IIT Kanpur offers a comprehensive range of scholarships to support meritorious and economically challenged students. These scholarships aim to ensure that no deserving student at the institute is impeded by financial hurdles. Scholarships at IIT Kanpur are broadly categorized into merit-based, need-based, government-funded, and private donor scholarships. The institute also runs schemes specifically targeted at research excellence and for students in specialized programs.
Bright Minds Scholarship: Awarded to top performers securing an All India Rank (AIR) under 100 in JEE Advanced. This scholarship covers the full undergraduate academic expenses by providing ₹3,00,000 annually.
INSPIRE Scholarship: Offered to students enrolled in B.S. programs (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics) who maintain an AIR within 10,000 in the Common Merit List (CML). This includes ₹30,000 per semester and a research grant of ₹20,000 yearly.
Merit-cum-Means (MCM) Scholarship: Students not belonging to SC/ST categories with an annual parental income below ₹4.5 lakh qualify. The scholarship offers a full tuition fee waiver plus a monthly allowance of ₹1,000. Recipients must maintain a minimum Cumulative Performance Index (CPI) of 6.5 to continue receiving the pocket allowance. The tuition waiver continues for minimum CPI of 6.0.
IIT Kanpur also administers scholarships funded by alumni and private donors such as the Pawan Tewari Goldman Sachs Scholarship, Batch of 1965 Scholarship, and others targeting specific departments or deserving groups, including female and economically weaker students. These scholarships typically require academic merit, income criteria, and a minimum CPI for renewal.
For merit scholarships like Bright Minds and INSPIRE, eligibility is strictly merit-based on ranking and academic performance.
Need-based scholarships require parental income certificates showing income below defined thresholds (e.g., ₹4.5 lakh for MCM).
Recipients should maintain a minimum CPI (usually around 6.0 to 6.5) throughout their study period.
Some scholarships are exclusive to certain departments or categories such as female students or students belonging to specific disciplines.
For donor scholarships, additional criteria such as extracurricular participation or good conduct may apply.
The application process for IIT Kanpur scholarships is largely centralized and communicated to students via internal notifications, usually at the start of the academic year or semester. Eligible students need to:
Collect and submit scholarship application forms distributed by the Student Scholarship and Prizes Committee (SSPC).
Submit relevant documents such as parental income certificate and previous semester grade sheets.
Provide required undertakings, especially for scholarships that mandate no concurrent financial aid from other sources.
Applications often require online and/or physical submission of forms to the SSPC office.
For external scholarships like KVPY, NTSE, or Inspire, separate processes exist requiring submission of requisite documents and signatures to the SSPC.
Most scholarships at IIT Kanpur are renewable annually, contingent upon maintaining the stipulated academic performance (minimum CPI) and continuing to meet income or category criteria.
Merit-based scholarships generally continue for the full duration of the program (4 years for B.Tech, 3-5 years for Ph.D., etc.) as long as academic standards are maintained.
The Merit-cum-Means scholarship requires annual income verification and CPI to continue.
Failure to maintain minimum CPI or change in income status may lead to scholarship termination, with opportunities passing on to next eligible candidates.
| Scholarship Name | Eligibility | Benefits | Application Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Minds Scholarship | Top 100 AIR in JEE Advanced | ₹3,00,000 per year; full academic expenses | Apply via SSPC notification; no income proof needed |
| Merit-cum-Means (MCM) | Non-SC/ST; parental income ≤ ₹4.5 lakh | Full tuition waiver + ₹1,000/month allowance | Income certificate submission; maintain CPI ≥ 6.5 |
| INSPIRE Scholarship | B.S. students in Chemistry, Physics, Math; AIR ≤ 10,000 | ₹30,000 per semester + ₹20,000 research grant | Semester-wise declaration; apply via SSPC |
| Donor Scholarships | Varies: income limits, department, gender | Varies: cash awards, tuition waivers | Apply when notified by SSPC with supporting docs |
| Pawan Tewari Goldman Sachs Scholarship | B.Tech students; female candidates prioritized | Scholarship from 2nd to 4th year based on CPI 6+ | Application through SSPC; maintain performance |
IIT Kanpur’s scholarship system reflects a deep commitment to equitable education by balancing meritocracy with financial assistance. Transparent application procedures, continued monitoring of academic progression, and diverse scholarships ensure tailored support for all deserving students.
| Course | Average Fees | Duration | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.Tech | INR 8,00,000 to INR 10,77,000 | 4 Years | |
| MBA | INR 7,00,000 to INR 13,50,000 | 2 Years | |
| BSc | INR 8,00,000 | 4 Years | |
| MSc | INR 12,000 to INR 20,000 per year | 2 Years | |
| M.Tech | INR 20,000 to INR 8,00,000 | 2 - 3 Years | |
| PhD | INR 48,500 per year | 3 to 5 years | |
| MS | INR 12,000 to INR 20,000 | 2 Years | |
| M.Des | INR 20,000 approx. per semester | 2 Years | |
| B.Tech+MBA | INR 8,00,000 to INR 15,00,000 | 5 Years | |
| B.Tech+M.Tech | INR 8,00,000 total | 5 Years | |
| Certificate | INR 2,000 to INR 1,40,000 | Varies, typically ranging from a few weeks to several months | |
| Diploma | Fee structures vary according to the course | 6 months to 2 years |