Scholarship Roundup: September 2026: Every Open Award Indian Students Can Apply for Right Now

A quick honesty note before the list: September itself is a thin month for brand-new deadlines. Most of the big-name scholarships you’ll see in “September roundups” elsewhere Commonwealth, Chevening, DAAD, Knight-Hennessy, Canada’s new doctoral award actually close in October or November. Only Schwarzman Scholars has a deadline that falls in September. Everything else below is either open right now with a deadline in the coming weeks or a scholarship you need to start preparing for this month because the window is short once it opens.

Currency note: 1 GBP = Rs. 127 | 1 USD = Rs. 94 | 1 EUR = Rs. 109 | 1 CAD = Rs. 68 as of September 2026. Always verify current rates before financial planning.

A one-year, fully funded master’s in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, open to applicants of any nationality, including India. No GRE, GMAT, or Mandarin proficiency is required.

• Full tuition and fees.
• Accommodation, round-trip airfare, health insurance, and course materials.
• A laptop and a personal stipend of USD 4,000 (approximately Rs. 3.76 lakh).

• Aged 18 to 29 as of August 1, 2027.
• Bachelor’s degree completed before August 1, 2027.
• Strong English proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS waived if you studied in English for 2+ years at the undergraduate or master’s level).

Apply at: schwarzmanscholars.org

Why this matters for Indian students: One of the very few fully funded master’s programs with no GRE, GMAT, or language test requirement for most applicants. This is a “finish and submit” week, not a “start from scratch” one.

These aren’t September deadlines, but if you want a shot at them, September is when you need to be finalizing documents, references, and university offers.

Supports full-time postgraduate study in the UK for Indian students who can demonstrate genuine financial need.

What it covers: Full tuition, airfare, and a living allowance.

Eligibility for Indian students: Upper second-class (2:1) undergraduate degree or equivalent by September 2026; demonstrated financial need; MBA programs generally not eligible.

Apply at: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk

Why start now: India’s nominating body (Ministry of Education) usually has an internal deadline earlier than the CSC’s own cutoff, so September is when that paperwork needs to move.

Covers any eligible graduate degree at Stanford for students of any nationality. Requires a separate application for a Stanford graduate program, due by your program’s deadline or December 1, 2026, whichever is earlier.

Apply at: knight-hennessy.stanford.edu

Open to candidates with above-average grades and a clear study plan at a German institution.

What it covers: Monthly stipend of EUR 992 for master’s (approximately Rs. 1.08 lakh) or EUR 1,400 for PhD (approximately Rs. 1.53 lakh), plus travel allowance and health insurance.

Apply at: daad.de

This award is the new program that replaced the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, which was discontinued after its final 2024 competition.

What it covers: CAD 40,000/year (approximately Rs. 27.20 lakh/year) for up to 3 years, covering tuition, living costs, and research expenses.

Eligibility for Indian students: International PhD applicants are explicitly eligible for the first time under this harmonized program. Apply through your university’s graduate school office; do not prepare a Vanier application, as it is no longer accepted anywhere.

Apply at: Check your target university’s graduate studies office for its CGRS-D internal deadline.

Opened August 5 and still accepting applications. Requires 2 years of work experience and an unconditional offer from an eligible UK master’s program at the time of submission.

What it covers: Full tuition, monthly living allowance, and airfare, totalling GBP 35,000–50,000 (approximately Rs. 44.45 lakh to Rs. 63.50 lakh).

Apply at: chevening.org/scholarship/india

2-to-6-month research placements with a monthly stipend of USD 1,000 (approximately Rs. 94,000), accommodation, and travel covered.

Apply at: vsrp.kaust.edu.sa

This story has been verified by Leap Scholar.

Not sure if your profile fits any of these? A quick counselling call with a Leap Scholar counselor can help you shortlist and prioritise your applications between now and October.

Sources: Schwarzman Scholars Official | Vanier CGS Official (discontinued notice) | NSERC CGRS-D Program | Commonwealth Scholarship Commission | Knight-Hennessy Scholars Official | DAAD Official | Chevening Official | KAUST VSRP Official