ICCR Scholarship 2026-27 for African Students: Eligibility, Benefits, Deadlines & How to Apply (Plus Your Plan B in India)

Every year, thousands of African students look at the same page on an Indian embassy website and ask the same question: can I really study in India for free? For a few, the answer is yes. The India–Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme, run by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) under the Government of India, pays for tuition, a monthly living allowance, accommodation support and a return flight. It is one of the most generous student awards on the continent, and one of the most competitive.

This guide explains it plainly: who can apply, what it covers, how many places each country gets, how the application works, and what to do if the window has closed or you are not selected. We are SBS (Synetic Business School), Ludhiana, home to 500+ African students from 16+ countries, and we want you to have the full picture, including the parts that do not flatter us.

The scheme was formerly known as the ICCR Africa Scholarship Scheme. It offers African nationals fully funded places in undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes at Indian universities and institutes, taught in English. Students apply online through ICCR's A2A (Admission to Alumni) portal, where every empanelled university, its courses and its hostel facilities are listed.

The scheme is part of India's wider education partnership with Africa. It is not a loan and it is not a discount: it is a government award, which is exactly why every country's allocation is limited and every cycle is competitive.

Note: check the notice from your own Indian embassy or high commission for your country's exact conditions. Some third-party websites quote different age limits, and embassy announcements are the ones to follow.

Here is the honest part. Applications for 2026–27 closed on 15 April 2026, so if you are reading a "last chance to apply" post for this cycle elsewhere, it is out of date.

The dates for 2027–28 have not been announced at the time of writing. This year's window opened in late February and closed in mid-April, so it is sensible to expect a similar spring timetable, but treat that as a guide and not a promise. The place to confirm dates is your Indian embassy or high commission and the A2A portal itself.

The good news is that the months in between are exactly when strong applications are built. Use them:

• Get your certificates and transcripts certified, and arrange official English translations where your documents are in another language.
• Check that your passport will be valid for the entire length of the course.
• Read the A2A portal's list of universities and courses now, and shortlist at least five.
• Practise the 500-word essay in English. Ask a teacher to mark it.

ICCR describes the award as a full package. It includes:

• Tuition fees, paid by ICCR to the university.
• A monthly living allowance (stipend). ICCR's published financial terms list ₹18,000 a month for undergraduates, ₹20,000 for postgraduates and ₹22,000 for PhD scholars.
• A house rent allowance that depends on the city you study in.
• A contingency allowance for academic materials and, for research students, a thesis allowance.
• A return economy-class air ticket.

Note: allowances are revised from time to time. Treat these figures as a guide and confirm them in the current ICCR guidelines.

Eligibility comes down to a short list:

• You are a citizen of an eligible African country.
• You meet the age limits above.
• You hold the qualification that comes before the level you want: secondary school completion for a bachelor's, a bachelor's for a master's, a master's for a PhD.
• For B.Sc and engineering courses, you studied physics, chemistry and mathematics at school.
• You can speak, read and write English, and can prove it through your documents and your essay. IELTS or TOEFL scores can be uploaded as extra evidence.
• You hold a valid passport for the length of the course.

Places are allocated country by country, and the numbers vary widely. These are the allocations we could confirm from embassy announcements for 2026–27:

Ethiopia · 130 places

Mozambique · 115 places

Kenya · 102 places

Ghana · 70 places

Malawi · 30 places

Liberia · 20 places

For other countries, your Indian embassy or high commission publishes the allocation. Remember that a place count is not the same as a good chance. Liberia, for example, had 20 places against 219 applications (90 undergraduate, 114 master's and 15 PhD), which works out to roughly one place for every eleven applicants.

Most rejected applications fail on basics, not on merit. Watch for these:

• Documents without an English version. ICCR's rules say an application is rejected when an English transcript is not available.
• Skipping the subject requirement. B.Sc and engineering applicants without physics, chemistry and mathematics do not meet the criteria.
• Choosing too few options. You may list up to five. Use them, and spread them sensibly.
• A passport that expires mid-course.
• A generic essay. Say what you want to study, why India, and what you will do with it back home.
• Paying for a "guaranteed" place. ICCR scholarships are awarded by the Government of India. No agent can guarantee a seat, so be wary of anyone who claims otherwise.

Two limits matter, and many students discover them too late.

• Course exclusions: medical, paramedical and law courses are not covered.
• Institution type: ICCR scholarships are for the state and central universities, and the colleges affiliated to them, that are empanelled on the A2A portal. ICCR's guidelines state that it does not offer scholarships for private colleges or universities.

SBS is a private institution, so please do not assume an ICCR award can be used at SBS, and check the A2A portal's empanelled list for the current position. We would rather tell you that now than have you plan around a seat that does not exist. What SBS offers is a different kind of certainty, described next.

