KC Mahindra Scholarship: Eligibility, Application and Selection Criteria

KC Mahindra Scholarship

The KC Mahindra Scholarship and grants are provided every year to Indian nationals who have achieved meritorious academic records but belong to financially weak backgrounds and are unable to support their education. The program offers an opportunity of pursuing Post-Graduate Studies Abroad, to students looking for studies abroad at a recognized university or institute.

  • KC Mahindra Scholarship is awarded in the form of an interest-free loan to eligible students. 
  • Applicants for the scholarship must be planning to commence postgraduate program overseas
  • The deadline to apply for K.C. Mahindra Scholarship is March 31, 2023.
  • The Trust provides two denominations of interest-free loan scholarships every year:
    • A maximum of INR 8 lakh per student for the top 3 K.C. Mahindra fellows.
    • A maximum of INR 4 lakh per student to remaining successful applicants.
  • Out of 1,331 applicants, in 2019, 62 students were awarded the KC Mahindra Scholarship to study abroad.

The applications for the current session of 2023-24 are open and the last date to apply is March 31, 2023. The courses applied overseas must commence by August 2023 or may stretch till February 2024 but not beyond that.


Highlights

Scholarship TypeMerit-Based, Need-Based
Offered byTrust
OrganizationK.C. Mahindra Education Trust
Application Deadline Mar 31 ,2023
Number of ScholarshipsN/A
Amount$5,542 ($5,542)
RenewabilityYes
International Student EligibleYes
Scholarship Website Linkhttps://www.kcmet.org/what-we-do-Scholarship-Grants.aspx

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the KC Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad, applicants must make sure to fulfill the scholarship requirements. Applicants must:

  • be an Indian national
  • have secured admission for a postgraduate course in any recognized international university
  • have a good academic record
  • possess a First Class degree or equivalent diploma
  • have applied for the course commencing in August 2023 or maximum by February 2024.

Students who wish to take admission in undergraduate courses, short term courses or those who want to attend seminars or conferences abroad are not eligible to apply for these grants/scholarships.


Application Process

Eligible applicants for the KC Mahindra Scholarship can apply online by completing a scholarship application. Applicants are required to submit all the required documents for the scholarship application. The applications must be submitted as per the specified deadline i.e., March 31, 2023.

The required documents include:

  • Admission letter from the university
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose stating
    • general aptitude and interest
    • type of vocation the candidate would like to pursue
    • ambitions and aspirations in life
  • Scores of standardized exams such as GRE/ GMAT
  • Academic transcripts from all educational institutions attended
  • Copies of class 10 & 12 mark sheets and school leaving certificate
  • Copy of TOEFL/ IELTS Scores
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Evidence of age

The KC Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad applications must be completed in all respects which generally requires the personal and educational details of the applicants along with the details where the applicant has taken admission overseas. The course and its duration are also to be filled in the form.


Selection Process

The total number of applications received for the scholarship has increased in number over the years. The selection criteria for KC Mahindra Scholarship is quite competitive. The chart below shows the selection trends over the last four years.

The main criteria for the selection of the scholarship are:

  • the academic qualifications
  • financial need
  • aptitude and future goals of the applicants.

The selection committee considers the courses in which the applicants have taken admission overseas and the future long and short term plans these applicants showcase through their statements written along with the application.

The selection committee finally interviews the applicants and the decision of the committee is final and binding on all. Consisting of a number of eminent personalities, the selection committee interviews the shortlisted candidates over a period of two days.


Grant Details

Named after Mr. Kailash Chandra Mahindra, the co-founder of Mahindra and Mahindra group of industries, the KC Mahindra Education Trust offers scholarships for overseas studies in the form of interest-free loans.

Basis of granting the award Merit and Need
Number of Scholarships Varies
Result Date Varies
Separate Application Needed Yes
Mode of Application Online
Award Value 4 lakhs- 8 lakhs per annum
Citizenship Eligibility Indian
Qualification PG
Contact Email rodrigues.kieran@mahindra.com

Terms and Conditions

  • KC Mahindra Scholarships are awarded to students enrolling in a postgraduate program at one of the top universities abroad.
  • The scholarship is awarded as an interest-free loan repayable after the study.
  • The study of postgraduate courses should be of 2 years and extended courses must be approved in advance by the trust.
  • The applicant has to provide a guarantor for the loan scholarship.
  • There is no bond or commitment needed from the applicant regarding work after the completion of studies and the winning applicant is free to join any company of his/her choice.

For 2019, the total value of the scholarship awarded was Rs. 2.6 crores awarded to 62 candidates. 28 of the total recipients were graduates from the IITs and the rest were alumni of other premier educational institutes including BITS Pilani, the National Law Schools, Lady Shri Ram College, St. Xavier’s College, St. Stephens and Sir JJ College of Architecture.

The recipients of the 2019 KC Mahindra Scholarships for Post-Graduate Studies Abroad secured admission to the highest-ranking universities overseas including Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, Michigan, UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, Pennsylvania, London Business School, LSE, Oxford and Cambridge.

Most sought after programs for the recipients included programs ranging from Computer Science, Engineering, MBA, Law, Public Policy and Economics. KC Mahindra was the very first scholarship program set up at the Trust by Mr. K C Mahindra. The scholarship continues to offer bright Indian students the possibility of pursuing their higher education at reputed universities abroad.