scholarships for indian students pursuing an md degree abroad: where to apply and available options

Are there any scholarships exclusively for Indian students aiming to pursue an MD degree abroad? If so, where can they apply, and how many such scholarships are currently available?

Hello Sanya, as an Indian student aspiring to pursue an MD degree abroad, there are several scholarships you can explore to ease the financial burden of medical education. Here’s a brief overview of some key opportunities:

  1. University-Specific Scholarships:
  • Many top universities offer scholarships to international students. For example, Harvard Medical School provides tuition-only scholarships based on financial need, specifically for medical students. Similarly, Brunel Medical School offers scholarships covering up to 15% of tuition fees for MBBS students.
  • Anhui Medical University (China) and several universities in the USA, Canada, and Australia also offer partial scholarships for medical degrees.
  1. Government and Private Scholarships:
  • The Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation and Aga Khan Foundation offer scholarships to Indian students pursuing higher education, including medicine, abroad. These are usually merit- and need-based.
  • Indian government schemes such as the National Overseas Scholarship can also support students from certain categories in pursuing medical degrees internationally.
  1. International Organization Scholarships:
  • Organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Rotary Foundation offer scholarships that can support Indian students aiming to study medicine abroad, particularly in fields related to public health and medicine.
  1. Regional Scholarships:
  • In Maharashtra, several state-sponsored scholarships support students in medical courses abroad, such as the Post-Matric Scholarship for VJNT Students and the Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Fee Reimbursement Scheme, which partially fund MBBS/MD studies.

These scholarships are available based on merit, financial need, or specific categories, and students must apply well in advance, ensuring they meet the eligibility criteria. While there are numerous options, each scholarship has different requirements, deadlines, and coverage, ranging from partial to full tuition assistance.

Researching each scholarship’s application process is key to finding the best fit for your academic journey abroad.