Ashoka University Announces 500 New Scholarships

On 13th October 2025, with the opening of the new batch of applications, Ashoka University announced five-hundred scholarships — two-hundred merit-based and three-hundred need-based — for the incoming 2026 batch.

In the upcoming year, fifty “exceptional achievers” will be awarded 100% tuition waivers. The qualifying criteria for this waiver includes a minimum of 98th percentile in the JEE Mains exam, a top 2000 rank in the IISER aptitude test, and a top 100 rank in the CMI Entrance Examination. Candidates qualified for the training camp stage of the Indian National Olympics (INO) in math, science, astronomy, linguistics, and informatics also qualify for the waiver. These scholarships are only for those pursuing degrees in Science (Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics) at Ashoka University.

The other one-hundred and fifty merit-based scholarship awardees are offered up to a 100% scholarship for 98% and above in grades X and XII in CBSE or ICSE/ISC board (for final or predicted grades). Students who perform well in the application rounds will also be considered. Students on merit-based financial aid will also be eligible for need-based scholarships.

The university has also partnered with an external foundation for the Arunkumar & Ramniklal Mehta Scholarship (ARRA), which offers 100% tuition and residence waiver for two students. 

They have also partnered with the College Board for the College Board India Scholars Program (CBISP).  Students with SAT scores over 1300 and family income under 8 lacs per annum are eligible. Family income will be verified by Buddy4Study, the scholarship administration partner.

Previously, scholarship offers were limited. The Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for Computer Science and the Sciences was the only merit-based scholarship in place. This offered twenty-five scholarships in total: five received 100% tuition and residence waiver, and twenty received a 100% tuition waiver. The qualifying criteria was 98% and above in class XII in CBSE or ISC board or minimum of 98 percentile in JEE mains. Other means of availing this scholarship were IB and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CIAE) scores, as well as NEET scores. The criteria for the need based waiver was family income of less than 40 lacs per annum pre-tax for that financial year. Furthermore, students were to submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP) declaring the intended major in Science. It also depended on the maintenance of a 3.5 CGPA each year. 

For undergraduate batches upto 2024, the financial aid office’s data indicates that 41% of students on scholarship received 100% waiver on tuition, residence, and an additional stipend for students on exceptional aid.

*The applicable batch for the scholarship will be clarified on further response from the media team.

[Edited by Sahana Radhakrishnan and Giya Sood]