What this scheme offers
Post-matric education costs don't stop at tuition — hostel fees, books, and basic living expenses add up fast, and for Scheduled Tribe students from families already stretched thin, that combination is a genuine reason higher education gets abandoned even after clearing the entrance hurdle. This scholarship, the ST counterpart to the SC post-matric scholarship already on the register, covers both sides of that cost: full fee reimbursement plus a maintenance allowance of roughly ₹11,500 to ₹19,500 a year depending on the course and whether the student is in a hostel, for ST students from Class 11 through postgraduation, with families earning up to ₹2.5 lakh a year. The scheme deliberately aims for at least 30% girl students and 3% students with disabilities among beneficiaries, and provides additional grants for those with disabilities on top of the base scholarship.
Who is eligible
- Belongs to a Scheduled Tribe recognised in the applicant's domicile state.
- Enrolled in a post-matriculation course (Class 11 onward, including diploma, degree, postgraduate) at a recognised institution in India.
- Family/guardian income not exceeding ₹2.5 lakh per annum from all sources.
Documents required
- Aadhaar card
- Scheduled Tribe certificate
- Income certificate
- Previous year's marksheet
- Bonafide/admission certificate from the institution
- Bank account details (Aadhaar-linked)
How to apply
- Register on the National Scholarships Portal (scholarships.gov.in) using Aadhaar.
- Select the Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students scheme under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- Fill in academic and ST-category details, and upload your caste certificate, income certificate, and institutional documents before the annual deadline.
- Your institution verifies your enrollment through the portal before the application moves forward for state processing.
- Once approved, the scholarship is awarded by the state/UT government to which you belong (per domicile rules), with maintenance allowance and fee reimbursement credited via DBT.