COMPEX, because the COMPEX form asks for your SII ID. SII suits students who can cover at least part of their own costs and want plenty of choice, and it makes a sensible backup alongside an ICCR or COMPEX application.

How offers and fee waivers are decided

Each institute reviews your profile against its own entry requirements, so the same application can bring a generous waiver from one institute and no offer from another. Your academic record drives most of this. That is why the official grade conversion sheet matters: institutes compare applicants on percentages, and a wrong conversion can make a strong profile look weaker than it is.

When budgeting, plan for the full cost of the course and of living in India, and treat any waiver as a reduction rather than the plan itself. Compare offers on what you will actually pay over the whole programme, not just on the waiver percentage.

Is this route right for you?

SII is flexible, but that flexibility comes with more financial responsibility than the fully funded schemes. A quick way to decide:

  • A good fit if you want a specific course or institution that is not on the COMPEX or ICCR lists.
  • A good fit if your family can cover living costs and some tuition while a waiver reduces the rest.
  • A good fit if you want a backup offer while you wait for other scholarship results.
  • A weaker fit if you need a guaranteed fully funded place, which is closer to what ICCR offers.
  • For Nepalese and Bhutanese students, the citizenship ID can stand in for a passport. Entry and registration rules for these two nationalities also differ from other countries, so confirm with your institute and the official portal which visa or registration steps apply to you.

Strategy and timeline

Each institute runs its own admission window, so there is no single SII deadline. Check the dates shown for each course on the portal. The phases are the same everywhere:

  • Set up your profile once, carefully. The same details flow into every application and later into your travel paperwork, so your name and date of birth must match your citizenship or passport exactly.
  • Shortlist courses where you clearly meet the entry requirements, and check each institute's location, recognition and fees after the waiver.
  • Apply widely enough to have real choices, then watch your dashboard for offers.
  • Compare offers on total cost, hostel availability and location before you accept one.
  • After accepting and paying, wait for the institute's final approval before booking travel, and keep the registration duties after arrival on your checklist.

Related guides

Ready to Apply?

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