How to Apply for a Scholarship on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

Before you start, keep these ready

• An Android phone with your active mobile number. The face check in the OTR step uses an Android app.
• Your Aadhaar number and the mobile number linked to it. If you have no Aadhaar, the portal accepts the Aadhaar enrolment slip, or a parent's or guardian's Aadhaar if you are a minor, with the mobile number linked to it.
• Basic details: your name, gender, date of birth, father's and mother's names and domicile state.
• Your school or institute enrolment number, and your class 10 and class 12 roll numbers and percentages.
• A bank account that is linked to your Aadhaar. The portal marks this 'desired', and the payment goes to that account.
• Your UDID number if you have a disability. The portal's home page says disabled students must first log in to the UDID portal and give consent to share their UDID details, or they cannot submit.
• Other documents only if your scheme asks for them, such as a domicile certificate, a marksheet or details of a competitive exam. They differ by scheme, so check yours.

Step 1: Make your OTR number

1. 1Open scholarships.gov.in. Under Students, choose One Time Registration (OTR).
2. 2Register your mobile number and complete the Aadhaar e-KYC.
3. 3You get a reference number. Install the Face RD app and the NSP OTR app from Google Play, and complete the face check with the option 'eKYC with FaceAuth' in the NSP OTR app.
4. 4After the face check, your OTR number is sent to your phone. It is free, and it stays valid for your whole academic career.

Step 2: Log in with your OTR

Use your OTR on the login page of the application form. Your name, date of birth and photograph are fetched from your OTR, so you do not type them again. If a detail is wrong, update your Aadhaar first and then refresh your e-KYC, and the change shows in your OTR and in the form.

Step 3: Apply fresh

1. 1Go to My Applications and choose Apply Fresh.
2. 2Pick the scholarship scheme you want, and fill in the form: course and institute details, bank details and any documents the scheme asks for.
3. 3Read everything once more, then submit. Note down your application ID and keep a copy of what you submitted.

Rules that catch students out

• You can apply for only one scholarship at a time. To switch to another scheme you must first withdraw your current application. (Incentives are different: you can apply for several.)
• You cannot change the scholarship category after you submit. If you chose the wrong one, withdraw the application and apply fresh.
• You cannot change your domicile state while any application is active. Withdraw all of them first.
• You cannot withdraw an application once the nodal officer has approved it or the scholarship payment has been released.
• A withdrawn application can be revoked from My Applications, but only while the application dates are open and you have no other active application.

After you submit

Your institute and the scheme's officers check the application. Use Application Status on the portal's home page to see where it stands, and Track Your Payment, which opens the PFMS page, to see when money is sent. If the payment does not arrive, the first thing to check is whether your Aadhaar is linked to the bank account; the portal's home page has a guide on how to do that.

If you cannot use a phone

The portal's OTR FAQ says students can also get the services at a Common Service Centre (CSC), where the Aadhaar authentication is done in person with the student or guardian. In its 2024 FAQ the portal gave a total fee of 30 rupees for the whole process there, including the OTR and the application. Check the current fee on the portal, and never pay anyone more than the fee the portal states.

Frequently asked questions