IIT Hyderabad scholarships: who may apply
IIT Hyderabad’s Academic Office lists two institute scholarships on its official FAQ: Merit-cum-Means (MCM) and an SC/ST scholarship. They have different category rules and award limits, so first identify which scheme applies to you. MCM is open to GEN, GEN-EWS and OBC students. The FAQ sets a parental gross-income ceiling of ₹4.5 lakh and limits awards to 25% of class strength. Applicants also need SGPA or CGPA of at least 7.0 with no active fail-grade backlog, including in additional courses. Students shortlisted for MCM are eligible for ₹1,000 per month in pocket money.
The institute’s SC/ST scheme is for students belonging to SC or ST categories. The FAQ also states a parental gross-income ceiling of ₹4.5 lakh, a minimum SGPA/CGPA of 7.0, and no active backlog. Unlike MCM, it says there is no ceiling on the number of SC/ST awards, subject to the required criteria. Shortlisted students are eligible for ₹250 per month pocket money and may receive reimbursement of licence fees and dining charges at actuals, according to eligibility. Do not assume that the separate MCM award cap applies to the SC/ST scheme.
The page describes the pocket-money and reimbursement benefits, but does not provide one universal scholarship amount or promise a tuition waiver. Read the scheme terms as written and ask the Academic Office how a benefit applies to your programme and account. In particular, the presence of an income ceiling and academic conditions means that category alone does not establish eligibility. You must meet the stated criteria and complete the process for the relevant year.
Income evidence and documents
For academic year 2026-27, IITH requires Income Tax Return acknowledgements from both parents or the guardian for financial year 2025-26, assessment year 2026-27. The FAQ says an income certificate or another certificate will not be accepted instead, and that the returns are required even if a parent’s income is zero. This instruction is unusually specific, so applicants should not substitute a general income certificate or assume that no ITR filing obligation means no evidence is needed. These are the published 2026-27 requirements; they do not establish the document rules for 2027-28.
The FAQ’s general institute-scholarship document list includes Aadhaar card, entrance-exam rank card, caste certificate, semester grade card and parents’/guardian’s ITR acknowledgement. The same page contains an older example referring to AY 2023-24 documents, which is not the current year’s instruction. Use the explicit 2026-27 note for that year, then check the Academic Office’s next notice for the current application period. Do not send originals unless the notice asks for them; keep readable copies and use the official submission channel.
A practical pre-check is to confirm that the category certificate matches the scheme, the income evidence covers both parents/guardian as required, and the academic record shows the required grade point and no active fail-grade backlog. If something is missing or a family situation does not fit the FAQ’s wording, ask the Academic Office before the application window closes rather than relying on an informal interpretation.
Application, award timing and payment
The Academic Office says institute scholarships are announced once a year and that it circulates the application form by email, AIMS or another platform. National Scholarship Portal schemes are applied for on the NSP portal and follow the specific scheme’s guidelines. Check both routes if you may qualify: the institute awards and national schemes have distinct application channels and documentation. The FAQ gives no fixed annual calendar date for the institute form, so watch the current student notices rather than copying last year’s timing.
For institute awards, the FAQ says the scholarship amount is transferred directly to the student’s bank account. It describes NSP payments as direct benefit transfer through PFMS, while noting that some schemes’ admission-fee component is received by the institute and then disbursed to students. Keep bank details accurate and follow the individual scheme instructions. The FAQ also says the policy may change, so the current notification and scheme guidelines should control if they differ from this summary.
IITH states that a student may receive only one scholarship, stipend or financial aid from one stakeholder for a given period; students cannot combine multiple scholarships or financial assistance from different government, private or external stakeholders for the same academic year. Before accepting another award, check whether it is treated as a scholarship, stipend or financial aid under this rule and ask the Academic Office how to proceed. Do not assume that awards can be stacked because they come from different sources.
Academic progress and what to verify for 2027-28
Both institute schemes listed on the FAQ require SGPA/CGPA of 7.0 or above and no active fail-grade backlogs, including additional courses. Students should treat this as an ongoing academic condition, not only an entry requirement. The page does not provide a full renewal calendar, payment schedule or a guarantee of award continuation; the annual notification and current scheme terms determine how and when students submit their records.
The scholarship details used here are published on IITH’s page, including a specific document rule for AY 2026-27. The 2027-28 page edition is for planning, but it does not make those 2026-27 conditions a confirmed future policy. Before relying on an award to budget for admission, verify the new year’s income documents, category rules, award count, academic threshold, amount or reimbursements and submission date in the Academic Office notice. The published FAQ lists pocket money and selected reimbursements; it does not support assuming that every eligible student’s tuition or entire cost will be covered.
The next useful step is to save the official IITH Scholarships FAQ, check your current student email/AIMS notices when the annual form opens, and ask the Academic Office about an individual eligibility or document question. For external schemes, follow the National Scholarship Portal and its current scheme rules. Keep the scholarship year visible in your records so old AY 2026-27 ITR requirements are not mistaken for the next cycle.