Tata scholarship 2026-27: Means Grant, Pankh, J N Tata, last date, amount and eligibility

Tata scholarship 2026-27: which scheme is for whom

Tata scholarship for 12th pass students

If you have just cleared Class 12 and want a scholarship from a Tata body, two schemes are relevant: the Means Grant and Pankh.

The Means Grant is run by Tata Trusts. Its 2026-27 document says Indian residents studying anywhere in India in a school or college recognised by a board, UGC or the relevant professional council can apply. Tata Trusts describes it as open to students from Standard VIII up to graduation. The student must have secured at least a "Pass" class in the previous exam (2025-26). Students who passed with ATKT, grace marks or condonation are not eligible.

Tata Capital Pankh is aimed at students in Class 11 and 12 and in graduation or diploma courses. Tata Capital says it began in 2013 to support academically bright young people from economically challenged communities, "with special attention to women, SC, ST, PWDs". Its education page says students apply on an online portal and that applications open from September each year.

If you are a Gujarat student, also look at the state scheme in our MYSY scholarship guide.

Tata Trusts Means Grant 2026-27: last date and how to apply

This is the scheme with a live window. These details come from the Tata Trusts Means Grant document.

• Last date: any time before 31 March 2027. Tata Trusts urges students not to wait until March and to apply as soon as every document is ready.
• How it works: reimbursement. The fees must already have been paid and you must hold the fee receipt.
• Who applies: a parent, legal guardian, or the student if not a minor. Only one application per student is accepted, and you get an acknowledgement within three working days.
• How to send it: by email only, as separate PDF attachments in a single email to [email protected]. Drive links are not accepted.
• Amount: the Tata Trusts page says it gives "partial financial assistance, based on students' needs". Neither the page nor the document states a rupee amount or an income limit, so we cannot give you one.

Mandatory documents:

1. Consent form and application form (separate forms for college and school).
2. Attested marksheet for 2025-26 (both semesters if your year has two).
3. Fee receipts for 2026-27.
4. Family income proof for assessment year 2026-27: a full income tax return, or a no-filing declaration with Form 16, an employer letter, an income certificate from a Tehsildar, District Magistrate or similar authority, or a pension passbook.
5. A college or school letter on letterhead, with a physical signature and stamp. Digital signatures are not accepted.
6. Aadhaar of the student (masked is preferred).
7. A gap certificate on non-judicial stamp paper, notarised, if you took a break.
8. A cancelled cheque of the parent's bank account.

Tata Capital Pankh scholarship 2026: amount and eligibility

Tata Capital's own pages tell us this much about Pankh:

• It started in 2013 and, per the education page, applications "open from September each year".
• A press release of 6 March 2025 says eligible students "can receive scholarships covering up to 80% of tuition fees or monetary grants ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹12,000, based on their course of study and financial need". That release also introduced a chapter for focused degrees such as medicine, aerospace engineering, quantum physics and architecture.
• The last criteria Tata Capital stated in a notice were in its press release of 18 October 2023, for 2023-24: family income of up to ₹2,50,000 from all sources, at least 60% in the qualifying exam, a telephonic interview, and no eligibility for children of employees of Tata Capital and its partner. That notice gave 15 November 2023 as the last date.

Tata Capital's impact assessment, published on its website, says the 2023-24 award was a one-time scholarship of up to 80% of course fees, capped at ₹10,000 for Class 11 and 12 and ₹12,000 for graduation, diploma and polytechnic.

What we could not confirm: Tata Capital has not put a 2026-27 notice, last date or income limit on the pages we could read. Applications are taken through a partner portal linked from the Tata Capital sustainability page. Open that page and check the notice there before you act on any date quoted elsewhere, and never pay anyone to apply.

Tata Trusts scholarship for study abroad: J N Tata Endowment

The Jamsetjee Nusserwanjee Tata Endowment was set up in 1892 and, per Tata Trusts, has helped more than 5,800 Indian students. It supports only overseas study: Master's, PhD and postdoctoral fellowships, in any stream. Selection is on merit.

• Amount: a loan scholarship of up to ₹20 lakh. The J N Tata FAQ page says not every candidate qualifies for the maximum. Simple interest is 2% a year, which the trustees may waive or reduce.
• Repayment: equal instalments from the 3rd to the 7th year, per the FAQ.
• Eligibility: an undergraduate degree from a recognised Indian university, at least 60% on average, and not older than 45 years on 30 June 2026 (see eligibility criteria). Exchange programmes, distance or online degrees, and study in India are not eligible.
• 2026-27 round: the site shows forms available from 5 January to 29 March 2026, an aptitude test on 27 April 2026, interviews from May to June and results in mid-July 2026. The FAQ page says 15 March 2026 for the same window, so the two pages disagree; both dates have passed.
• Next round: the J N Tata site has not announced one. Applicants need an admission letter by interview time, one recommendation letter and a guarantor (see the selection process).

Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust scholarship

This Tata Trusts scholarship is for Indian women graduates who want to study abroad in the United States, UK or Europe, with a focus on subjects related to women and children, such as child health, counselling, special-needs education, public health and gender studies.

• Amount: a gift scholarship toward part of the tuition fee, roughly ₹3 lakh to ₹6 lakh, based on the interview.
• Eligibility: a consistent academic record, all results in hand, an application or admission to a reputed university for 2026-27, and preferably two years of paid work experience. Part-time, distance and undergraduate courses are not eligible.
• 2026-27 dates: link requests from 23 February to 30 March 2026, form by 6 April 2026, documents by 14 April 2026 and hard copies by 20 April 2026. Interviews were planned for late June or early July 2026. This round is closed. The Tata Trusts web page still says the programme is "now open" for 2026-27, but its own announcement shows every date has passed.

Cornell Tata Scholarship

Cornell University's admissions page says the Tata Scholarship supports approximately 20 scholars at any time. You must have attended secondary school in India, be offered admission to Cornell as an undergraduate, and qualify for need-based aid. Funding runs up to eight semesters, or ten for the five-year architecture programme, as long as you have financial need.

You apply by submitting the Cornell admission application and the CSS Profile for financial aid. Only students who do both are considered. Cornell lists no separate deadline for this scholarship.

Other scholarships to apply for now

• Other company schemes: the Reliance Foundation scholarship guide and the SBI Asha scholarship guide.
• Government schemes: our NSP scholarship 2026-27 guide.
• Studying abroad: the study abroad scholarships tracker.