ICCR Scholarship: Opportunity for Indonesian Students to Study for Free in India

India is a country with rapid technological development, strong cultural diversity, and one of the oldest civilizations in Asia. For international students, including those from Indonesia, who wish to study in India, there is a scholarship opportunity available. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) manages various scholarship schemes for bachelor’s, master’s, M Phil, and Ph.D. programs. According to the Embassy of India in Jakarta, the scholarship applications are usually open every January, with the 2025/2026 intake accepting applications from February to April. While there is no official announcement for the 2026/2027 academic year, interested students can start preparing. Check the requirements and predicted schedule for the 2026/2027 period. ICCR oversees 21 different scholarship schemes, with thousands of students benefitting annually. Six schemes are financed by ICCR, while others are managed on behalf of MEA and the Ministry of Ayush. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship (A1201) is one of the popular schemes, offering over 600 slots for the 2025/2026 academic year. Additionally, the Lata Mangeshkar Dance & Music Scholarship (A1209) provides 100 slots for foreign students interested in arts, music, theater, performing arts, sculpture, language, and culinary studies. ‘Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Cultural Exchange Scholarship’ and ‘Ayush Scholarship’ are also available. ICCR welcomes over 3,000 foreign students from 180 countries annually who pursue studies at various higher education institutions in India. On average, ICCR approves around 6,000 foreign scholars each year. Overall, ICCR scholarships cover benefits such as round-trip airfare (for specific schemes), tuition fees, living stipend, and accommodation costs. The general requirements for ICCR applications include a valid passport, identification card, translated academic transcripts, a health certificate, a 500-word essay, a passport-sized photo, two recommendation letters, and an English proficiency certificate. For S2 applicants, GMAT scores may be required for MBA programs. S3 applicants must also submit a research proposal. Referring to the scholarship opening for the 2025/2026 academic year, the selection timeline included online registration from February 20 to April 30, 2025. The announcement of destination campus placements was made on May 31, 2025, followed by scholarship allocation and offer letter creation by June 15, 2025. Final student selection for scholarship acceptance or rejection took place on June 22, 2025. If scholarship quotas remained unfilled, students were given the opportunity for alternative scholarship offers by July 1, 2025. Finalization for students receiving second offers was completed by July 10, 2025. While official announcements for the next academic year are pending, interested individuals can access more information about ICCR scholarships and application procedures through the A2A Scholarship Portal. The ICCR showcases the continuous educational cooperation between Indonesia and India, aiming to enhance human resource quality through higher education for a globally competitive younger generation.