MBA Scholarships for Indian Students in 2025
Pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) may be a life-changing experience. The financial investment has, however, often proved to be a barrier to many aspirants. This is where opportunities for an MBA Scholarship make all the difference in assisting deserving students.
In 2025, several MBA Scholarships in India will be available to Indian students, enabling them to pursue their degree at leading management colleges in India and abroad. The guide includes an in-depth discussion of the most common scholarships for MBA students, their application process, and eligibility requirements.
Let’s discuss the ways of relieving your financial stress and finally achieving your dream of becoming a management professional.
Table Of Content
Why Pursuing MBA Scholarships Is Crucial?
Types of MBA Scholarships in India
Top MBA Scholarships in India for 2025
Corporate & Private Foundation Scholarships
MBA Scholarships for Women
Government-Sponsored MBA Scholarships in India
Global MBA Scholarships for Indian Students
Application Process for MBA Scholarships
Tips to Increase Your Chances of Getting an MBA Scholarship
Empower Your Future with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Online MBA
Final Thoughts
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Pursuing MBA Scholarships Is Crucial?
In India, the cost of a two-year MBA is between Rs.8 lakhs and Rs.25 lakhs. Whereas, an international MBA might stretch up to Rs.80 lakhs and above. While education loans are the obvious option, they have the issue of hefty repayment that includes interest.
Now, to dodge this, students can opt for the scholarships. The MBA scholarships for Indian students will be useful in:
- Reducing or completely covering tuition fees
- Supporting your living expenses
- Giving you a competitive edge for jobs or further education
- Offering a sense of recognition and motivation
Types of MBA Scholarships in India
Being knowledgeable about the types of MBA scholarships in India will assist you in narrowing down the ones that best fit your profile:
Merit-Based Scholarships
Need-Based Scholarships
It is available to students from lower-income groups in society and is provided based on family income and financial background.
Diversity or Special Category Scholarships
Targeting explicitly women, students with some sort of disability, or students with a certain regional background.
Corporate or CSR Scholarships
There are a lot of public and private corporations, banks and non-profits that provide scholarships for MBA students under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
Institute-Specific Scholarships
Some Indian and foreign B-schools also offer financial assistance and scholarships to help students.
Top MBA Scholarships in India for 2025
The following is a list of some of the most famous MBA scholarships in India for which you can apply:
1. Aditya Birla Scholarship
- Provided to students at IIMs, XLRI, FMS, and SPJIMR
- Value: Rs.1,75,000 per annum
- According to scholastic performance, management, and group consultations
2. OPJEMS (OP Jindal Engineering & Management Scholarship)
- For the 15 best B-School students
- Amount: Rs.1,50,000
- Selection through academic scores, together with an online aptitude test
3. IIM Scholarships (Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, etc.)
All IIMs provide large facilities for scholarships:
- Scholarships to needy students with low-income families
- Government and non-government private foundation scholarships
- Sponsored fellowships
4. NMIMS Scholarships
- High scorer merit scholarships in NMAT
- There are post-admission need-based offers, too
5. Great Lakes Institute of Management Scholarships
- Merit scholarships based on CAT/XAT scores and performance in the admission process
- Amount: Rs.1 to Rs.5 lakhs
6. XLRI Scholarships
- Mirae Asset Foundation, Aditya Birla Group and other scholarships
- According to academic merit and the need for money
7. SPJIMR Scholarships
- Provides scholarships to poor students
- Corporate-sponsored and Women-centric scholarships
Corporate & Private Foundation Scholarships
Several CSR-supported and individual programs provide MBA scholarships for Indian students:
1. IDFC FIRST Bank MBA Scholarship
- Rs.1 lakh per year for 2 years
- The application is made available to students whose annual family income is less than 6 lakh rupees.
2. Kotak Kanya Scholarship
- Pays up to Rs.1.5 lakhs every year
- To the meritorious girl students belonging to weaker economic sections
3. HDFC Educational Crisis Scholarship Support
- Provides financial support to students facing sudden financial hardship
4. T. Thomas Scholarship (HUL)
- One student per B-School is awarded
- Amount: Rs.1 lakh
- According to skills and referrals of the institution
MBA Scholarships for Women
There are also special scholarships in various foreign and Indian institutes to facilitate women in management:
1. Forté Foundation Fellowship
- Offered by international B-schools like Kellogg, Wharton, and Harvard
- Based on the potential of leadership and career commitment
2. Citi Foundation – IIM Women’s Scholarships
- A maximum of Rs.5 lakhs
- Awarded to meritorious women MBA students in the leading Indian b-schools
3. Laidlaw Women’s Leadership Fund (LBS)
- Partial and full coverage of tuition for women who are undertaking an MBA at London Business School
4. Kotak Mahindra Bank & Udayan Care Scholarships
- Devoted to the higher education of the girls with deprived backgrounds
Government-Sponsored MBA Scholarships in India
The Indian government agencies offer various MBA scholarships in India to students from all communities:
1. National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
Covers some central and state government schemes, which include:
- Post-Matric Scholarships for SC/ST/OBC
- Minority student scholarship
- AICTE Pragati and Saksham Scholarships to girls and differently-abled students
2. Ministry of Tribal Affairs – Top Class Education Scheme
- Among the ST students seeking an MBA at the best institutes
- Cover full tuition fee and other expenditures
3. State Government Scholarships
Scholarships are also provided in states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal through their respective portals.
