Engineering Scholarships in India 2026-27: Complete List

Engineering scholarships in India for 2026-27 come from three sources: government schemes on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP), CSR programmes and private foundations. As of 21 September 2026, the nearest student deadlines are 23 September for the Legrand Empowering Scholarship, 30 September for PM-USP CSSS renewals, 5 October for Reliance Foundation and 31 October for AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath.

Reading the dates: every deadline in this guide is the student application deadline unless stated. Institute or state verification usually closes later and matters just as much.

Engineering scholarships 2026-27 at a glance

• Legrand Empowering Scholarship Program 2026-27 – Girl students (general category) and special category applicants entering the first year of B.Tech, B.E. or B.Arch. 80% of course fee, up to Rs 80,000 a year (general) or Rs 1,00,000 a year (special). Deadline: 23 September 2026, as listed on the application page.
• PM-USP CSSS (renewal) – Continuing students who already hold the scholarship. Rs 12,000 a year in years 1 to 3, Rs 20,000 in year 4. Deadline: 30 September 2026.
• Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships 2026-27 – First-year undergraduates in any stream, household income below Rs 15 lakh. Up to Rs 2 lakh over the degree. Deadline: 5 October 2026.
• AICTE Pragati – Girl students in AICTE-approved degree or diploma courses, family income up to Rs 8 lakh. Rs 50,000 a year. Deadline: 31 October 2026.
• AICTE Saksham – Students with 40% or more benchmark disability in AICTE-approved courses. Rs 50,000 a year. Deadline: 31 October 2026.
• AICTE Swanath – Orphans and other eligible vulnerable categories in AICTE-approved courses. Rs 50,000 a year. Deadline: 31 October 2026.
• HDFC Bank Parivartan ECSS 2026-27 – Undergraduates with at least 55% marks and family income up to Rs 2.5 lakh. Depends on level and course, up to Rs 75,000 for the programme. Deadline: 31 October 2026 (extended from 31 August).
• Other NSP schemes (post-matric, merit-cum-means, top class) – Depends on category: SC, ST, OBC or minority. Amount varies by scheme. Most close 31 October 2026; check each scheme page.

Which engineering scholarship should you apply for first?

Start with the earliest deadline you qualify for.

• First-year girl student: apply to Legrand first (23 September), then Reliance Foundation (5 October) and AICTE Pragati (31 October).
• First-year student of any gender: start with Reliance Foundation (5 October), then HDFC Parivartan ECSS if family income is up to Rs 2.5 lakh.
• Second to fourth year student: renew PM-USP CSSS by 30 September if you already hold it, and look at AICTE schemes and HDFC Parivartan ECSS before 31 October.
• Student with a disability or an orphan: AICTE Saksham or Swanath on NSP, both open until 31 October.

Government engineering scholarships on NSP

AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath

AICTE's Pragati (girl students), Saksham (specially-abled students) and Swanath schemes are open for fresh and renewal applications on NSP. The student deadline is 31 October 2026, institute verification closes on 15 November 2026 and state-level verification on 30 November 2026. AICTE's notice says no extension will be entertained. Each scheme is listed twice on NSP, once for Technical Degree and once for Technical Diploma, so B.Tech and B.E. students should pick the Degree entry.

Pragati is for girl students admitted to the first year, or the second year through lateral entry, of an AICTE-approved course. Family income must be up to Rs 8 lakh, and a maximum of two girls per family can benefit. Awards are Rs 50,000 a year, with 5,000 degree and 5,000 diploma scholarships.

NSP is reported to classify Pragati as merit-based and Saksham and Swanath as welfare-based. NSP allows only one merit-based scheme at a time, so a Pragati applicant should not plan on holding another one alongside it.

PM-USP Central Sector Scholarship (CSSS)

PM-USP CSSS is a Ministry of Education merit-cum-means scheme. Under its official guidelines, B.Tech and B.E. students receive Rs 12,000 a year for the first three years and Rs 20,000 in the fourth year. Fresh applicants must be above the 80th percentile of successful candidates in their Class 12 stream, have family income up to Rs 4.5 lakh, study a regular degree at a recognised institution, and not receive any other scholarship, including state schemes.

For 2026-27, education publishers reading the NSP scheme list report a renewal window only, with the student deadline on 30 September 2026. Renewal requires at least 50% marks in the annual examination and 75% attendance.

Other NSP schemes

Students from SC, ST, OBC and minority categories can also look at post-matric, merit-cum-means and top-class schemes on NSP. Most student windows on NSP close on 31 October 2026, but each scheme has its own income ceiling, amount and dates, so open the individual scheme entry on scholarships.gov.in before applying. State scholarship portals run separate cycles with their own deadlines.

CSR and private engineering scholarships

Legrand Empowering Scholarship Program 2026-27

The Legrand Empowering Scholarship Program 2026-27 is a CSR initiative of Group Legrand India, supporting girl students and other eligible groups entering the first year of undergraduate courses, including B.Tech, B.E. and B.Arch. From 2026-27, Scholarlify is the programme's implementation partner.

• General category: girl students who passed Class 12 in 2025-26, with at least 80% in Classes 10 and 12 and annual family income below Rs 5,00,000. Support is 80% of the annual course fee, up to Rs 80,000 a year.
• Special category: differently-abled girl students, students with a parent affected by Covid, LGBTQ+ students, students with a single parent or orphans, and girl students with differently-abled parents. The minimum is 70% in Classes 10 and 12 (exceptions are considered case by case), with the same income limit. Support is 80% of the annual course fee, up to Rs 1,00,000 a year.

