Scholarships for Muslim students are an important part of making higher education accessible and affordable for members of the Muslim community. All too often, students from underrepresented backgrounds struggle to get the financial resources they need to pursue their academic goals. Fortunately, there are a growing number of scholarships specifically for Muslim students, allowing them to pursue higher education without the worry of financial hardship. In this article, we will explore the various types of scholarships available to Muslim students. We will also discuss the criteria for eligibility, and provide the application website. With the right information, you can make sure you’re taking advantage of every opportunity available to you.
The following is a list of the scholarships and grants to students in Maharashtra or across India the Muslim community may apply for:
| S.No | Scholarship Name |
Eligibility |
| 1. | Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Hostel Maintenance Allowance Scheme | Graduation |
| 2. | Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulk Shishyavrutti Yojna | Graduation or Post graduation |
| 3. | Savitribai Phule Scholarship – Award for Backward Girl Students of Maharashtra | Studying class 5th to 10th |
| 4. | Begum Hazrat Mahal Scholarship for Girls | Class 9th to 12th |
| 5. | Minority Scholarship | MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BPTH, BOTH, BASLP, BP&O, BSc Nursing, MSc Nursing, BPMT, Ophthalmic Assistant, Optometry, PB BSc Nursing |
| 6. | State Minority Scholarship for Pursuing Higher Professional Education Scholarship | Graduate |
| 7. | Pre-Matric Scholarship for Minorities | Class 1 to class 10 |
| 8. | Post Matric Scholarship for Minorities | Passed Class 10 |
| 9. | Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for Minorities | Pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate |
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Hostel Maintenance Allowance Scheme:
About the Scheme:
Panjabrao Deshmukh Hostel Maintenance Allowance Scheme was Initiated by the Directorate of Medical Education Research of the Maharashtra Government to provide help with hostel maintenance to students who are pursuing their graduation at government-aided, Corporation, or Private un-aided colleges.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The candidate must reside in Maharashtra.
- The applicant must be a child of legally employed laborers or alpabhudharak shetkari.
- The candidate must have received admission to one of the following programs: MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BPTH, BOTH, B.Sc., Nursing, BUMS, BP & O, and BASLP at a government-sponsored, for-profit, private, or unsponsored college.
- The candidate had to be accepted into the General and SEBC categories.
- The applicant’s household should make less than INR 8 lakh per year.
- In Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, or any Maharashtra city, the candidate must have enrolled for a hostel.
Application link:
Visit the scholarship’s official website to apply https://mahadbtmahait.gov.in. Typically, the applications are made accessible in March.
Terms and Conditions:
- The award is not available to students who are admitted through the management quota or Institute level.
Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulk Shishyavrutti Yojna, Maharashtra:
About the Scheme:
Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Shikshan Shulk Shishyavrutti Yojna was initiated by the Directorate of Higher Education, Government of Maharashtra to provide help Government to provide help to students who are pursuing their graduation or post-graduation and under the general or SEBC category.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant must be a citizen of Maharashtra or the area along the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
- The candidate must be enrolled in a professional or non-professional course at a public or publicly supported university or college that has been authorized by DHE.
- Either the general category or the SEBC category must accept the candidate.
- The family of the applicant should make up to INR 8 lakhs annually.
- The applicant has never received a scholarship or stipend in the past.
- The candidate has never before participated in a part-time, online, or distance learning course.
Application link:
Visit the scholarship’s official website to applyhttps://mahadbtmahait.gov.in. Typically, the applications are made accessible in March.
Terms and Conditions:
- The applicant ought to take each year or semester exam.
- Students who were awarded this scholarship the year before are welcome to apply again.
- This scholarship is available to a family’s first two children.
- Students shouldn’t have to wait two years between classes.
Savitribai Phule Scholarship – Award for Backward Girl Students of Maharashtra
About the Scholarship:
The Social Justice and Special Assistance Department of the Government of Maharashtra established the Savitribai Phule Scholarship to help girls students who are under SC, VJNT, and SBC categories.
Eligibility Criteria:
- In India, the pupils must fall within the SC, VJNT, and SBC categories.
- The candidate is enrolled in classes from fifth to tenth.
- The applicants must have done well on the last exam.
- More than 75% attendance should be required for the application.
Application link:
To apply for the scholarship, one can go to the official website, i.e., https://www.mahadbtmahait.gov.in. The applications typically become available in March.
Begum Hazrat Mahal Scholarship for Girls
About the Scholarship:
India’s Maulana Azad Education Foundation established the Begum Hazarat Mahal Scholarship for Girls to help students who belong to Islam or other religions.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Female students who practice Islam, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, or any other faith.
- Candidates enrolled in ninth through twelfth-grade classes.
- Candidates need to have a class grade point average of at least 50%.
- The family income of the applicant cannot be more than Rs. 2,000,000.
Application link:
To submit an application, go to the scholarship’s official website at https://scholarships.gov.in/. Normally, the applications are made accessible between July and September.