Global MBA Scholarships for Indian Students
Students of India planning to do an international MBA can look forward to the following scholarships:
1. Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship
- Covering 80% of the costs of Indian students who got admitted to the Stanford MBA
- One is obliged to go back to India upon graduation
2. Chevening Scholarships (UK)
- Pays tuition fees, airfare, and living expenses
- A minimum of two years of work experience is required
3. Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships (USA)
- Fully-funded program including tuition, travel, and living expenses
- Highly competitive and prestigious
4. Commonwealth Scholarship
- To students of Commonwealth countries, e.g., India
- The UK government funds it.
5. INSEAD Scholarships
- Several groups, such as the need-based, gender-based and merit-based
- Amounts can be as high as 25,000 euros.
Application Process for MBA Scholarships
Here is the procedure that you should follow to obtain a good MBA Scholarship:
Shortlist Relevant Scholarships
First, you need to create a list of scholarships that align with your requirements and that you fulfil their criteria.
Prepare a Scholarship Calendar
Next, you should research and find out the timing of application of these scholarships and prepare a calendar. It will ensure you don’t miss out on any.
Write a Strong SOP/Essay
The majority of the scholarship applications ask you to write an essay in which you are to point out your goals, achievements to date and synthesize your need for financial help.
Gather Recommendations
Your application can be enhanced by a letter of recommendation from either the professors or employers.
Submit Financial Documents
Besides listing the scholarships, you should also note down the documents required for each one. It will ensure all the documents are submitted on time and without fail.
Ace the Personal Interview (If Required)
The last part is completing the interview, if applicable. To sharpen your skills, consider taking advantage of mock interviews. Mock interviews will help you gain the confidence to answer questions related to your scholarship.
Tips to Increase Your Chances of Getting an MBA Scholarship
Here are some tips to improve your chances of securing an MBA scholarship –
- Apply early and to multiple scholarships
- Maintain your files and test scores on the entrance test
- Have your essays evaluated by mentors or guiding counsellors
- Point out extracurricular and leadership activities
- Make a follow-up to the institution /scholarship body
Empower Your Future with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Online MBA
In modern education, flexibility of learning and industry-focused curriculum are two important aspects. Both these criteria are well-matched by the Online MBA program offered by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. Offered in an online learning mode with a curriculum that focuses on practical training, it helps professionals and recent graduates take a step forward in their professional lives.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is one of the top self-financing institutions in India, renowned for its academic excellence and innovative curriculum design. Along with that, the university also offers merit- and need-based MBA scholarships for Indian students.
- UGC-Entitled & AICTE-Approved
- Program Duration: 2 years (Fully Online)
- Specializations: Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Operations, Business Analytics
- Live Interactive Sessions + Recorded Lectures
- Industry-Focused Projects and Capstone Assignments
- Eligibility: An acknowledged Bachelor’s Degree in any stream
Why Choose Amrita’s Online MBA via Jaro Education?
- Eligibility for accessing MBA scholarships in India as a worthy learner
- The ability to learn on your own and wherever you feel like it
- Fieldwork experience in business with project-based learning
- Professional faculty and peer-to-peer networking
- Career assistance and Placement
Having Jaro Education as a reliable online education platform, besides them, students receive full help in making comparisons, evaluations, and enrollment in quality MBA programs. Though Jaro Education does not explicitly provide the course, it does provide you with information about the course.
Final Thoughts
Pursuing an MBA is no longer a dream for many who don’t have the financial capabilities. The widespread availability of MBA scholarships in India is now helping students across the country to complete their higher education, find employment and contribute to the growth of the nation.
So, if you, as a candidate, are planning to pursue an MBA, then check platforms such as Jaro Education to analyze your choices, get advice, and start your path to an MBA with adequate financing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. New graduates can apply for lots of scholarships. Work experience does not matter a lot when applying to merit-based and need-based scholarships, at least in the case of Indian institutions.
Yes. Most universities, such as Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, also provide MBA scholarships for Indian students on a part-time and online basis based on merit and need.
The most common mistakes are failing deadlines, incomplete documentation, poor essays, and applying for useless scholarships. Never miss checking requirements twice.
Check the formal eligibility requirements on the university or government websites. There is a large number of scholarships that can be combined unless the terms indicate otherwise. Use platforms like NSP or consult aggregators like Jaro Education.
Usually, the scholarship received to use only on tuition and academic expenses is included in the tax. However, there can be taxation on things such as stipends or accommodation based on the disposition.
