NIT Surathkal Scholarships 2026

National Institute of Technology (NIT) Karnataka, Surathkal, is equally committed to ensuring that financial limitations do not prevent meritorious and deserving students from pursuing world-class education. The institute's comprehensive financial assistance program offers a blend of Merit-based, Need-based, Government, Corporate, and Alumni-funded scholarships.

These scholarships and fee waivers play a crucial role in reducing the financial burden, particularly for economically disadvantaged students, allowing them to focus entirely on their academics and research.

Types of Scholarships at NIT Surathkal

NIT Surathkal, offers a comprehensive financial aid ecosystem comprising institute-funded merit awards, extensive alumni endowments, and government-backed schemes. Below is the breakdown of the scholarship structure at NIT Surathkal for the 2025–2026 academic year.

These scholarships are managed by the institute to reward academic excellence and assist students from low-income backgrounds.

• Merit-cum-Means (MCM) Scholarship: This is the flagship scholarship for undergraduate (B.Tech) students.

  • Who can apply: Top 50 meritorious students. First-year eligibility is based on JEE Main rank, while subsequent years require a CGPA of 7.0 or above. The annual family income must be less than ₹4.5 Lakhs.

  • Basic benefit: A monthly stipend of ₹2,000 during the academic session.

• Merit Scholarship: Awarded strictly on the basis of academic performance.

  • Who can apply: Top 5 students in the JEE Main entrance. Students must have secured 90% or above in their 10+2 examinations.

  • Basic benefit: ₹10,000 per annum.

• Fee Waivers for Economically Weaker Sections: As per NIT Council guidelines, tuition fee remissions are provided based on parental income:

  • Income  100% Tuition Fee Waiver.

  • Income ₹1 Lakh – ₹5 Lakh: 2/3rd Tuition Fee Waiver.

  • SC/ST/PwD Students: 100% Tuition Fee Waiver regardless of income.

For PG and Research scholars, NITK provides standard central stipends. M.Tech students with valid GATE scores receive ₹12,400 per month. PhD scholars receive an institute fellowship of ₹31,000 per month (JRF) for the first two years, increasing to ₹35,000 per month (SRF) for the remaining period.

Alumni Endowment & Memorial Scholarships

NITK Surathkal has one of the most active alumni networks, leading to a high number of private endowment funds.

• B.R. Samaga Scholarship: A one-time scholarship specifically for very poor 2nd-year B.Tech students staying in hostels.

• Pradeep Gundappa Memorial Scholarship: Aimed at 1st-year Mechanical Engineering students with a family income below ₹3 Lakhs and 70% in 12th. It provides ₹2,000 per month for 8 semesters.

• 1972 Batch Alumni Scholarship: A merit-cum-means award typically presented to two students annually based on academic standing and financial need.

• Other Notable Endowments:

  • Vijayakala T.D. Scholarship: Specifically for students of the E&E Department.

  • Veeramma Rajashekaraiah Scholarship: For 2nd-year B.Tech students.

  • Satish Bembalgi Memorial Scholarship: Instituted by the 1996 ECE batch.

Government Scholarships Facilitated by NITK

Students apply for these through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) or state portals (like Karnataka's SSP).

• Top Class Education Scheme (SC/ST): Funded by the Central Government for high-ranking SC and ST students.

  • Benefit: Full tuition fee reimbursement, a living allowance of ₹3,000 per month, and a one-time grant of ₹45,000 for a computer/accessories.

• Post-Matric Scholarships (State-specific): Heavily utilized by students from Karnataka (OBC/SC/ST) and other states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

• Central Sector Scholarship for College and University Students: For students in the top 20th percentile of their respective Class 12 boards with income below ₹4.5 Lakhs.

Private and Corporate Scholarships

Several corporations and foundations target NITK students for their CSR initiatives:

• Foundation for Excellence (FFE): Provides significant financial aid to B.Tech students from low-income families who show high academic potential.

• Corporate Awards: Regular scholarships from TCS (for PhD/CSE), OP Jindal (OPJEMS), Reliance Foundation, and Engineers India Limited (EIL) (specifically for SC/ST students).

• Infosys STEM Stars: A scholarship specifically supporting female students in STEM disciplines with awards up to ₹1 Lakh.

NIT Surathkal Scholarship & Fee Waiver Eligibility

1. Academic Performance Requirements

• Fresh Applicants (1st Year): For the Institute Merit-cum-Means (MCM) scholarship, students typically need a minimum of 70% marks in Class 12th. For the Institute Merit Scholarship, the bar is higher, usually requiring 90% or above in Class 12th.

