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Scholarship for Study Abroad: The Central Government has launched a scheme to assist students from marginalized communities who aspire to pursue their studies abroad. This initiative, known as the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS), is administered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Under this scheme, scholarships for higher education abroad are provided to students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), landless agricultural laborers, and families of traditional artisans.

This scholarship is intended for students wishing to pursue Master's degrees or PhDs at recognized foreign universities. Applicants must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:
They must have secured a minimum of 60% marks in their qualifying examination.
Their age must be under 35 years as of April 1st of the selection year.
Their family's total annual income must not exceed ₹8 lakh.
For a Master's course, the qualifying degree is a Bachelor's degree, whereas for a PhD program, a Master's degree is mandatory.

**125 Scholarships Available**
Under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme, 125 scholarships are awarded annually, subject to the availability of funds. The allocation includes 115 scholarships for students from the SC category, 6 for Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, and 4 for landless agricultural laborers and traditional artisans. Furthermore, 30 percent of the total scholarships are reserved for female candidates. In the event that a sufficient number of eligible female candidates are not available, the remaining slots may be allotted to male candidates.

**Courses and Universities**

This scheme provides financial assistance for Master's and PhD programs; it does not cover undergraduate courses. Candidates are required to secure admission to foreign universities—preferably those ranked among the top 500 in global university rankings. In the initial round of selection, priority is accorded to candidates who have already secured confirmed admission to top-ranked institutions. In subsequent rounds, other recognized universities may be considered.

**Financial Assistance under the Scholarship**

This scholarship scheme covers tuition fees, an annual maintenance allowance, a contingency allowance for academic purposes, visa fees and medical insurance, and travel expenses (including economy-class airfare). The duration of financial assistance extends up to three years for a Master's program and four years for a PhD.

**Application Process and Selection**
Applications are submitted online through the official portal – nosmsje.gov.in. The selection process is conducted in two stages annually:
Stage 1: Typically begins in February/March.
Stage 2: Conducted in September/October, provided that vacancies remain.

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