Reliance Foundation Scholarships 2026–27: Apply for UG & PG Scholarships Up to ₹6 Lakh

Reliance Foundation Scholarships 2026–27 are now open for applications for first-year undergraduate and postgraduate students in India. The programme will select up to 5,000 Undergraduate Scholars and 100 Postgraduate Scholars for the academic year 2026–27.

The scholarships provide financial support along with opportunities for mentorship, leadership development, networking and participation in a wider scholar community. There is no application fee.

About Reliance Foundation Scholarships

Reliance Foundation Scholarships support talented young students pursuing higher education in India. The Undergraduate Scholarship follows a merit-cum-means approach, while the Postgraduate Scholarship focuses on academic merit and aptitude in selected future-ready disciplines.

According to Reliance Foundation, more than 33,000 students across India have been supported through its scholarships to date.

Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship 2026–27

The Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships 2026–27 are for students entering the first year of a regular full-time undergraduate degree programme in the academic year 2026–27.

Students from any stream can apply, subject to the stated eligibility conditions.

Key Details

Scholarship: Reliance Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship
Academic Year: 2026–27
Number of Scholarships: Up to 5,000
Level: Undergraduate
Year of Study: First year
Streams: Any subject stream
Scholarship Amount: Up to ₹2 lakh over the duration of the degree programme
Selection: Merit-cum-means
Application Fee: No fee
Mode: Online application

Who Can Apply?

Students must meet all the following conditions:

Be a resident Indian citizen.
Have passed Class 12 with at least 60% marks.
Be enrolled in the first year of a regular, full-time undergraduate degree programme in the academic year 2026–27.
Have a household income of less than ₹15 lakh. Preference is given to students with household income below ₹2.5 lakh.
Complete the mandatory aptitude test.

The programme states that it aims to encourage applications from girls and specially-abled students.

Who Cannot Apply?

The following students are not eligible according to the scholarship criteria:

Students studying in the second year or higher.
Students whose degree programme started in the academic year 2025–26 or earlier.
Students pursuing online, hybrid, remote, distance or other non-regular programmes.
Students who have passed a diploma after Class 10.
Students pursuing 2-year or 6-year undergraduate degree programmes.
Students who do not take the mandatory aptitude test or are found cheating during the test.

What Does the Undergraduate Scholarship Provide?

Selected undergraduate scholars can receive financial support of up to ₹2 lakh over the duration of their degree programme.

The support goes beyond the scholarship amount. Scholars also become part of a wider community that provides opportunities for networking and continued engagement.

This means eligible students should look at the programme not only as financial assistance, but also as an opportunity to connect with other scholars and develop their academic and professional journey.

Undergraduate Selection Process

The application and selection process includes the following stages:

1. Application Form

Students submit information including:

Personal and contact details
Academic information
Achievements and awards
Supporting documents

2. Aptitude Test

All applicants are required to take an online aptitude test.

Duration: 60 minutes
Questions: 60 multiple-choice questions
Areas: Verbal ability, analytical and logical ability, and numerical ability

3. Initial Selection

Applications are evaluated using a combination of:

Aptitude test score
Academic information
Personal information

4. Final Announcement

Up to 5,000 undergraduate scholars will be selected on the basis of the stated merit-cum-means criteria.

Reliance Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship 2026–27

The Reliance Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships 2026–27 are designed for first-year postgraduate students pursuing eligible full-time degree programmes in selected fields.

The programme will select up to 100 postgraduate scholars.

Key Details

Scholarship: Reliance Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship
Academic Year: 2026–27
Number of Scholarships: Up to 100
Level: Postgraduate
Year of Study: First year
Scholarship Amount: Up to ₹6 lakh over the duration of the degree programme
Selection: Merit-based
Application Fee: No fee
Mode: Online application

Eligible Fields

The postgraduate scholarship covers eligible programmes in areas including:

Computer Science
Artificial Intelligence
Mathematics & Computing
Electrical and/or Electronics Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Renewable & New Energy
Material Science & Engineering
Life Sciences

Students should check the official programme list before applying because eligibility depends on the specific degree programme.

