Scholarship Eligibility Checker
Enter your GPA, income level, field of study, and background to instantly see which scholarship categories you are likely eligible for. Free with a teacher account.
Understanding scholarship eligibility
Scholarship eligibility depends on academic results, financial need, field of study, personal background and other factors. Knowing which rules apply to each kind of scholarship helps students spend their effort where they have a real chance.
The two basic kinds are merit-based and need-based. Merit scholarships reward academic results, exam ranks or strong work in a subject. Need-based scholarships go to students with documented financial hardship, with family income checked against a limit. Many programmes combine both.
Special category scholarships
Beyond merit and need, many scholarships target specific groups: first-generation students, students from rural or remote areas, students with disabilities and students from minority communities. STEM scholarships have grown as governments and companies invest in engineering, science and technology, and scholarships for women in STEM address long-standing under-representation.
How to search for scholarships
Start with your own institution: most keep a list of their own awards, which often have fewer applicants than national programmes. At the national level, portals such as the National Scholarship Portal in India gather government awards and let you filter by field, category and eligibility. International scholarships are announced every year with fixed application windows, so keep a calendar of deadlines.
Grades and academic requirements
Grade requirements vary by scholarship and region. On a 4.0 scale, 3.0 (75%) is a common floor for general merit awards, while competitive national scholarships often ask for more. On a 10-point CGPA scale, about 7.5 is a common entry point for government merit scholarships. When you apply abroad, convert the grade to the scale the awarding body uses.
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- Data-processing agreement on request.
How to check scholarship eligibility
- Type the student's grade and pick its scale.
- Add the income band, field of study, gender and background that apply.
- Press Check eligibility.
- Read the kinds of scholarship that match and where to look, then copy or print the result.
Questions teachers ask
How accurate is this scholarship eligibility check?
This tool provides a category-level assessment based on common eligibility criteria used by scholarship programmes worldwide, GPA thresholds, income ranges, field of study, gender-specific awards, and special category flags such as first-generation student or differently-abled status. It is not connected to any specific scholarship database. The results tell you which types of scholarships you are likely eligible to pursue; you will need to verify exact criteria on each programme's official page. Treat the results as a starting checklist, not a definitive eligibility determination.
Does this show real scholarships I can apply for?
No. This tool shows scholarship categories (merit-based, need-based, STEM, gender-specific, first-generation, and so on) rather than specific named awards. Each category includes a "What to look for" tip pointing you toward the right portals and databases. For actual scholarship listings, visit your institution's financial aid office, your national scholarship portal (e.g., NSP in India, Scholarships.gov in the US, scholarship.ie in Ireland), or foundations specific to your field of study.
What GPA do I need for merit scholarships?
Most merit scholarship programmes require a GPA equivalent to 70–80% or higher, though this varies widely. Top national scholarships may require 90%+ while institutional departmental awards may start at 65%. On a 4.0 scale, a 3.0 GPA (75%) is a common baseline threshold. On a 10-point CGPA scale common in Indian universities, 7.5 or above is typically considered merit-worthy for government scholarships. This tool uses 75% as its normalised baseline for merit scholarships and 70% for government merit scholarships, these are illustrative cut-offs, not definitive.
Are there scholarships for international students?
Yes. Many scholarships are open to international students. Most major universities offer merit-based aid regardless of nationality. Governments in countries such as Australia, Canada, the UK, and Germany fund specific scholarships for international students from developing countries. Bilateral scholarships (where one government funds students from a partner country) are also common. Additionally, organisations like the Fulbright Program, Chevening, DAAD, and Aga Khan Foundation operate globally. The nationality field in this tool helps you reflect on geo-targeted programmes, but the category results apply broadly to students of any nationality.
How do institutions manage scholarship applications at scale?
Managing hundreds of scholarship applications manually (collecting documents, verifying eligibility, ranking applicants, and disbursing awards) is time-consuming and error-prone. Education management platforms like OpenEduCat centralise scholarship workflows: students apply through the portal, eligibility rules are configured once and applied automatically, and administrators can generate ranked lists, set approval workflows, and track disbursements. For institutions handling 50+ scholarship applications per cycle, an integrated system reduces processing time by over 70% compared to spreadsheet-based workflows.
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