Education
Apr 24, 2026
PM-USP Scholarship 2026: Applications Invited for Higher Education Support
M
Meera Nair
Apr 24, 2026
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In a major boost for students from economically marginalized backgrounds, the Ministry of Education has officially invited applications for the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan (PM-USP) Yojana for the academic year 2026-27. This umbrella scheme includes the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS) and the Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The application process is entirely digital and is being hosted on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must have secured a minimum of 80th percentile in their respective Class 12 board examinations and must be pursuing a regular course (not correspondence or distance mode) in a recognized college or university. Additionally, the annual family income of the applicant must not exceed ₹4.5 lakh. The scholarship provides financial assistance of up to ₹20,000 per annum for undergraduate studies and ₹30,000 per annum for postgraduate studies, covering tuition fees and maintenance allowances.
The Ministry has introduced several technical upgrades to the NSP portal this year to ensure a smoother application experience. A new 'One-Time Registration' (OTR) feature has been implemented, which will allow students to use the same credentials for multiple scholarship schemes and for renewals in subsequent years. Biometric authentication at the school or college level has been made mandatory to eliminate duplicate or fraudulent applications. The deadline for submission is June 15, 2026, and the verification by institutes must be completed by June 30.
'This scholarship is vital for ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder the academic aspirations of our bright young minds,' said a Ministry spokesperson. 'We have also integrated the portal with the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) to ensure that the scholarship amount is credited directly into the bank accounts of the students without any intermediaries.' Last year, over 1 lakh students benefited from this scheme, and the government has increased the budget allocation by 15% for the current cycle.
Students are required to upload their Aadhaar card, bank passbook, income certificate issued by a competent authority, and their marksheets. For the Special Scholarship Scheme for J&K and Ladakh, there are additional provisions for hostel fees and books. Educational institutions are urged to set up help desks to assist students with the online filing process and to ensure that no eligible student is left behind due to a lack of digital access.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must have secured a minimum of 80th percentile in their respective Class 12 board examinations and must be pursuing a regular course (not correspondence or distance mode) in a recognized college or university. Additionally, the annual family income of the applicant must not exceed ₹4.5 lakh. The scholarship provides financial assistance of up to ₹20,000 per annum for undergraduate studies and ₹30,000 per annum for postgraduate studies, covering tuition fees and maintenance allowances.
The Ministry has introduced several technical upgrades to the NSP portal this year to ensure a smoother application experience. A new 'One-Time Registration' (OTR) feature has been implemented, which will allow students to use the same credentials for multiple scholarship schemes and for renewals in subsequent years. Biometric authentication at the school or college level has been made mandatory to eliminate duplicate or fraudulent applications. The deadline for submission is June 15, 2026, and the verification by institutes must be completed by June 30.
'This scholarship is vital for ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder the academic aspirations of our bright young minds,' said a Ministry spokesperson. 'We have also integrated the portal with the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) to ensure that the scholarship amount is credited directly into the bank accounts of the students without any intermediaries.' Last year, over 1 lakh students benefited from this scheme, and the government has increased the budget allocation by 15% for the current cycle.
Students are required to upload their Aadhaar card, bank passbook, income certificate issued by a competent authority, and their marksheets. For the Special Scholarship Scheme for J&K and Ladakh, there are additional provisions for hostel fees and books. Educational institutions are urged to set up help desks to assist students with the online filing process and to ensure that no eligible student is left behind due to a lack of digital access.