Karnataka offers one of the widest ranges of free scholarships in India for students from Class 1 all the way to PhD level. In 2026 lakhs of students across Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi, Mangaluru, Belagavi and every district of the state can get financial support for school fees, college fees, hostel expenses and study materials through government scholarship schemes. Most of these scholarships are completely free to apply and the money goes directly into the student’s bank account through DBT.
This complete guide covers all major free scholarships in Karnataka in 2026 including scholarship amounts, eligibility rules, required documents and the step by step application process through the State Scholarship Portal (SSP).
Major Free Scholarships In Karnataka 2026 – Quick Overview
| Scholarship Name | Who Can Apply | Annual Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Post Matric Scholarship (SC/ST) | SC/ST Students After Class 10 | ₹3,500 – ₹13,500 Plus Fee Concession |
| Post Matric Scholarship (OBC) | OBC Students After Class 10 | ₹1,600 – ₹7,500 |
| Vidyasiri Scholarship | Backward Class Hostel Students | ₹1,500 Per Month (10 Months) |
| Pre Matric Scholarship | Class 1 To 10 Students | ₹1,000 – ₹3,500 |
| Minority Post Matric Scholarship | Muslim, Christian, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi Students | ₹2,000 – ₹10,000 |
| Raita Vidya Nidhi | Children Of Farmers | ₹2,500 – ₹11,000 |
| Labour Card Scholarship | Children Of Registered Construction Workers | ₹2,000 – ₹35,000 |
| National Means Cum Merit Scholarship | Class 9 To 12 Meritorious Students | ₹12,000 |
| Sanchi Honnamma Scholarship | Girl Students In Government Colleges | ₹2,000 Per Year |
| Fee Concession Scheme | Government College Students | Full Tuition Fee Waiver |
State Scholarship Portal (SSP) Karnataka – The Main Application Gateway
Almost all Karnataka government scholarships in 2026 are applied through a single website called the State Scholarship Portal (SSP). Students create one account and apply for every scholarship they are eligible for from the same login.
Key facts about SSP Karnataka:
- One student account works for all state scholarships
- Aadhaar linked bank account is mandatory for DBT payment
- Caste certificate and income certificate must be issued from Nadakacheri (Atalji Janasnehi Kendra)
- The portal automatically matches students to eligible schemes based on their documents
- Scholarship money is transferred directly to the student’s Aadhaar seeded bank account
Students studying in Karnataka schools and colleges should also check the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for central government schemes which run in parallel to state schemes.
Post Matric Scholarship For SC/ST Students Karnataka 2026
This is the biggest scholarship scheme in Karnataka for SC and ST students studying after Class 10 in PUC, degree, diploma, engineering, medical and postgraduate courses.
Benefits in 2026:
- Maintenance allowance from ₹3,500 to ₹13,500 per year depending on course level
- Full or partial fee concession for tuition and examination fees
- Extra allowance for hostellers compared to day scholars
- Additional support for professional courses like engineering, medical and law
Eligibility:
- Student must belong to SC or ST category with a valid caste certificate
- Family annual income should be within ₹2.5 lakh
- Student must be studying in a recognised institution in Karnataka
- Aadhaar linked bank account is required
Post Matric Scholarship For OBC And Backward Classes 2026
Students from OBC, Category 1, 2A, 3A and 3B communities studying after Class 10 can apply for this scholarship through SSP.
Benefits:
- Annual scholarship between ₹1,600 and ₹7,500 based on course type
- Fee concession in government and aided institutions
- Higher amounts for professional and technical courses
Eligibility:
- Valid caste and income certificate from Nadakacheri
- Family income within the limit set for each category (generally ₹1 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh)
- Regular attendance of at least 75 percent in the institution
Vidyasiri Scholarship Karnataka 2026 – ₹15,000 Per Year For Hostel Students
Vidyasiri is one of the most popular schemes for backward class students who could not get a seat in a government hostel. Instead of hostel accommodation, the government pays money directly for food and accommodation.
