Published – September 15, 2026
Women pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses in India can access scholarships and fellowships from government departments, universities and private organisations. These opportunities cover engineering, technology, basic sciences and advanced research.
Below is a focused list of scholarships for women in STEM courses, with eligibility, financial benefits and application portals.
STEM Scholarships for Women: Overview
| Scholarship | Suitable for | Benefit |
| AICTE Pragati – Degree | Girl students in technical degree courses | ₹50,000/year |
| AICTE Pragati – Diploma | Girl students in technical diploma courses | ₹50,000/year |
| Rupa Rahul Bajaj Scholarship | Women in engineering | Up to ₹8 lakh |
| Bharti Airtel Scholarship | UG engineering/technology | Full annual fees |
| STEM for HER | Women in B.E./B.Tech | ₹40,000/year |
| Akanksha Scholarship | Women in technology-related UG courses | Up to ₹1.5 lakh/year |
| Sashakt Scholarship | Girls pursuing science | ₹80,000/year |
| INSPIRE-SHE | Students in basic/natural sciences | ₹80,000/year |
| NextGen Women in STEM | Female B.Tech students | Full/partial tuition support |
| Plaksha Women in STEM | Women admitted to Plaksha | Financial support |
| Vigyan Jyoti | Girls in Classes 9–12 | STEM support |
1. AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girl Students – Technical Degree
Eligibility: Girl students entering eligible AICTE-approved technical degree programmes through the prescribed admission process. Up to two girls from one family can benefit, subject to the scheme’s income condition.
Benefits: ₹50,000 per year for eligible students, with the support usable toward education-related expenses.
Apply: National Scholarship Portal (NSP). The NSP lists the Pragati technical degree scheme for the 2026–27 academic year.
2. AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girl Students – Technical Diploma
Eligibility: Girl students admitted to eligible AICTE-approved technical diploma programmes through the prescribed admission route, subject to the scheme’s family-income and other conditions.
Benefits: ₹50,000 per year for eligible diploma students.
Apply: National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
Read more: AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girls
3. Rupa Rahul Bajaj Scholarship for Women in Engineering
Eligibility: Meritorious women pursuing eligible B.E./B.Tech programmes at participating institutions.
Benefits: Financial support can reach ₹8 lakh over the degree, with the programme also providing mentorship and industry exposure.
Apply: Rupa Rahul Bajaj Scholarship portal.
4. Bharti Airtel Scholarship Program
Eligibility: Students entering the first year of undergraduate engineering or five-year integrated technology programmes at eligible top-ranked institutions. The programme gives particular emphasis to girl students.
Benefits: 100% annual tuition fee, along with hostel and mess support where applicable, a laptop and mentorship.
Read more: Bharti Airtel Foundation Scholarship
5. STEM for HER Scholarship
Eligibility: Girl students pursuing B.E./B.Tech who meet the programme’s merit and financial-need requirements.
Benefits: ₹40,000 annually, along with mentoring and career-development support.
Apply: United Way of Hyderabad – STEM for HER Scholarship portal.
6. Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM
Eligibility: Women in India pursuing eligible undergraduate programmes in computer science, software engineering, IT, computer information systems and related technology fields.
Benefits: Renewable support of up to ₹1.5 lakh per year, based on financial need.
Apply: Progress Akanksha Scholarship portal.
Read more: Akanksha STEM Scholarship for Women
7. Sashakt Scholarship
Eligibility: Academically strong girls seeking undergraduate education in science at eligible institutions.
Benefits: ₹80,000 per year for three years, giving a total scholarship of ₹2.4 lakh toward tuition, study expenses and basic living costs.
Apply: Sashakt Scholarship portal.
8. INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education (INSPIRE-SHE)
Eligibility: Meritorious students pursuing eligible basic and natural science subjects at undergraduate or postgraduate level. It is not a women-only scholarship, but women students can apply if they meet the criteria.
Benefits: ₹80,000 per year, including ₹60,000 scholarship support and ₹20,000 for a summer research project.
Apply: INSPIRE online portal.
9. NextGen Women in STEM Scholarship
Eligibility: Female students who have completed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) and secured admission to an eligible B.Tech programme at ATLAS.
Benefits: Full or partial tuition support, depending on the scholarship category, plus mentorship, internships and STEM project opportunities.
Apply: ATLAS SkillTech University.
Read more: How to Apply for NextGen Edu Scholarship
10. Plaksha Women in STEM Scholarship
Eligibility: Women students who have secured admission to an eligible academic programme at Plaksha.
Benefits: Financial scholarship support, along with mentoring, peer learning and opportunities connected with STEM projects and professional development.
Apply: Plaksha University scholarship portal.
11. Vigyan Jyoti Programme
Eligibility: Meritorious girl students from Classes 9–12 participating through eligible schools and Vigyan Jyoti Knowledge Centres.
Benefits: STEM exposure through science camps, special classes, role-model interactions, laboratory and institutional visits, counselling and innovation activities. It is a STEM-support programme rather than a conventional cash scholarship.
Apply: Vigyan Jyoti portal / participating school.
Research Fellowships for Women in STEM Field
1. WISE-PhD Fellowship
Eligibility: Women aged 27–45 with postgraduate qualifications in eligible basic/applied science or equivalent fields who want to pursue PhD research in STEM.
Benefits: ₹37,000 per month, HRA, ₹1 lakh annual research grant and institutional overhead support, for up to five years.
Apply: DST WISE-KIRAN / ePMS portal.
2. WISE Post-Doctoral Fellowship
Eligibility: Women aged 27–60 with a PhD or equivalent qualification in eligible science and engineering disciplines.
Benefits: ₹67,000 per month, HRA, ₹2 lakh annual research grant and equipment support up to ₹3 lakh.
Apply: Department of Science & Technology WISE-KIRAN portal.
3. SERB-POWER Fellowship
Eligibility: Indian women researchers aged 35–55 with a PhD in science or engineering, working in eligible academic or R&D institutions.
Benefits: ₹15,000 per month in addition to regular income, plus a ₹10 lakh annual research grant and institutional overheads for three years.
Apply: ANRF/SERB online portal.
Which STEM Scholarships for Women Is Suitable for You?
| Student profile | Relevant options |
| Diploma student | AICTE Pragati Diploma |
| B.Tech/engineering student | Pragati, Rupa Rahul Bajaj, Bharti Airtel, STEM for HER |
| Science student | Sashakt, INSPIRE-SHE |
| School girl interested in STEM | Vigyan Jyoti |
| Technology/CS student | Akanksha, Bharti Airtel |
| PhD researcher | WISE-PhD |
| Post-PhD researcher | WISE-PDF, SERB-POWER |
How to Apply for STEM Scholarships for Women?
Check the eligibility for the specific scholarship, confirm that your course and institution qualify, register on the official application portal, complete the form and upload the required documents. Keep your application number and submitted documents for future reference.
For scholarships requiring NSP, students need a One Time Registration (OTR) before applying.
Need Scholarship Guidance?
Students who need help identifying suitable scholarships based on their course, eligibility or application process can visit the OBCRIGHTS People Centre for guidance and support.
CONTACT: +91 7598800123
Source:
Details collected and shared from the official Government website – National Scholarship Portal(NSP) and individual scholarship official platforms.
