Officials say the scheme supports education and long-term skills development. Full details, including eligibility criteria and participating universities, are available on the official portal
Fijian students hoping to study abroad have a valuable opportunity this year, with 20 fully-funded scholarships available to study in India. Applications are open until 15 April under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme offered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
The online application portal opens on 27 February and can be accessed at: https://a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in/.
- The scholarships cover all major expenses
- There are no application fees, no bond to sign and no hidden conditions
- According to Nishi Bala, Director of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre at the High Commission of India in Suva, students will receive economy-class return airfare, a free visa, and full tuition fees paid by the Indian Government
In addition, students will receive a monthly stipend. Undergraduate students will get 18,000 Indian rupees (around FJD 470), postgraduates 20,000 rupees (around FJD 523), and PhD scholars 22,000 rupees (around FJD 575). A housing allowance and annual book grant are also included.
The scholarship is open to students aged between 18 and 40 for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and up to 50 years for PhD applicants. Candidates must have completed Year 12 and hold a valid passport.
Students can choose from a wide range of subjects, including engineering, pharmacy, psychology, forensic science and Hindi. Some of these courses are not widely available in Fiji. Applicants may select up to five universities from government institutions located in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata.
Applications close on 15 April.