Benefits:
- ₹1,500 per month for 10 months, total ₹15,000 per year
- Direct bank transfer through DBT
- Meant for students studying away from home in cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru and Hubballi
Eligibility:
- Backward class students (Category 1, 2A, 3A, 3B) pursuing post matric courses
- Student did not get admission in a government hostel
- Family income within ₹2.5 lakh for most categories
- Studying in a recognised institution located away from the family’s place of residence
Minority Scholarships Karnataka 2026
Students from Muslim, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, Sikh and Parsi communities can apply for minority scholarships through both SSP and the National Scholarship Portal.
Available schemes:
- Post Matric Scholarship for minorities with amounts from ₹2,000 to ₹10,000 per year
- Merit Cum Means Scholarship for professional courses covering course fees up to ₹20,000 plus maintenance allowance
- National Overseas Scholarship support for higher studies abroad for selected candidates
- Fee reimbursement schemes for minority students in private colleges under state programs
Eligibility:
- Valid minority community declaration
- Family income within ₹2.5 lakh for post matric schemes
- Minimum 50 percent marks in the previous examination for merit based schemes
Raita Vidya Nidhi 2026 – Scholarship For Farmers’ Children
Raita Vidya Nidhi is a flagship Karnataka scheme that gives scholarships to children of farmers and agricultural labourers without any application in many cases, since the system identifies eligible students automatically through the FRUITS farmer database.
Benefits in 2026:
| Course Level | Boys | Girls |
|---|---|---|
| Class 8 To 10 | ₹2,500 | ₹3,000 |
| PUC / ITI | ₹3,500 | ₹4,000 |
| Degree Courses | ₹5,000 | ₹5,500 |
| Professional Courses (Engineering/Medical) | ₹7,500 – ₹10,000 | ₹8,000 – ₹11,000 |
Eligibility:
- Parent must be a registered farmer in the Karnataka FRUITS database
- Student must be studying in Class 8 or above in a recognised institution
- Aadhaar seeded bank account for direct transfer
Girls receive a higher scholarship amount than boys at every level under this scheme.
Labour Card Scholarship Karnataka 2026 – Up To ₹35,000 Per Year
Children of construction workers registered with the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (KBOCWWB) get one of the most generous education support schemes in the state.
Benefits:
- Class 1 to 10 students receive ₹2,000 to ₹6,000 per year
- PUC and ITI students receive around ₹8,000 to ₹10,000
- Degree students receive ₹10,000 to ₹20,000
- Professional courses like engineering and medical receive ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 per year
Eligibility:
- Parent must hold an active labour card from the Karnataka construction workers welfare board
- The labour card must be renewed and valid at the time of application
- Student must pass the previous year examination
Parents working in construction should register for a labour card because this single card unlocks education benefits, marriage assistance, medical assistance and pension benefits for the whole family.
National Means Cum Merit Scholarship (NMMS) Karnataka 2026
NMMS is a central scheme for meritorious students from economically weaker families studying in government and aided schools.
Benefits:
- ₹12,000 per year (₹1,000 per month) from Class 9 to Class 12
- Paid directly to the student’s bank account
Eligibility:
- Student must clear the NMMS examination conducted by Karnataka in Class 8
- Family income within ₹3.5 lakh per year
- Minimum 55 percent marks in Class 7 (50 percent for SC/ST)
- Student must study in government, aided or local body schools
Scholarships For Girl Students In Karnataka 2026
Karnataka runs several schemes specifically to support girls’ education.
Sanchi Honnamma Scholarship. Girl students studying in government first grade colleges receive ₹2,000 per year based on merit and attendance.
Free education for girls. Karnataka provides fee exemption for girl students in government PUC colleges and government degree colleges, which makes higher education effectively free for lakhs of girls.
Higher Raita Vidya Nidhi amounts. Daughters of farmers receive ₹500 to ₹1,000 more than boys at every course level.