• Ranking: Both scholarships are highly competitive; the MCM scholarship is awarded to the top 50 meritorious students based on JEE Main All India Rank (AIR), while the Merit Scholarship is reserved for the top 5 students in the JEE Main entry list.

• Renewal: To continue receiving the MCM scholarship in subsequent years, a student must maintain a CGPA of 7.0 or above with no backlogs.

2. Annual Family Income Limits

NITK follows the standard MHRD (now Ministry of Education) guidelines for tuition fee waivers:

• Full Tuition Fee Remission: 100% waiver for students with a family income less than ₹1 Lakh per annum.

• Partial Tuition Fee Remission (2/3rd): For students with a family income between ₹1 Lakh and ₹5 Lakhs per annum.

• Institute MCM Scholarship: Requires an annual family income below ₹4.5 Lakhs.

• Pradeep Gundappa Memorial Scholarship: A specific endowment scholarship for Mechanical Engineering students with a family income limit of ₹3 Lakhs.

3. Category-wise Eligibility

• SC/ST/PwD Students: These students receive an automatic 100% tuition fee waiver regardless of family income. Additionally, they can apply for the "Financial Assistance for SC/ST Students" which provides laptop allowances (up to ₹45,000) and book stipends if their income is below ₹4.5 Lakhs.

• General/OBC-NCL/EWS: Eligibility for fee waivers and MCM scholarships is strictly determined by the ₹1 Lakh and ₹5 Lakh income brackets and JEE/CGPA merit.

• Minorities: Eligible for the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for Minorities with an income cap of ₹2.5 Lakhs.

4. Course-wise Eligibility Breakdown

How to Apply for NIT Surathkal Scholarships

Applying for financial aid at NIT Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal follows a similar rigour, utilizing a mix of the institute's internal mechanisms and external government portals.

Here is the step-by-step guide to securing funding at NITK Surathkal:

1. Identify Applicable Scholarships

Research the specific category you fall into:

• Institute Scholarships: Includes the Merit-cum-Means (MCM) scholarship, which provides a tuition fee waiver and monthly pocket allowance for eligible B.Tech students.

• Alumni & Private Endowments: NITK has a robust network offering specific grants like the NITK Surathkal Alumni Association (NITKSAA) scholarships or the Saraswat Education Society grants.

• Government Scholarships: National (NSP) schemes and state-specific scholarships like the SSP (State Scholarship Portal) for Karnataka residents (Post-Matric for SC/ST/OBC).

• Corporate & NGO Scholarships: Opportunities from foundations like Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access (FAEA) or companies like ABB and Huawei.

2. Apply Via Official Channels

• For Internal & MCM Scholarships: Keep a close watch on the IRIS NITK portal. Applications are typically processed through the IRIS system under the "Scholarship" module. You will need to fill in your family income details and academic performance.

• For Government Scholarships:

  • National: Register on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) at scholarships.gov.in.

  • State (Karnataka Residents): Apply via the State Scholarship Portal (SSP) at ssp.postmatric.karnataka.gov.in.

• Submit Hard Copies: Unlike some digital-only processes, NITK usually requires you to submit the printed application form along with physical copies of all enclosures to the Academic Section (Main Building) or the Dean of Students' Welfare (DSW) office for physical verification.

3. Upload and Verify Documents

Scan and upload required proofs to IRIS or the respective portal. The Academic Section will conduct a "Physical Verification" where you must present original documents. For the MCM scholarship, the institute strictly adheres to the income criteria and your CGPA (usually 7.0 and above for seniors).

4. Disbursement Timeline

Once the institute verifies and "pushes" your application to the government or the internal accounts department, funds are credited via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

• MCM Scholarship: Usually disbursed semester-wise.

• External/NSP: Subject to government processing times, often credited towards the end of the academic year.

Documents Required

Ensure you have the following ready (most must be issued on or after April 1st of the current financial year):

• Income Certificate: Issued by the Revenue Department (Tahsildar). For MCM, the family income limit is typically ₹4.5 Lakhs per annum.

• Caste/Category Certificate: Mandatory for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS applicants to claim reservation-linked waivers.

• Academic Records: JEE Main Rank Card (for 1st-year students) or the previous year's Grade Cards (for seniors).

• Fee Receipt: Proof of payment for the current semester/year.

• Bank Details: Copy of the passbook for a linked bank account (preferably at the SBI NITK Surathkal branch) with Aadhaar seeding.

• Aadhaar Card: Essential for the DBT process.