Various Scholarships for Students in Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu Scholarship Program is an excellent initiative by the Government of Tamil Nadu, designed to provide greater opportunities for students from low-income families to pursue higher education. This program offers 13 distinct scholarships, alleviating the financial burden on students and ensuring access to affordable education. With the Tamil Nadu Scholarships, students from economically weaker sections can pursue their education without worrying about tuition fees, ultimately enhancing their quality of life. Lets see the list of Government Scholarships for Students in Tamil Nadu.
The Tamil Nadu government, committed to ensuring that all students, especially those from financially weaker sections, have access to education, has introduced the Tamil Nadu Scholarship 2024 & 2025 program. Indeed, believing that education is a fundamental human right, the government aims to make it accessible for everyone. However, since the high cost of higher education can be a significant barrier for many, this program directly addresses that challenge. Here’s a comprehensive review of some of the key scholarships available in Tamil Nadu.

List of Scholarships, eligibility and Procedure
This scholarship program offers various types of scholarships, each designed to cater to specific classes or eligibility criteria. This means that every student can find a scholarship that suits their needs and qualifications. The below chart will provide comprehensive information about the Scholarships in Tamil Nadu for 2024 & 2025.
SI No. | Scholarship Name | Award Details | Eligibility Conditions | How to Apply |
1 | R. I. M. C. Dehradun Scholarship, Tamil Nadu | INR 4,000 per month | The students studying in Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun are eligible for this scholarship. | Apply offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education |
2 | Deceased Government Servants Scholarship, Tamil Nadu | Tuition fees, hostel fees and other admissible items of special fees up to UG level | The scholarship is applicable for the wards of deceased government servants who died in harness. | Apply offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education |
3 | PhD Scholarship, Tamil Nadu | INR 3,000 per month | The students pursuing the first year, second year or third year of full-time PhD research from a government or government-aided college of arts and science can apply. (Note: The students having M.Phil. qualification must be studying in the first or second year of PhD course) The applicant must have scored 60% marks in postgraduate degree. The students, who are pursuing a part-time course or are in receipt of any other scholarship are not eligible to apply. | Apply offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education |
4 | EVR Nagammai Scholarship, Tamil Nadu | Variable financial assistance | This scholarship is applicable only for girl students who are pursuing postgraduate degree courses in Arts and Science from a recognised college in Tamil Nadu. | Apply offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education |
5 | CENTRAL SECTOR SCHEME OF SCHOLARSHP (CSSS) | UG yearly INR 10,000 PG YEARLY INR 20,000 | Applied for UG first year students. Minimum qualification above 60 percentage (Higher Secondary) Community and Subject Based | Apply online www.scholarships.gov.in |
6 | Scholarship to Son and Daughter of Differently Abled Persons, Tamil Nadu | Financial assistance of up to INR 6,000 | 1. The wards of any differently abled person holding the Identity card issued by the Welfare Board of Differently Abled can apply for this scholarship. 2. The scholarship is applicable for studies from class 11th to Postgraduate level (including ITI/Polytechnic diploma courses). | Apply offline through concerned District Office of Differently Abled Welfare |
7 | Scholarship for Differently Abled Students from Class 9th Onwards, Tamil Nadu | Financial assistance of up to INR 7,000 per annum | 1.The scholarship is open to differently abled students studying in class 9th to postgraduate level (including Vocational, Professional, Medical and Engineering courses) 2. The applicant should have scored at least 40% marks in the previous qualifying examination. | Apply offline through concerned District Office of Differently Abled Welfare |
8 | Scholarship for Differently Abled Students towards Purchase of Books and Note Books, Tamil Nadu | Scholarship of INR 100 per month (for students of class 1 to 5) Scholarship of INR 300 per month (for students of class 6 to 8) | Applicable for Differently-Abled students. The students studying in class 1 to 8. | Apply offline through concerned District Office of Differently Abled Welfare |
9 | Free Education Schemes for BC, MBC & DNC students, Tamil Nadu | Tuition fees, examination fees, special fees and other compulsory fees up to INR 10,000 (approximate) | The scholarship is open to students belonging to BC/MBC/DNC category who are pursuing a 3-year degree or polytechnic diploma course or professional degree course. The annual income of the family should not be more than INR 50,000. | Apply through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare |
10 | Incentive Scheme for Rural MBC/DNC Girl Students, Tamil Nadu | INR 500 per annum to students of class 3rd to 5th INR 1,000 per annum to students of class 6th | The scheme is applicable for rural girl students belonging to MBC/DNC category who are studying in class 3rd to 6th. The annual income of the family should not be more than INR 25,000. | Apply through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare |
