The National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students (NFST) 2025-26 is a highly regarded programme initiated by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. It supports and encourages Scheduled Tribe (ST) students to pursue further studies by granting financial support for more advanced levels of study and professional courses, enabling them to succeed in research and career-oriented disciplines.
Eligibility
To receive National Fellowship/Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students (NFST) 2025-26, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements which are designed to ensure that the support goes to the respectable deserving Scheduled Tribe (ST) students pursuing higher education.
- Applicants must belong to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.
- For National Fellowship Scheme: Must have successfully completed a Master’s degree and is seeking admission in, or is admitted to, M.Phil or Ph.D. programs.
- For National Scholarship Scheme: Applicants must be pursuing courses at graduate or postgraduate professional levels at a recognized government or private institution.
- Family income should not be more than the prescribed cutoff level as determined by the scheme guidelines.
- Must have obtained admission to a top-class institution, as defined under the scheme.
Benefits
The National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education for ST Students (NFST) 2025-26 helps to reduce the financial burden on Scheduled Tribe students who are studying advanced and professional education. The financial support includes:
- Fellowship of up to ₹35,000/month for M.Phil and Ph.D. students of the National Fellowship Scheme
- Annual contingency grant of ₹25,000 for research-related costs and expenses (Fellowship scheme)
- Full amount of tuition and admission fees for students commencing graduate and postgraduate professional courses of study (Scholarship scheme)
- Additional benefits (maintenance allowance, study material support, etc.) as per the programme guidelines
- Enabling you to pursue your future career in a professional and research setting.
How to apply
Eligible students can submit their application for National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students (NFST) for 2025-26 using the online portal. Here's how to apply:
- To Go To The Official Portal - If applying for fellowship use the Ministry of Tribal Affairs Portal if applying for scholarship use the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for Scholarship Scheme
- To Register as A New User - To register for the first time, create a new one-time user registration by entering basic information.
- To Login - After registering, login with your credentials to the portal and the application.
- To Fill In the Application Form - Complete the application form entering personal, academic and income information.
- To Upload Related Documents - Upload scanned copies of documents like caste certificate, income certificate, marksheets, Aadhaar, etc.
- To Submit The Application - After entering in all particulars submit the application form and download the confirmation page for your records.
Selection Criteria
The National Fellowships and Scholarships for Higher Education of ST Students (NFST) 2025–26 selection process will be based on merit and will ensure that support goes to the best candidates of the ST community.
Main criterions are:
- Academic Merit – Selection will be predominantly based on previous academic record and eligibility of course,
- Document Verification – All documents (income, caste, admission proof and so on) must be valid and verified by the institutes and rightful authorities,
- Admission into Recognized Institutions – For the scheme of scholarships the student must be currently admitted in Recognized top-class institution as stated in the scheme,
- Eligibility for Fellowship – For claiming the fellowship, candidates must have completed their Master's degree and joined for M.Phil/ PhD program,
- Scrutiny by Authorities – Applications will be scrutinized by decision making authorities of Ministry of Tribal Affairs or designated nodal agency, before the final selection is made.