An ICCR application is worth making. But a scholarship with a handful of places and a single yearly window should never be your only plan. Here is how direct admission at SBS compares:

Other fees are itemised openly: a one-time $200 admission fee, a $150 registration fee, a $60 AIU equivalence fee and a $140 exam fee each semester. The scholarship is applied automatically from enrolment, with no separate application.

SBS is also open to students whose circumstances do not fit the usual mould. Even without your main secondary-school exam certificate, you may still have a way in on certain programs. Which ones depends on your background, so message the admissions team on WhatsApp at +91 96464 77730 and tell them where you stand.

The smartest approach is not "ICCR or SBS". It is ICCR and SBS.

• Prepare and submit your ICCR application when the 2027–28 window opens. It costs nothing but effort.
• In parallel, talk to SBS about your options, so a missed deadline or a "not selected" result does not cost you a year.
• If ICCR comes through, wonderful. If it does not, you already have a route in.

The students who lose a year are rarely the ones who failed. They are the ones who waited for a single answer.

SBS is home to 500+ African students from 16+ countries, with Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Zimbabwe and Somalia among them. More than 300 Liberian students, current and alumni, are part of the SBS family. International students are met on arrival, supported with FRRO registration and settled into a gated guest house, with a team that has been welcoming students from across Africa for over 20 years.

If you want to see what SBS costs for your country, read our guides for Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria and others, or see the full scholarship details.

Figures and rules in this guide come from ICCR and Indian embassy announcements for 2026–27. Check them directly before you apply:

• ICCR A2A scholarship portal
• ICCR scholarship policy and guidelines
• List of universities and institutes empanelled with ICCR
• ICCR financial terms

What is the ICCR India-Africa Maitri Scholarship?

It is a fully funded Government of India scholarship, run by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, for African students to study undergraduate, postgraduate or PhD programmes at empanelled Indian universities. It covers tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation support and a return flight.

Is the ICCR scholarship for 2026-27 still open?

No. Applications for 2026-27 opened on 27 February 2026 and closed on 15 April 2026. Any page urging you to apply now for that cycle is out of date.

When will ICCR applications for 2027-28 open?

The dates have not been announced yet. This year's window ran from late February to mid-April, so a similar timetable is likely, but confirm with your Indian embassy or high commission and the A2A portal.

Who is eligible for the ICCR scholarship?

African citizens who are at least 18 and within the age limit in the embassy announcement, hold the qualification that precedes the level they want, can work in English, and have a valid passport. B.Sc and engineering applicants must have studied physics, chemistry and mathematics.

What does the ICCR scholarship cover?

Tuition fees, a monthly living allowance, a house rent allowance, a contingency allowance and a return economy-class air ticket. Research students also receive a thesis allowance.

Can ICCR scholars study medicine, paramedical courses or law?

No. Medical, paramedical and law courses are not covered by the scheme.

Can I use an ICCR scholarship at SBS?

ICCR scholarships are for state and central universities, and affiliated colleges, empanelled on the A2A portal, and ICCR's guidelines say it does not offer scholarships for private colleges or universities. SBS is a private institution, so do not assume an ICCR award can be used here. Check the portal's empanelled list for the current position.

How many ICCR places are there for each country?

The scheme has 1,503 places across 54 African countries for 2026-27. Examples include Ethiopia 130, Mozambique 115, Kenya 102, Ghana 70, Malawi 30 and Liberia 20. Your Indian embassy publishes your country's figure.

How competitive is the ICCR scholarship?

Very. Liberia had 20 places against 219 applications for 2026-27, which is roughly one place for every eleven applicants.

What if I miss the ICCR deadline or am not selected?

You can still study in India through direct admission. SBS offers an automatic 50% scholarship on degree programs, which brings tuition to $300 per semester, and an admission letter within 48 hours of application and fee confirmation.

Can I apply to ICCR and to SBS at the same time?

Yes, and we recommend it. Apply to ICCR when the window opens and talk to SBS in parallel, so that you have a route in whatever the result.

How much does it cost to study at SBS if I do not get ICCR funding?

After the automatic scholarship, tuition on a degree is $300 per semester, plus a $140 exam fee each semester. One-time costs are a $200 admission fee, a $150 registration fee and a $60 AIU equivalence fee. Diplomas receive a 70% scholarship, with tuition from about $500 a year.

Can I get admission to SBS without my secondary-school exam certificate?

In certain programs, yes. SBS does not publish which ones because the options depend on your background. Message the admissions team on WhatsApp at +91 96464 77730 with your situation and they will tell you what is available.