11 | Thanthai Periyar Memorial Award, Tamil Nadu | INR 3,000 per annum for three years | The top two boys and two girls of each district in Tamil Nadu who have scored highest marks in class 10th and are pursuing a Polytechnic diploma can apply for this scholarship.The scheme is open only for BC/MBC/DNC students | Apply through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare |
12 | Perarignar Anna Memorial Award, Tamil Nadu | INR 3,000 per annum for three years | The top two boys and two girls of each district in Tamil Nadu who have scored highest marks in class 12th and are pursuing a Professional degree course (medical, engineering, law, etc.) can apply for this scholarship. The scheme is open only for BC/MBC/DNC students | Apply through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare |
13 | Vidyadhan Scholarship Program | Up to INR 6,000 per annum for class 11th & 12th | Besides Tamil Nadu, the scholarship is also open for the residents of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana.The applicant must have passed out class 10th / SSLC from the above-mentioned states.The annual income of the family should not exceed INR 2 Lakh. | Apply online through Sarojini Damodaran Foundation’s website |
14 | National Talent Search Exam NTSE | INR 1,250 per month for class 11th and 12th INR 2,000 per monthfor under graduates and postgraduates For PhD students – the amount specified by UGC | The students of class 10th can apply for this scholarship. Note: The students studying through open schools or distance learning can also apply if they are below 18 years of age. | Apply offline through respective state liaison officer |
15 | Free Education Schemes for SC / ST students, Tamil Nadu | Chief Minister Merit Award- Given Rs.3000/- per annum for 5 years | 1000 boys and 1000 girls belonging to Adi Dravidar, Tribal and Adi Dravidar converted to Christianity communities in the order of their marks in plus 2 Public examination are given an award of Rs.3,000 each per annum for a period of 5 years, if they continue education | DADWO through the Educational Institutions. |
16 | Post metric scholarship for BC / MBC/ DNC | The reimbursement will cover Tuition Fee, Special Fee, Exam Fee and other compulsory fees as prescribed by the Institution or 2.00 lakhs per year whichever is lesser. | Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities students | Contact the concern school HM/District Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Officer |
17 | Post metric scholarship for SC/ST | Applicable to students who are pursuing any recognized course from a recognized institution for which qualification is Matriculation/Class X or above. | ||
18 | Post metric scholarship for Differently abled students | Applicable as per Government notification | ||
19 | Post metric scholarship for Minority students | Applicable as per Government notification |
Scholarship Schemes by the Tamil Nadu Government
R. I. M. C. Dehradun Scholarship, Tamil Nadu
This scholarship awards students studying at the Rashtriya Indian Military College in Dehradun INR 4,000 per month. Eligible students should apply offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education.
Deceased Government Servants Scholarship, Tamil Nadu
This scheme covers tuition fees, hostel fees, and other admissible special fees up to the undergraduate level for the wards of deceased government servants who died in harness. Applicants must submit their applications offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education.
PhD Scholarship, Tamil Nadu
This scholarship in Tamil Nadu provides INR 3,000 per month to students in their first, second, or third year of full-time PhD research at government or government-aided colleges of arts and science. Applicants must hold a postgraduate degree with at least 60% marks and cannot receive any other scholarships. They should apply offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education.
EVR Nagammai Scholarship, Tamil Nadu
These scholarships offers variable financial assistance exclusively for girl students pursuing postgraduate degree courses in Arts and Science from recognized colleges in Tamil Nadu. Interested students must submit applications offline through the Directorate of Collegiate Education.
Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship (CSSS)
This scheme provides INR 10,000 per year for undergraduate students and INR 20,000 per year for postgraduate students. First-year UG students with a minimum qualification of 60% in higher secondary education can apply online at www.scholarships.gov.in.
Scholarship Schemes for Students in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Scholarship for the Son and Daughter of Differently Abled Persons
This scheme grants financial assistance of up to INR 6,000 for the wards of differently-abled persons holding an Identity card from the Welfare Board of Differently Abled. It applies to studies from class 11 to postgraduate level, including ITI and Polytechnic courses. Applicants should submit their applications offline through the concerned District Office of Differently Abled Welfare.
Scholarships for Differently Abled Students from Tamil Nadu
This scholarship provides financial assistance of up to INR 7,000 per annum for differently-abled students from class 9 to postgraduate level. Applicants must score at least 40% in their previous examination and should apply offline through the District Office of Differently Abled Welfare.