Deadline: the current application page lists 23 September 2026. Earlier programme communication gave 7 September 2026, so check the date on the application page before you start. Selection runs through eligibility screening, academic evaluation, financial assessment, document verification, a telephonic interview and final approval. Support continues until the course ends, subject to academic performance and yearly document submission.

Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships 2026-27

Reliance Foundation announced on 14 August 2026 that applications are open for 5,000 undergraduate scholarships of up to Rs 2 lakh each over the degree, with no application fee at any stage. The scholarships are open to first-year students of full-time undergraduate programmes in any stream, so B.Tech and B.E. students qualify. The applicant's household income must be below Rs 15 lakh.

Selection combines an online aptitude test, academic and personal information, and financial background. The aptitude test is mandatory, and an application counts as complete only after it is taken. Education portals list the deadline as 5 October 2026. Apply only through the official Reliance Foundation scholarships portal.

HDFC Bank Parivartan ECSS Programme 2026-27

The HDFC Bank Parivartan ECSS Programme 2026-27 supports meritorious students facing financial hardship, from school to postgraduate level, including undergraduate professional courses. Applicants need at least 55% marks in the previous qualifying examination and family income up to Rs 2.5 lakh, and preference goes to students who faced a personal or family crisis in the past three years. The deadline moved from 31 August to 31 October 2026. Applications are made on parivartanecss.com.

Saraswathi Pratibha Yojana

Scholarlify's portal lists the Saraswathi Pratibha Yojana Scholarship Program as live. Official terms for it could not be verified when this article was prepared, so no amount, eligibility rule or deadline is quoted here. Read the programme page for current details before applying.

Recently closed

The IDFC FIRST Bank Engineering Scholarship Programme 2026-30, for first-year B.E. and B.Tech students, listed 20 September 2026 as its last date and has now closed for this cycle.

Can you apply for more than one engineering scholarship?

Not automatically. PM-USP CSSS does not allow any other scholarship, including state schemes and fee waivers, and NSP is reported to allow one merit-based scheme at a time. Private programmes such as Legrand, Reliance Foundation and HDFC Parivartan set their own terms, so read their clause on other scholarships and declare any award you already hold.

Documents to keep ready

• Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets – Legrand, CSSS, Reliance Foundation, AICTE verification.
• Aadhaar card and a bank account in the student's own name – NSP schemes and Legrand.
• Family income certificate – All income-linked schemes.
• Admission letter, fee receipt or bonafide certificate – Legrand, AICTE schemes, HDFC Parivartan ECSS.
• Category or caste certificate – Only where your scheme or category requires it.
• Disability certificate – AICTE Saksham and the Legrand special category.
• Single-parent or orphan documents – Legrand special category.
• Domicile certificate and parent declaration – Some institutes ask for these during AICTE verification.

How to apply

For NSP schemes (AICTE, PM-USP CSSS)

1. Complete One Time Registration (OTR) on scholarships.gov.in.
2. Log in with your OTR credentials and choose the scheme. For AICTE schemes, select the Technical Degree entry.
3. Fill in academic, family and bank details, then upload your documents.
4. Submit the form and save the acknowledgement.
5. Follow up with your college's Institute Nodal Officer, because verification decides whether your application moves forward.

For CSR and private schemes (Legrand, Reliance Foundation, HDFC Parivartan)

1. Open the official programme page and check eligibility and the current deadline.
2. Register with your email or mobile number.
3. Complete the application form and upload documents. For Reliance Foundation, finish the online aptitude test as well.
4. Submit and keep track of emails, because interviews and document checks may follow.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing the Technical Diploma entry on NSP when you study B.Tech or B.E.
• Submitting on time but missing institute verification, which closes on 15 November 2026 for AICTE schemes.
• Trusting an old page for a date. Legrand pages have shown both 7 September and 23 September.
• Treating submission as approval. Reliance Foundation requires a test and HDFC Parivartan may include an interview.

Frequently asked questions

Which engineering scholarship closes first?

As of 21 September 2026, the Legrand Empowering Scholarship Program 2026-27 has the earliest listed deadline, 23 September 2026. Its earlier communication cited 7 September, so confirm the date on the application page.

Can first-year B.Tech students apply for scholarships in 2026-27?

Yes. First-year B.Tech and B.E. students who meet the criteria can apply to Legrand, Reliance Foundation, AICTE Pragati, Saksham and Swanath, and HDFC Parivartan ECSS. For PM-USP CSSS, only a renewal window has been reported on NSP for 2026-27.

Are there engineering scholarships for girls?

Yes. AICTE Pragati gives eligible girl students Rs 50,000 a year if family income is up to Rs 8 lakh, and the Legrand Empowering Scholarship Program covers 80% of course fees, up to Rs 80,000 a year, for meritorious girl students in the general category.

Can I hold AICTE Pragati and a private scholarship together?

It depends on each scheme's terms. PM-USP CSSS does not allow other scholarships, and NSP is reported to allow only one merit-based scheme at a time. Check the clause on other scholarships before you apply.

What happens if I miss a scholarship deadline?

Usually that scheme's cycle ends for you. AICTE's notice says no request for extension will be entertained, so move to programmes still open, such as HDFC Parivartan ECSS or other NSP schemes closing on 31 October 2026.

  Shortlist by deadline, confirm each date on the official page, and gather your documents before you open a form. You can browse and filter current options on Scholarlify's scholarship finder.