Who Can Apply for the Postgraduate Scholarship?

Applicants must:

Be a resident Indian citizen.
Be a first-year postgraduate student enrolled full-time in an eligible degree programme.
Have either:
- a GATE score between 550 and 1,000, or
- an undergraduate CGPA of 7.5 or above (or percentage normalised to CGPA).
Be studying an eligible postgraduate programme listed by Reliance Foundation.

Who Cannot Apply?

The scholarship information states that the following are not eligible:

Students already in the second year of their postgraduate programme.
Students studying through online, remote, distance, hybrid, part-time or other non-regular modes.
Students pursuing only Mathematics instead of an eligible Mathematics & Computing programme.
Students who do not take the mandatory aptitude test or are found cheating.

What Does the Postgraduate Scholarship Provide?

Selected postgraduate scholars can receive up to ₹6 lakh over the duration of their degree programme.

According to the programme information:

80% of the funds are granted in advance at the beginning of each academic year for tuition and direct academic expenses.
The remaining 20% can be requested for professional development and indirect academic or personal development expenses, including conference-related expenses.

Scholars can also receive opportunities for expert interactions, workshops, industry exposure, mentoring/internship opportunities, volunteering and participation in a scholar and alumni network.

Postgraduate Selection Process

1. Registration

Students first register through the scholarship website.

2. Application Form

Applicants provide:

Personal details
Academic and extracurricular information
Academic/professional information
Two letters of reference
Personal Statement
Statement of Purpose
Supporting documents

3. Aptitude Test

Applicants must complete the online aptitude test.

Duration: 60 minutes
Questions: 60 multiple-choice questions
Areas: Verbal ability, analytical and logical ability, and numerical ability

4. Evaluation

Applications are evaluated by an expert panel comprising industry experts, academicians and leaders in the relevant fields.

5. Interview

Shortlisted candidates participate in virtual interviews conducted by the expert panel. Interview preparation webinars are also conducted for candidates.

6. Final Selection

Up to 100 postgraduate scholars will be selected on the basis of merit.

UG vs PG Scholarship: Which One Is for You?

UG: Up to 5,000 scholarships | Up to ₹2 lakh | Any stream | Merit-cum-means
PG: Up to 100 scholarships | Up to ₹6 lakh | Selected fields | Merit-based
Both: First-year students | Mandatory aptitude test | No application fee

Important: Meeting the eligibility criteria does not automatically mean that a student will receive the scholarship. Applicants go through the respective selection process.

How to Apply for Reliance Foundation Scholarships 2026–27?

Students should apply through the official Reliance Foundation scholarship portal.

For Undergraduate Students

Apply for Undergraduate Scholarship

For Postgraduate Students

Apply for Postgraduate Scholarship

Before submitting the application, students should carefully check the eligibility requirements, programme details and supporting-document requirements.

Important Things Students Should Check Before Applying

To avoid missing the opportunity because of an eligibility or application issue, check these points first:

Are you a resident Indian citizen?
Are you entering the first year of your eligible programme in 2026–27?
Is your degree regular and full-time?
Do you meet the required academic criteria?
For UG, does your household income meet the stated limit?
For PG, is your programme included in the eligible list?
Have you prepared the required documents?
Can you complete the mandatory aptitude test?
Have you submitted the application through the official portal?

Why This Scholarship Matters

For students who are eligible, the Reliance Foundation Scholarships can reduce the financial pressure associated with higher education while also providing access to a wider academic and professional community.

Students from different parts of India should not assume that major scholarship opportunities are only meant for students from particular cities, colleges or backgrounds. If you meet the eligibility criteria, check the official requirements and consider applying.

A scholarship application is not a guarantee of selection, but not applying means losing the opportunity before the selection process even begins.