Terms and Conditions:
- In the event that the student has a study gap, the scholarship is canceled.
- According to the minority population in each State/UT as per the 2011 Census, the Begum Hazrat Scholarship is awarded to students in each State/UT.
- If the income certificate is in a regional language, candidates must produce an English or Hindi version that they have self-certified.
Minority Scholarship for Maharashtra Students
About the Scheme:
The Minority Development Department of the Maharashtra government created the Minority Scholarship for students from Maharashtra. This scholarship will be awarded to Maharashtra students who belong to Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Sikh, Parsi, or Jew religions.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The candidate must reside in Maharashtra.
- The candidate must be a member of one of the following faiths: Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Sikh, Parsi, or Jew.
- The applicant must be enrolled in one of the following programs at the Maharashtra University of the Health Sciences, Nashik: MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BPTH, BOTH, BASLP, BP&O, BSc Nursing, MSc Nursing, BPMT, Ophthalmic Assistant, Optometry, PB BSc Nursing.
- The applicants must have passed a CET, a competitive test, or have their HSC results accepted into the program.
- The family income of the candidate cannot be more than Rs. 8,00,000.
Application link:
Visit the scholarship’s official website to apply https://mahadbtmahait.gov.in. Typically, the applications are made accessible in March.
Terms and Conditions:
- The girls are given a 30% reservation of seats.
- The scholarship is open to applicants who reside in Maharashtra but are enrolled in school elsewhere.
State Minority Scholarship for Pursuing Higher Professional Education Scholarship
About the Scheme:
The Government of Maharashtra’s Minority Development Department established the State Minority Scholarship for Pursuing Higher Professional Education. This scholarship will be awarded to students who belong to Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Sikh, Parsi, or Jew religions.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The candidate must reside in Maharashtra.
- The submission must be from a member of the Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Sikh, Parsi, or Jewish faiths.
- Through the Centralized Admission Process (CAP)/Institute Level, the applicant must be enrolled in professional and technical diploma/degree courses.
- The applicant must have earned an SSC diploma from the state of Maharashtra.
- The applicant’s family should make up to INR 8 lakhs per year.
- The candidate has never before been awarded a scholarship or stipend.
- The applicant hasn’t taken any online, part-time, or distance learning courses in the past.
Application link:
Visit the scholarship’s official website to apply https://mahadbtmahait.gov.in. Typically, the applications are made accessible in March.
Pre-Matric Scholarship for Minorities
About the Scheme:
The Government of India’s Ministry of Minority Affairs created the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Minorities. This scholarship will be awarded to Maharashtra students who practice Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, or Parsi /Zoroastrianism.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant must practice one of the following faiths: Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, or Parsi /Zoroastrianism.
- The applicant is a first through tenth grader.
- The application received a grade of at least 50% on the most recent final exam.
- The applicant’s family should make up to INR 1 lakh per year.
Application link:
Visit the scholarship’s official website at https://mahadbtmahait.gov.in to submit an application. Typically, the applications are made accessible in October or November.
Post Matric Scholarship for Minorities
About the Scheme:
The Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, established the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for Minorities. This scholarship will be awarded to students who practice Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, or Parsi /Zoroastrianism.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The candidate must be a member of one of the following faiths: Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jain, or Parsis/Zoroastrians.
- The candidate is pursuing post-matriculation.
- The applicant must have earned matriculation equivalent to the SSC.
- The applicant’s family should make up to INR 2.5 lakhs per year.
Application link:
Visit the scholarship’s official website at https://mahadbtmahait.gov.in. Typically, the applications are made accessible in October-November.
Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for Minorities
About the Scheme:
The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), Government of India, created the Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for Minorities. This scholarship will be awarded to students who practice Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, or Parsi /Zoroastrianism.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant is a member of the Parsi/Zoroastrians, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims, or Sikhs religions.
- At the undergraduate or graduate level, the applicant must be enrolled in a technical or professional.
- Postgraduate standing from a reputable university.
- The family income of the applicant should not exceed INR 2.5 lakhs annually.
- The applicant received a grade of at least 50% on the most recent final exam.
Application link:
Visit the scholarship’s official website at https://mahadbtmahait.gov.in. Typically, the applications are made accessible in October-November.
Terms and Conditions:
- The candidate should take every exam given each year or semester.
- Students who received this scholarship the previous year are eligible to reapply.
- The first two kids in a family are eligible for this grant.
The growth of scholarships for Muslim students is an indication of a more inclusive attitude toward the Muslim community in India. In recent years, more organizations and institutions have recognized the need to provide financial aid to students of all backgrounds, including those from the Muslim faith. This is a positive development, as it allows more students from the Muslim community to pursue education without worrying about the prohibitive costs.
I hope this article has informed you about several Muslim scholarships for students who reside in Maharashtra or elsewhere in India. Additionally, this can assist you in selecting the best scholarships for you.