NOS-SWD

A scholarship scheme by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for regular, full-time students with disabilities to obtain higher education viz., Master's degree, or Ph.D. courses from foreign universities, in one of the specified fields of study.

The "National Overseas Scholarship For Students With Disabilities" scheme has been launched by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for regular, full-time students with disabilities to obtain higher education viz., a Master's degree, or Ph.D. courses from foreign universities, in one of the specified fields of study. The students with the specified disabilities defined in Schedule of the "Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016" will be eligible under this scheme. This includes persons with visual, hearing, speech, loco-motor, mental retardation, and other disabilities. NOS is implemented offline by the DEPwD. At times SwDs are deprived of harnessing their latent skills and thereby miss the opportunity. This scheme aims to support SwDs to study further in order to prepare themselves to earn their livelihood and to find a dignified place for themselves in the society as they face several barriers physical, financial, psychological, mental in pursuing studies and living with dignity.

• The applicant must be a student.
• The applicant must be Admitted into (or received an unconditional offer of admission) Masters's level courses and Ph.D. courses abroad in institutions/universities accredited by the Government/authorized body of that country.
• The Disability Percentage of the applicant must be 40% & above.
• The applicant must be 35 years or lesser in age, as on the first day of the month of advertisement of the scheme.
• The Total Family Income of the applicant (from all sources) must not exceed ₹ 6 lakh per annum.

• Annual Maintenance Allowance: For United States of America (USA) & other countries except UK: $15400 (US Dollars); For United Kingdom (UK): 9900 GBP (Great Britain Pounds)1. Contingency Allowance: For United States of America (USA) & other countries except UK: $1500 (US Dollars); For United Kingdom (UK): 1100 GBP (Great Britain Pounds)1. Equipment Allowance: 1500 INR1. Tuition Fees: Actual as charged1. Visa Fees: Actual Visa Fees in INR1. Poll Tax: Actual as charged1. Medical Insurance Premium: Actual as charged1. Incidental Journey Allowance & Equipment Allowance: 20 US Dollars for each or its equivalent in INR.1. Air Passage: Air passage grant on actual basis from India to the nearest place to the educational institution and back to India, by economy class and shortest route in arrangements with the national carrier, shall be provided.1. Local Travel: Second or Coach Class railway fare from the port of disembarkation to the place of study and back. 1. In case of far-flung places not connected by rail, bus fare(s) from the place of residence to the nearest railway station, actual charge of crossing by ferry, airfare to the nearest rail-cum-air Station and/or second class railway fare by the shortest route to the port of embarkation and back will be permissible. For attending interviews by the candidates at the place decided by the Government of India, the second-class fare/ordinary class bus fare from the city of their place of residence to the city in which the interviews for selection have been decided by the Government of India will be permissible.

• Bachelors Level courses, in any discipline, are not covered under this scheme.
• candidates already staying or studying or having completed studies abroad by utilizing any other scholarship from State Government, other agency, or through their own funds are not eligible to apply under this scheme.
• Not more than two children with disabilities of the same parents will be entitled to receive benefits of the scheme. Provided in case the second child is a _twin, the 'scholarship under this scheme will be admissible to both the twins.
• The candidate is not eligible for a scholarship to pursue the same level (Masters/Ph.D.) of course for which he/she has already acquired the qualification from any University/Institution either in India or abroad.
• Scholarship for studying in any class will be available for only one year. If a student has to repeat a class, she / he would not get scholarship for that class for a second (or subsequent) year.
• A scholarship holder under this scheme will not hold any other scholarship/ stipend. If awarded any other scholarship/ stipend, the student can exercise his/her option for either of the two scholarships/stipends, whichever is more beneficial to him/her and should inform the awarding authority through the Head of the Institution about the option made. No scholarship will be paid to the students under this scheme from the date he/she accepts another scholarship/stipend. The student can however, accept free lodging or a grant or ad-hoc monetary help from the State Government or any other source for the purchase of books, equipment or for meeting the expenses on board and lodging in addition to the scholarship amount paid under this scheme.