National Scholarship Portal (NSP): How to Find and Apply for Scholarships

The National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in is the Government of India's single platform for applying to many central government scholarships and some state and other schemes. Thousands of eligible students miss scholarships every year not because they are ineligible, but because of small mistakes: a bank account not seeded with Aadhaar, a wrong scheme selected, or an application that the institute never verified. This guide explains the full process and how to avoid those mistakes.

How NSP works in brief

Applying for a scholarship on NSP involves four parties: you, your institute, the scheme's verification officers, and the bank. The flow is:

1. One Time Registration (OTR): you get a unique OTR number based on your Aadhaar.
2. Application: you log in, choose the scheme(s) you are eligible for, and submit the application with documents.
3. Institute verification (Level 1): your school or college checks and verifies your application on the portal.
4. Further verification (Level 2): the scheme's district, state or ministry-level officer verifies it.
5. Payment: sanctioned amounts are paid by direct benefit transfer (DBT) to your Aadhaar-seeded bank account.

A delay or rejection at any step stops the process, which is why following up with your institute matters.

Step 1: One Time Registration (OTR)

According to the portal, OTR is a unique 14-digit number issued on the basis of your Aadhaar or Aadhaar Enrolment ID (EID). It is valid for your entire academic career on NSP, so you do not register again every year. OTR has been required for applying on NSP since academic year 2024–25.

How OTR is generated

1. Open scholarships.gov.in and choose the option to apply for One Time Registration under the Students section.
2. Read the instructions and enter the details asked for, including your mobile number, and verify with OTP.
3. Complete Aadhaar-based authentication. The portal uses face authentication through the NSP OTR app (available on the Google Play Store), which works with UIDAI's face authentication app.
4. On successful authentication, your OTR number is generated and sent to you. Save it carefully.

Applying through a Common Service Centre

NSP services are also available at Common Service Centres (CSCs). The portal states that the total charge for the full activity per candidate — reference number, biometric authentication, OTR generation and filling the complete application — is fixed at ₹30, inclusive of taxes. If a centre asks for much more, you can point to this announcement. Check the portal for the current charge.

Step 2: Prepare your documents

Exact documents depend on the scheme. Keep scanned copies of these ready in the size and format the portal asks for:

• Aadhaar (or Aadhaar Enrolment ID).
• Bank passbook first page or account details, with the account in the student's name where the scheme requires it.
• Previous year marksheet.
• Current year fee receipt and admission proof (bonafide certificate from the institute).
• Income certificate issued by the competent authority, if the scheme is income-based.
• Caste or community certificate, if the scheme is for a particular category.
• Disability certificate and UDID, for schemes for students with disabilities.
• Passport-size photograph.

Our student documents checklist explains how to scan, name and store these files.

Step 3: Make sure your bank account is ready for DBT

Scholarships are paid through DBT. Your bank account must be linked (seeded) with Aadhaar for DBT. This is the single most common reason for payment failures.

1. Use the portal's "Check Aadhaar Seeding Status" link, or ask your bank.
2. If not seeded, visit your bank branch with Aadhaar and request Aadhaar seeding for DBT. NPCI's Bharat Aadhaar Seeding Enabler (BASE) platform also lets you do certain seeding activities online through participating banks.
3. Keep the account active by making an occasional transaction; dormant accounts can reject credits.

Step 4: Choose the right scheme

NSP lists schemes from central ministries, some states and other bodies. Each has its own eligibility — class or course level, income limit, category, marks and type of institution.

1. Open the "Schemes on NSP" section and read the eligibility of each scheme that might apply to you.
2. Note whether it is a fresh or renewal scheme, and whether it is merit-based or welfare-based.
3. Check the guidelines document for the scheme; it lists exact eligibility and documents.

For academic year 2026–27, the portal announces that students may apply for one merit-based scheme and one or more welfare-based schemes, as per each scheme's eligibility criteria. Do not apply for schemes you are not eligible for; it can lead to rejection.

State scholarships

Many states run their own scholarship portals for state schemes. For example, Telangana students apply for state post-matric scholarships on the Telangana ePASS portal. Ask your institute which portal applies to which scholarship.

Step 5: Fill and submit the application

1. Log in to NSP with your OTR number and password/OTP.
2. Fill personal, academic, and bank details carefully. Match spellings exactly to your Aadhaar and marksheets.
3. Select your institute correctly. The portal has a "Find Institutes on NSP" option; if your institute does not appear, ask the institute to register — institutes must be registered for verification.
4. Upload documents in the required format and size.
5. Preview the full application. Check every field again.
6. Submit and download or print the application for your records.

Step 6: Institute and officer verification

After submission, your application goes to your institute's nodal officer for verification. Many applications get stuck here.

• Give a printed copy of your application and documents to your institute's scholarship section.
• Ask when they will verify it, and check status on the portal after that date.
• If the application is marked defective or returned, correct it before the deadline.
• Note the institute verification deadline as well as the student deadline — they are different.

For example, the portal's announcement for 2026–27 renewal of the PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students listed separate closing dates for student application, institute verification and Level 2 verification. Always look for all three dates for your scheme.

Step 7: Track status and payment

• Use the application status option on NSP to see where your application is.
• Use "Track Your Payment" (linked to PFMS) to check whether payment has been processed.
• If payment fails, check Aadhaar seeding and whether the account is active, then contact your bank and the helpdesk.

Plan your scholarship year

The portal opens for each academic year at a set time (for 2026–27 it announced opening from 1 June 2026) and schemes close on different dates. Use a simple plan like this, filling in the dates from the portal announcements for your scheme:

Name your files clearly

When uploading, use clear file names such as aadhaar_ravi_kumar.pdf or income_certificate_2026.pdf. Keep a folder on your phone or computer and in DigiLocker with all scholarship documents, so renewals next year take minutes, not days.

Common mistakes and fixes

Help and grievances

The portal provides an NSP helpdesk, a PFMS helpdesk for payment questions, a grievance registration option, lists of scheme-wise and district-wise nodal officers, and grievance redressal officers. Use these channels rather than unofficial social media groups. Beware of fake websites and messages promising scholarships in exchange for a fee.

Scholarships can help you continue studies alongside skill training. For planning both together, see our skill development roadmap.

Frequently asked questions