SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme 2026: Everything You Need To Know

Article Summary

• The SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme 2026, run by the Science Olympiad Foundation, supports girls’ education in India by providing INR 5,000 to up to 300 academically bright girl students from economically weaker sections for one academic year.
• Eligibility for the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme includes being a girl student studying in Class 1 to Class 10 at a recognised Indian school, scoring at least 60% in the previous year, and having a family income below INR 25,000 per month.
• Applications for the SOF Girl Child Scholarship 2026 are school-nominated, with schools submitting forms and documents to SOF; the final selection is based on academic performance, economic eligibility, and document verification, with funds disbursed by March 2026.

Girls’ education remains one of India’s most important social priorities. To aid such a mission and support, the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme is a financial aid program that offers monetary benefits for girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds stay in school. The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) runs the Girl Child Scholarship Scheme (GCSS) and selects the eligible girls on the basis of their academic record, economic status, and the accuracy of documents they have submitted. 

In this article, we have mentioned everything, including eligibility, the application process, key dates, and the selection process of the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme in 2026. 

What is the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme?

The SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme (GCSS) is an initiative of the Science Olympiad Foundation. This foundation is a non-profit educational organisation located in New Delhi, India. The aim of the scheme is to offer scholarships to academically bright girl students belonging to economically weaker sections. This can support them to pursue their school education without any financial burden.

Although there has been some progress in terms of awareness, many girls are still faced with challenges in completing their basic formal education. This is mainly because of financial constraints in their households. Scholarship programs such as GCSS not only provide financial relief for the family but also help girls to come out of poverty and create a new future for themselves. 

In 2026, the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme is offered for a maximum of 300 selected girl children in India for one academic year. They will be offered financial help of INR 5,000. 

Also Read: Famous 5 Scholarships for Graduation in India

SOF Girl Child Scholarship Eligibility Criteria For Indian Students

To apply for the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme, it is crucial for students to meet the eligibility criteria. In the points below, we have mentioned the important SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme requirements in 2026:

Requirement	Details
Gender	The candidate must be a girl student.
Class	She must be currently studying in any of the classes from Class 1 to Class 10 at a recognised school in India.
Academic Qualification	She must also have at least 60% marks or its equivalent grade in the previous academic year’s results. (The marks criteria may be relaxed for physically disabled candidates)
Income Limit	The family’s combined monthly income must be below INR 25,000.

Note: It is important for candidates to understand that the scholarship is nomination-based via the school and not direct student applications. 

Benefits of the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme 

There are many benefits of the scholarship for the nominated girl and her family. It offers modest support but is crucial for the low-income households for motivating them to send their girl children for formal education. Here are some of the SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme benefits: 

• Direct financial assistance of INR 5,000 per year for school education. This amount can be used for important needs, including school fees, textbooks, uniforms, stationery, and other learning materials.
• This reduces the overall financial pressure for families. The scheme hereby encourages continued schooling for girls. 
• This scheme is recognised in India, and being awarded a scholarship by a prestigious foundation such as the Science Olympiad Foundation helps to boost confidence and academic motivation. 
• It also reduces the risk of dropouts among girls from economically weaker sections.

How to Apply for the SOF Girl Child Scholarship: Step-by-Step Process

Before understanding the complete process of how you can apply for the SOF Girl Child Scholarship, it is crucial to know that the applications are not made directly by students. Schools handle nominations for the scholarship. Also, each school is allowed to nominate only one female student per cycle, so early engagement with school authorities is crucial. So, here is how the process works: 

Step	Details
Step 1: Requesting School	Girl students must request their school to nominate them for the GCSS.
Step 2: School applies	The school downloads the official nomination form from the SOF website and fills it out on behalf of the student.
Step 3: Submit relevant documents to the school	The student needs to submit the documents to the school, which generally include: The previous year’s report card, duly signed by the principal. Income proof of parents.
Step 4: School submits the application	The school sends the recommendation form and documents to SOF’s office before the deadline.
After applying, the process includes evaluation of the candidate’s profile and selection. An SOF committee reviews all nominations and finalises the list of scholarship recipients. Selected students are notified via their schools.

Important Deadlines for SOF Girl Child Scholarship in 2026

It is important for the applicants to know that the deadlines for the 2026 Girl Child Scholarship by SOF have already passed. So, if you want to be nominated for the SOF Girl Child Scholarship, you need to file the request with the school for the session 2027. Here are the SOF Girl Child Scholarship deadlines for 2026: 

• Last Date for Submission: 31 December 2025 (Already closed)
• Scholarship Amount Disbursal: By March 2026 (estimated)

Also Read: TSP Scholarship: Amount, Last Date, Eligibility

SOF Girl Child Scholarship Selection Process 

The school sends nominations to SOF for selection. Then, they evaluate the Once nominations are received, SOF evaluates applications based on 3 main criteria: 

• Academic record
• Economic eligibility
• Accuracy of documents

After verification of the applications received, a final list of beneficiaries is prepared, and funds are disbursed. Generally, the scholarship amount is directly sent via cheque or bank transfer as per the provided details. 

The SOF Girl Child Scholarship Scheme 2026 is a very valuable scholarship program that aims to empower girl children from economically weaker sections of society. It helps them continue their schooling without any interruptions because of financial restrictions. Since this scholarship program is school-nominated, it is essential for students to get in touch with their teachers and principals as soon as possible to get nominated for this scholarship.

By knowing the eligibility criteria, deadlines, and procedures, parents can confidently plan for one of India’s encouraging programs for girls’ education and equality.

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