Central schemes. Girls can additionally apply for the AICTE Pragati Scholarship worth ₹50,000 per year for technical courses through the National Scholarship Portal.
Documents Required For Karnataka Scholarships 2026
Keep these documents ready before applying on SSP.
- Aadhaar card of the student
- Caste certificate from Nadakacheri (RD number needed)
- Income certificate from Nadakacheri (RD number needed)
- Bank passbook with Aadhaar seeded account
- Previous year marks card
- Fee receipt from the current institution
- Student’s mobile number linked with Aadhaar
- Ration card details where applicable
The SSP portal verifies caste and income certificates automatically using the RD number, so certificates must be genuine and issued by Nadakacheri.
How To Apply For Free Scholarships In Karnataka 2026 – Step By Step
Step 1. Visit the State Scholarship Portal (SSP) of Karnataka and click on student registration.
Step 2. Enter your Aadhaar number and complete OTP verification using your Aadhaar linked mobile number.
Step 3. Fill in personal details, caste certificate RD number and income certificate RD number. The portal fetches and verifies these automatically.
Step 4. Enter your academic details including institution name, course, year and previous marks.
Step 5. Add your Aadhaar seeded bank account details for DBT payment.
Step 6. The portal displays all scholarships you are eligible for. Select and submit applications for each matching scheme.
Step 7. Your institution verifies the application online. Track your application status regularly on the portal until the amount is credited.
Applications typically open after admissions season and remain open for a few months. Applying early avoids last minute portal slowdowns and document rejection issues.
Common Reasons For Scholarship Rejection And How To Avoid Them
Invalid or expired certificates. Caste and income certificates have validity periods. Renew them from Nadakacheri before applying.
Bank account not Aadhaar seeded. DBT payments fail if the bank account is not linked with Aadhaar through NPCI mapping. Visit your bank branch and complete Aadhaar seeding before applying.
Name mismatch. The name on Aadhaar, bank account, marks card and certificates must match exactly. Correct any spelling differences in advance.
Low attendance. Most post matric schemes require 75 percent attendance. Colleges reject verification for students with attendance shortage.
Missing institution verification. The application is incomplete until the college verifies it online. Follow up with your college scholarship section after submitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any fee to apply for Karnataka scholarships?
No. All government scholarships through SSP and NSP are completely free to apply. Never pay any agent or cyber cafe extra money claiming special approval.
Can a student get more than one scholarship?
Generally a student can receive only one government scholarship for the same purpose in a year. However fee concession schemes and maintenance scholarships can sometimes combine. The SSP portal automatically applies these rules.
When does the scholarship money arrive?
After institution verification and government approval, the amount is credited through DBT. This usually happens a few months after the application window closes.
What if my family income is above ₹2.5 lakh?
Merit based schemes like NMMS (₹3.5 lakh limit) and certain fee waiver schemes have higher income limits. Students from higher income families can also explore education loans from banks like SBI, Canara Bank and Karnataka Bank which offer student loans with interest subsidy schemes for economically weaker sections.
Can students from other states studying in Karnataka apply?
Most SSP schemes require Karnataka domicile. Students from other states should apply for their home state scholarships or central schemes on the National Scholarship Portal.
Is the scholarship available for private college students?
Yes for most post matric schemes, as long as the private institution is recognised and the student meets the caste and income criteria. Fee concession amounts may differ between government and private institutions.
Final Words
Free scholarships in Karnataka can cover a major part of education costs from school to professional degrees in 2026. Between the SC/ST and OBC post matric scholarships, Vidyasiri hostel support, Raita Vidya Nidhi for farmers’ children, labour card benefits worth up to ₹35,000 and special schemes for girl students, almost every student from an eligible family can find at least one scheme that pays real money into their bank account.
Get your caste certificate, income certificate and Aadhaar seeded bank account ready, apply on the State Scholarship Portal as soon as the window opens and follow up with your institution for verification. Education support is your right and applying costs nothing.
