MCA or Master’s in Computer Applications is one of the most preferred choices in education for science and technology students with a vision to pursue higher academia in the field of IT and computer science. While several institutions in India offer the MCA degree, a plethora of scholarships and both government-aided and non-profit-based opportunities are available for students in India. In this article, we shall discuss MCA course details with respect to the scholarships available for students in India.

Different Ways to Apply for an MCA scholarship

In India, there are primarily 3 ways to avail scholarship opportunities for students intending to pursue an MCA degree. These are as follows:

Institutional Scholarships through the academic institution the candidate is enrolled in.
The Tata Welfare Department provides need-based scholarships to eligible candidates
State Government procedures depending on the formalities of the government policies of the candidate’s domicile state

Eligibility Criteria for MCA Scholarships

The motivational bedrock of availing an MCA scholarship in India is to extend economic aid to young students from financially weaker and marginalised strata to pursue their degree in Master’s in Computer Applications and have a promising future ahead. This is why the eligibility criteria are relatively lenient. To be eligible for an MCA scholarship, the candidates must meet the following criteria:

The applicant must have a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications or a similar diploma or an equivalent degree.
The applicant’s age must be between 17 to 25 years when the scholarship-funded classes commence.
The applicant must have mathematics as a subject in the 10+2 board examinations alongside English for certain scholarships.

Overview of MCA Scholarships in India

MCA scholarship information and forms are available online. The main aim behind this academic aid is to facilitate the empowerment of financially marginalised youth. The two main areas of focus when it comes to the selection procedure are as follows:

Academic results
Family income

To have a better chance at the scholarships, it is also beneficial if the applicant has previously participated in some extracurricular activities in their previous academic institution. In this regard, there are various kinds of MCA scholarships which may be state-level, national-level, or even non-profit based.

Duration and Stipend of MCA scholarships

Scholarship for MCA students which are bestowed upon promising yet underprivileged students usually cover the entire duration of the MCA degree program depending upon the institution offering the course and the scholarship scheme availed.

Since the primary objective of the scholarship is to empower the financially marginalized youth with potential, MCA scholarships in India covering the tuition fees for the entire course generally go as high as INR 1 lakh per annum. A handful of scholarships also provide a stipend to students in the range of INR 10000 to INR 30000 as well.

List of MCA scholarships

The following table contains an updated list of the MCA scholarships available in India:

Tata Welfare Department	Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship
MHRD Merit-cum-means Scholarship	Hinduja Foundation
Hostel Fund Scholarship	PTA Scholarship
Maharatta Education Fund	Silver Jubilee Endowment Trust Scholarship
Charanjiv Charitable Trust	Hasanboy Jeejeebhoy Trust
MHRD PG Stipend	Raunaq Education Foundation
Naina Parikh Education Trust	M.G. Charitable Trust
SPIT Mumbai	Janaki Ramachandran Educational Trust
Raunaq Education Foundation	Aligarh Muslim University PG Merit MCA Scholarship
Pirojsha Godrej Foundation	Mafatlal Charity Trust
Ambedkar Overseas Fellowships	Agatha Harrison Memorial Fellowship

For further details on these scholarships, the interested applicant is recommended to visit the official websites.

Steps to Apply for an MCA Scholarship in India

If the candidate gets through the aforementioned eligibility criteria, they may go ahead and follow the simple instructions given below to apply for an MCA scholarship:

Open a compatible web browser and visit the official website of the trust or organisation offering the scholarship.
Check the notifications for MCA scholarships in India for this academic year and go through them very carefully. Candidates will find an application form for an MCA scholarship.
Next, the candidate will have to download this form and fill in all the details correctly and upload it on the portal after attaching all the essential documents.
Candidates must remember to complete and submit this MCA scholarship form before the last date of application and pay the application fees, if any.

Essential Documents for MCA scholarship application

All candidates require the following set of documents when filling out the MCA application form either online or offline:

Identity Proof and Address Proof such as the Aadhar Card, PAN Card or Passport.
Domicile certificate
Caste certificate for candidates eligible for reservation.
The final grade card of the last exam passed or the graduation mark sheet.
Affiliation certificates of the last institution the candidate was associated with.
The income certificate or income tax returns of the guardian attested by a gazetted officer.
Details of the fees slip.
Scanned .jpg or .jpeg passport size photo and a signature with the stipulated upload size limit.

Conclusion

There is a myriad of MCA scholarships in India to facilitate the higher education of the economically weaker youth of the nation. If you want to avail a scholarship for pursuing your Master’s Degree in Computer Applications then you can definitely check these out. While you apply for these you must keep in mind that a good academic record is an absolute imperative. Your parents’ income level might be a crucial factor during the selection procedure as well. In this regard, there are multitudes of governmental and non-profit MCA scholarships available for such high-performing students. To know more about MCA scholarships available in India, connect with a Sunstone expert today!

About Sunstone

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Sunstone’s training programs are industry endorsed to enhance employability. These programs are designed for hybrid delivery with an unparalleled focus on soft skills and personality development. Sunstone’s focus is to provide students with a holistic educational experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many scholarships are there in MCA?

There are several scholarships that any MCA aspirant is available for. These scholarships are provided at both national and state levels and may also be funded by the institution the candidate has applied to.

How can I apply for MCA scholarship?

Candidates can apply for an MCA scholarship by visiting the official website of the respective scholarships and filling out the online or offline application forms. The next step is to submit this form with all the necessary documents and pay the application fees if any.

Do MCA students get stipend?

MCA students may be eligible for a stipend based on their individual performance and the scholarship scheme the candidate has applied for. While most scholarships cover the tuition expenses a few of them also provide a decent stipend to the successful applicants either on a monthly or quarterly basis.