Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence

Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence is a scheme of Rajasthan government that helps meritorious students of the state pay for higher education at top-ranked international universities. It covers tuition and living costs for eligible students pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees, and the application window for the 2026 cycle is open through the official Rajasthan Scholarship Portal.

Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence provides cash support to meritorious students from Rajasthan so they can study at prestigious foreign universities. The scheme was launched on 5th October 2021 by the state government in memory of the late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. It is run by the Technical Education Department, and applications are accepted online through the official scholarship portal.

The scheme works toward these main aims:

• To help students of Rajasthan pay for higher studies in the top 150 QS World ranked universities.
• To give students international exposure that supports their career growth.
• To give top priority to students from families with a gross annual income below ₹8 lakh.
• To support gender equality by keeping 30% of seats for female students across all income categories.

Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence - Key Details

Benefits

The scheme gives tiered financial support based on the family's annual income. All categories can get tuition and bench fees up to a maximum of ₹50 lakh.

Eligible students may also get a one-time advance of ₹3 lakh if the course starts after the application is processed. This amount is adjusted against the living expense allowance later.

Eligibility

To apply for Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence, the student needs to meet the following conditions:

• Must be a bonafide resident of Rajasthan.
• Must be under 35 years of age as of 1st July of the application year.
• Must hold a valid offer letter from one of the top 150 QS World ranked universities as of 1st April.
• The scholarship covers many subjects for UG, PG, PhD, and Post Doc programs.
• Special rules allow up to 7.5% of seats for undergraduate courses in Engineering, Architecture, Medicine, and Dentistry.

Application Process

Students can apply online through the official Rajasthan Scholarship Portal. The steps are given below.

STEP 1 - Go to the official Rajasthan Scholarship Portal at scholarship.rajasthan.gov.in and open the student login section.

STEP 2 - Log in with the SSOID. If there is no SSOID yet, register on the portal and update the profile first.

STEP 3 - After logging in, select Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence from the list of available schemes.

STEP 4 - Fill in the personal details, select the bank account, and make sure all information is correct.

STEP 5 - Upload the required documents, including the domicile certificate, admission letter, and fee structure.

STEP 6 - Submit the application and keep the unique APPLICATION-ID safe for future reference.

Documents

Keep the following documents ready before starting the application:

• Jan Aadhar Number and Aadhar Number.
• Official offer letter from the foreign university.
• Bonafide or domicile certificate of Rajasthan.
• Gross family income certificate and ITR proof, or an affidavit if not filing ITR.
• 10th mark sheet and qualifying degree certificates.
• Self-declaration form about other scholarships.
• Passport and Visa, if available.

References

Official Rajasthan Scholarship Portal | Apply Online for the Scheme

FAQ's

Who is eligible to apply for this scholarship?

A student is eligible if they are a Rajasthan resident under 35 years old with an offer from a top 150 QS World ranked university. Subject rankings apply for certain undergraduate courses like Medicine and Engineering.

Which academic courses are covered?

The scheme supports Post-Doctoral (1.5 years), PhD (3 years), PG (2 years), and UG (4 years) programs.

How does the university ranking list work?

The list of eligible top 150 universities is fixed as of 1st April each financial year and stays the same for that whole year.

Does this scheme provide help with admission?

No, this scheme gives financial support only after the student has secured their own admission. University websites should be checked for admission requirements.

Can the application be edited after saving it?

Yes, the saved information can be edited on the portal at any time before the final submit button is clicked.