E-Paper
SARTHI removes tuition fee cap for overseas scholarship scheme
Until now, financial assistance was capped at ₹30 lakh for postgraduate studies and ₹40 lakh for PhD programmes. However, with tuition fees at several globally ranked universities often exceeding these limits, many eligible students were forced to arrange substantial additional funds on their own.
Pune: In a major relief for students from the Maratha and Kunbi communities aspiring to pursue higher education abroad, the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) has removed the upper limit on tuition fee reimbursement under its overseas scholarship scheme.
The revised provisions have been introduced in a notification issued on June 22.
The move effectively converts the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad-SARTHI Overseas Scholarship Scheme into a fully funded programme, with the state-supported institution now set to cover the full academic costs of selected students, along with living and maintenance expenses.
Until now, financial assistance was capped at ₹30 lakh for postgraduate studies and ₹40 lakh for PhD programmes. However, with tuition fees at several globally ranked universities often exceeding these limits, many eligible students were forced to arrange substantial additional funds on their own.
Welcoming the decision, Advocate Kuldeep Ambekar, founder of Student Helping Hands, said, “The removal of the fee cap would make the scheme more accessible and equitable for meritorious students.”
Applicants must have secured admission to a foreign university ranked within the top 200 of the QS World University Rankings. The annual family income limit for eligibility remains ₹8 lakh.
For postgraduate courses, applicants must have completed their graduation with at least 55 % marks and should not be more than 35 years old as of May 1, 2026. The upper age limit for PhD applicants is 40 years.
A total of 75 students will be selected under the scheme this year, including 50 for postgraduate programmes and 25 for doctoral studies.
Applications can be submitted online through SARTHI’s official website, while hard copies of the application form and supporting documents must be submitted to the institute’s headquarters in Pune. The last date for submission of applications is June 30.