Scholarship for Differently Abled Students towards Purchase of Books and Notebooks, Tamil Nadu
This scheme offers INR 100 per month for students from classes 1 to 5 and INR 300 per month for those in classes 6 to 8. Differently-abled students can apply offline through the District Office of Differently Abled Welfare.
Free Education Schemes for BC, MBC & DNC Students, Tamil Nadu
This scheme covers tuition fees, examination fees, special fees, and other compulsory fees up to INR 10,000 for students from BC/MBC/DNC categories pursuing three-year degree, polytechnic diploma, or professional degree courses. Families with an income not exceeding INR 50,000 can apply through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare.
Incentive Scheme for Rural MBC/DNC Girl Students, Tamil Nadu
This scheme provides INR 500 per annum for students in classes 3 to 5 and INR 1,000 for those in class 6. It targets rural girl students from the MBC/DNC category with family income not exceeding INR 25,000. Students should apply through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare.
Thanthai Periyar Memorial Award, Tamil Nadu
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- Be a student from the Backward Classes (BC), Most Backward Classes (MBC), or De-notified Communities (DNC).
- Be one of the top two boys or top two girls in your district based on your Class 10 marks.
- Be pursuing a Polytechnic diploma.
If you meet these criteria, you can receive INR 3,000 per annum for a total of three years. You need to submit your application through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare.
Perarignar Anna Memorial Award, Tamil Nadu
This award offers INR 3,000 per annum for three years to the top two boys and two girls from each district who score the highest marks in class 12 while pursuing a professional degree course. Only BC/MBC/DNC students are eligible, and applications must go through the district office of Backward Classes and Minority Welfare.
Vidyadhan Scholarship Program
This scholarship provides up to INR 6,000 per annum for students in classes 11 and 12. Moreover, residents of Tamil Nadu and other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Telangana, can apply, as long as their family income does not exceed INR 2 lakh. Consequently, interested applicants should submit their applications online through the Sarojini Damodaran Foundation’s website.
National Talent Search Exam (NTSE)
This scholarship offers INR 1,250 per month for classes 11 and 12, INR 2,000 for undergraduates and postgraduates, and an amount specified by UGC for PhD students. Class 10 students, including those studying through open schools or distance learning if under 18 years of age, can apply. They should submit their applications offline through the respective state liaison officer.
Free Education Schemes for SC/ST Students, Tamil Nadu
The Chief Minister Merit Award provides INR 3,000 per annum for five years to 1,000 boys and 1,000 girls from Adi Dravidar, Tribal, and Adi Dravidar converted to Christianity communities based on their marks in the plus 2 public examination, contingent upon their continued education. Schools process applications through DADWO.
Post Metric Scholarship for BC/MBC/DNC
This scholarship reimburses tuition fees, special fees, exam fees, and other compulsory fees as prescribed by the institution or up to INR 2 lakhs per year, whichever is lower. Students from Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes, and Denotified Communities can apply by contacting their school headmaster or the District Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Officer.
Post Metric Scholarship for SC/ST
This scholarship applies to students pursuing any recognized course from a recognized institution, for which the qualification is Matriculation/Class X or above.
Post Metric Scholarship for Differently Abled Students
These Government Scholarships for Students in Tamil Nadu follows government notifications for eligibility and application processes.
Post Metric Scholarship for Minority Students
Similar to the above, this scholarship also adheres to government notifications for eligibility.
These are the list student scholarships in Tamil Nadu for better education in higher studies.
Students Scholarships by Government of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has long been committed to promoting inclusive and accessible education for all. To reduce the financial burden on students and their families, the state government offers a wide range of scholarships. Certainly. Here is the revised paragraph with transition words for better SEO:
These government-funded schemes, therefore, cater to students from various socioeconomic backgrounds, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), Most Backward Classes (MBC), and minority communities. Ultimately, whether you’re in school, college, or pursuing professional courses, Tamil Nadu provides financial assistance through targeted scholarship programs to ensure that no deserving student is left behind due to economic constraints.
Final Thoughts by Tamildot.com
Moreover, these Government Scholarships for Students in Tamil Nadu not only cover tuition fees but also, in many cases, offer allowances for books, transportation, and hostel facilities. With schemes like the Post-Matric Scholarship, the Chief Minister’s Merit Scholarship, and specialized support for differently-abled students, the government aims to empower young learners and increase retention rates across all educational levels.
In this article, we’ve studied a comprehensive list of these scholarships, their eligibility criteria, benefits, and how to apply and helping you or your child take full advantage of these opportunities for a brighter academic future. All the very Best!