All About Abdul Kalam Scholarship for Higher Studies and more

Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon”. Education is the key to bringing change in society and is important for an individual’s development. It is essential for the social, personal, and economic development of an individual. Pursuing higher education is a way to advance in your field of interest and get a holistic and in-depth understanding of your chosen career. There are several students who aspire to a higher degree but are unable to fulfil their dreams due to financial constraints. Scholarships are an effective way to cope with financial constraints and acquire quality education. They provide students with the opportunity to study their dream courses without worrying about finances. There are several different scholarships awarded by educational institutions that students can apply for. One such scholarship program is Abdul Kalam Scholarship which we will discuss in a detailed manner through this blog. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships that students can opt for!

Name	Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship
Provided by	Central Government
Eligible Courses	For Higher Studies including undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD and equivalent courses
Application Procedure	Online
Maximum Funds for Scholarship	Up to 10,000 INR per year

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What is APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship?

Named after the former president of India, Abdul Kalam Scholarship is an opportunity for those Indian students who want to pursue higher education but don’t have the required finances. Those Indian students who belong to minority groups in the country and want to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Indian government colleges can attain the scholarship and can fulfil their dreams of pursuing higher education. The scholarship is offered by various state governments and educational organizations in memory of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in order to accomplish his mission of making India a wholly literate country. The scholarship aims at fulfilling the financial constraints of students aspiring to pursue higher education in India. Under this scholarship, there are several programs tailored by different institutions around the country as well as international universities that provide these scholarships to Indian students.

List of Abdul Kalam Scholarships Offered

Here is a complete list of various scholarship programs under the Abdul Kalam Scholarship offered by different institutes and organizations in and outside India:

Name of the Scholarship	Provider	Application Period
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship	Jamia Millia Islamia	December to January
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Summer Training Program	Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research	December to January
APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship, Kerala	Department of Minority Welfare, Government of Kerala	August to November
Dr Abdul Kalam International  Undergraduate Scholarship	University of Sydney	During Semester-I in August and Semester II in May
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Award	National Innovation Foundation	April to August
President APJ Abdul Kalam Postgraduate Fellowship	University of South Florida	January to March
Fulbright Kalam Climate Fellowship	United States – India EducationalFoundation	January to July
Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship	Science and Engineering Research Board	December

Abdul Kalam Scholarship Rewards

Candidates chosen for any of the Abdul Kalam Scholarships supported by various organizations receive financial help to pursue a high-quality education. The specifics of the incentives provided to students by each of the scholarships/fellowships listed above may be found below.

Name of the Scholarship	Rewards
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship	Under this Abdul Kalam fellowship scheme, Jamia Millia Islamia’s 50 students receive tuition reimbursement of up to Rs. 10,000 per student every year. Furthermore, half of the total scholarships are earmarked for female students.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Summer Training Program	A total of 20 applicants are chosen for this program, and each receives a two-month fellowship of INR 25,000. Candidates would also receive a 5,000 INR travel allowance.
APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship, Kerala	The chosen students will get a stipend of INR 6,000 per year to pursue a three-year diploma program at a government/aided polytechnic.
Dr Abdul Kalam International  Undergraduate Scholarship	This scholarship covers 50% of the tuition fees of the selected candidates for one year only.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Award	The students will get the opportunity to showcase their creations in an exhibition. In addition, the students get reimbursed for rail travel expenditures.
President APJ Abdul Kalam Postgraduate Fellowship	Tuition fees are waived for chosen individuals for a maximum of four years. A stipend of USD 22,000 is also provided to the students. Furthermore, the University of South Florida covers full tuition (up to 12 credits per semester) for graduate-level credit hours completed at USF that contribute toward the student’s graduate degree.
Fulbright Kalam Climate Fellowship	Selected candidates under this fellowship given by USIEF are eligible for a variety of advantages including J-1 visa support, round-trip travel between India and the United States, a monthly stipend, a professional allowance, and many more.
Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship	Candidates for the Abdul Kalam fellowship will earn a monthly stipend of INR 25,000. The shortlisted candidates will also get a research grant of INR 15 Lakh per year to be used for engineering, research, and innovation activities such as consumables, personnel hire, national/international research travel, and so on. In addition, the hosting institutes get an annual overhead payment of INR 1 Lakh.

How to Apply for Abdul Kalam Scholarship?

The application process for the Abdul Kalam Scholarship is carried out online. Here is the step-by-step rundown of the application process you must know about:

• Visit the official scholarship portal by clicking here and opening the application form provided.
• Fill in the details carefully.
• Once you have completed the application form, verify all the details again and make sure that meet all the eligibility conditions.
• Submit the application form along with attaching all the documents and keep the submission page for future reference.

Eligibility Criteria for Abdul Kalam Scholarship

To apply for this scholarship for a specific course, there are certain eligibility requirements that need to be fulfilled. Below we have listed the major eligibility criteria you need to keep in mind while applying for this scholarship:

• Abdul Kalam Scholarship is only applicable to citizens of India.
• This scholarship also has programs that are specially designed for minority groups. Thus, students coming from minority backgrounds such as Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and students from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families can also apply for this scholarship.
• Applicant must have at least 75% of attendance
• Candidates must have passed either the class XII examination OR an undergraduate degree to be eligible for the scholarship;
• Abdul Kalam Scholarship is only applicable to students having a family income of not more than INR 2 lakhs per annum. 
• Candidates applying for Abdul Kalam Scholarship are required to have a bank account by their name in a nationalized bank.
• Candidates belonging to the non-creamy layer, i.e. Other Backward Class (OBC) are also eligible to apply for Abdul Kalam Scholarship.

Dr Abdul Kalam Scholarship 2023 Selection Procedure

The selection procedure for the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Scholarship 2023 is as follows:

1. The candidate’s selection under the A.P.J. Scholarship Scheme is contingent on meeting all of the qualifying requirements and needs of the candidate.
2. The entire procedure is up to the organization that is granting the scholarship.
3. Second, while assessing an applicant for a scholarship, the economic background of the family will be taken into account.
4. Furthermore, scholarships are often granted to individuals that excel academically, and overall educational accomplishments are considered.
5. Educational achievements might be measured using CGPA, excellent SAT scores, and other similar factors.
6. The award is for students who score high on standardized tests.

Documents Required for Abdul Kalam Scholarship Application

Here are the essential documents you need to enclose alongside the application:

• ID card issued by your university
• Income certificate issued by official authorities
• School-leaving certificate as the proof of candidate’s age
• A Write-up on why you are applying for this scholarship and justifying that you are the best candidate for the same.
• The Marksheet of the previous examination cleared

Benefits

• The benefit of a scholarship equal to half of the tuition fee amount will be given to the shortlisted candidates.
• The scholarship is offered for just a single year. No further sum will be provided.

FAQs

Scholarships are an effective way to study your chosen field and enhance your knowledge to explore immense career benefits. We hope that this blog on Abdul Kalam Scholarship helped you understand the eligibility requirements you need to keep in mind. Other than this scholarship, there are various scholarships offered across the globe to help students in handling financial restraints and allow them to get quality education abroad and gain a global perspective of their field. Leverage Edu experts can be your guide in finding the right scholarship that can fund your higher education and help you progress in your dream career