Many students think scholarships are something you win once, at admission, and then forget about. In reality, most of the money for an undergraduate degree is earned year by year. A BA, BSc, BCom, BTech or any other first degree may run for three to five years, and every one of those years has its own renewal, its own deadline and its own chance to lose the award through a small slip.

This article is for students who are already in college. It explains how to keep a central award alive, which schemes still accept fresh applicants in later years, what states and universities offer during the degree, how to read merit and means rules, and what to do if you change college or course. It also covers the yearly bank checks, borrowing for the final years and the frauds that target students mid-degree.

Scholarships Do Not End at Admission

The typical undergraduate is juggling semester exams, internships and part-time work. Scholarship renewals are easy to miss in that routine. Yet a missed renewal often cannot be recovered, because portals close on fixed dates and later appeals are rarely accepted.

Think of each year of the degree as a new application cycle. The good news is that renewals are usually simpler than fresh applications. Income certificates may not be needed again for some schemes, and the portal often pre-fills your details. The bad news is that renewals have their own conditions on marks and attendance, and these catch many students out.

Renewing a Central Award Each Year

The biggest central award for undergraduates, the Central Sector Scheme under the PM-USP umbrella, renews only if you pass the previous year with at least 50% marks and maintain 75% attendance. The award is ₹12,000 a year for the first three years and ₹20,000 a year for the fourth and fifth years of longer courses such as five-year integrated programmes.

AICTE’s Pragati, Saksham and Swanath awards for technical degree students also renew each year, provided you are promoted to the next year and meet the conditions in the guidelines. Post-matric schemes for SC, ST, OBC and minority students likewise expect you to pass and move up.

How a Renewal Usually Works on NSP

1. Log in with your existing OTR number. Do not create a new registration.
2. Open the renewal option for your scheme and check the pre-filled details.
3. Enter the previous year’s result and attendance.
4. Upload any document the scheme asks for in renewals, such as the latest marksheet and fee receipt.
5. Submit and tell your college’s nodal officer, who must verify it.

For the 2026-27 cycle, reports gave 31 October 2026 as the student renewal deadline on NSP, with institute verification closing on 15 November 2026 and the second level on 30 November 2026.

Fresh Chances in Second and Third Year

Missing an award in the first year does not always mean you are out for good. Some routes stay open later in the degree:

• Lateral entry students joining the second year of a BTech after a diploma can apply fresh for AICTE’s schemes.
• Category post-matric schemes generally accept fresh applications in any year of a course if you meet the income and category rules.
• State schemes in many states allow fresh applications every year, sometimes with income or marks conditions tied to the last exam.
• College and university awards often go to students who top their class in a semester or year, so a strong first year can open doors in the second.

Merit-based central schemes that depend on Class 12 results, by contrast, usually take fresh students only in the first year.

What Your State and University Can Offer

For many undergraduates, the largest support comes from the state. Large fee reimbursement programmes run through portals such as Telangana’s ePASS, Maharashtra’s MahaDBT and Karnataka’s SSP, and many other states have similar systems. They often pay tuition directly to the college for each year of the degree, as long as you renew on time.

Universities and colleges add their own help, which is often overlooked:

• Freeships and fee concessions for students from low-income families.
• Merit awards for semester or year toppers in each department.
• Student aid funds for emergencies, such as a sudden loss of a parent’s income.
• Earn-while-you-learn schemes that pay students for library, lab or office work.
• Hostel fee waivers for students from remote areas or specific categories.

Ask the dean of students or the scholarship section for a written list. These awards usually need a simple application on paper or on the college portal, and competition is often lower than for national schemes.

Means, Merit or Both: Reading the Rules

Every scholarship belongs to one of three types, and knowing which one helps you predict whether you can keep it:

• Means-based: the family’s income decides eligibility. Marks matter only for passing and promotion. Most category post-matric schemes fall here.
• Merit-based: marks or rank decide everything, with no income limit. College toppers’ awards and some state merit prizes are examples.
• Merit-cum-means: you need both a minimum score and an income below a ceiling. The Central Sector Scheme and Pragati are examples.

Also check the double-benefit rule. Most central schemes say you cannot receive another scholarship for the same purpose at the same time. Some state fee reimbursements are designed to work alongside central awards, while others are not. Taking two awards that are not allowed together can lead to recovery of money later.

Year-by-Year Support Picture

This table shows what to focus on in each year of a typical three- or four-year degree.

Year of Study	Main Task	Support Commonly Available
First year	Fresh applications	Central Sector ₹12,000; Pragati ₹50,000; post-matric
Second year	Renew; lateral entry fresh	Renewals; AICTE for lateral entry; college merit
Third year	Renew; check internships	Renewals; state fee reimbursement
Fourth year	Renew at higher rate	Central Sector rises to ₹20,000 where eligible
Fifth year	Integrated or long courses	Renewals as per scheme rules
Any year	Emergency need	College student aid fund

Our site prepares this overview purely for information and does not represent, or have any partnership with, a ministry, university, regulator, portal or scholarship body. Because rates, renewal rules and deadlines are updated each year, please verify everything on the official portal or in the current notification.

Keeping Marks and Attendance in the Safe Zone

Renewal conditions sound simple, but they cause many losses. A student who falls just below 50% marks or 75% attendance in one year may lose the Central Sector award permanently. A few practical habits help:

• Check your attendance in the college system every month, not just before exams.
• If you are ill, submit medical certificates promptly so that the absence is recorded properly.
• Clear back papers in the same academic year if possible, because some schemes do not renew for students with pending subjects.
• Collect your marksheet as soon as results come out, since the renewal window may open soon after.

Changing College, Course or State Midway

Life does not always follow the plan. If you move from one college to another, the scholarship generally continues only if the new institution is registered on the same portal and you update the details through the proper channel. Tell both colleges’ scholarship desks before you shift.

Changing the course itself, for example from a BSc to a BTech, is treated differently. Many schemes see this as a new course and may not continue the award, or may require a fresh application. Moving to another state can also affect state-funded support, which is often tied to domicile and to studying within the state. Read the rules before making the change, not after.

Bank, Aadhaar and PFMS Checks Every Year

Payments sometimes fail in the second or third year even though they worked in the first. The usual causes are a dormant account, a changed bank branch after a merger, or Aadhaar seeding that was lost when the account was updated. Before each renewal:

1. Make a small transaction to keep the account active.
2. Confirm with the bank that the account is still mapped to your Aadhaar on the NPCI system for DBT.
3. Check the payment status on the portal and on PFMS after verification.
4. If a payment shows as failed, correct the bank details through your institute and ask for a re-push.

Aadhaar face authentication on NSP may also be needed again. Keep the official face app updated on your phone.

When Family Circumstances Change Mid-Degree

A family’s situation can shift during a three- or four-year course, and this can open new support or change existing awards.

• Loss of a parent or income: if the family’s income falls sharply, you may become eligible for means-based schemes you could not get before. Get a fresh income certificate and apply in the next cycle. AICTE’s Swanath scheme, for example, is aimed at technical students who have lost parents, as defined in its guidelines.
• Disability during the course: a student who acquires a benchmark disability can apply for disability scholarships once a certificate or UDID card is issued.
• Marriage: some schemes count a married student’s own or spouse’s income instead of the parents’. Read the definition of family income in your scheme.
• Rise in income: if family income goes above the ceiling, you may be expected to stop claiming a means-based award. Honest disclosure protects you from later recovery.

In each case, talk to the college scholarship desk early. Officers often know of small state or college funds for students facing sudden hardship.

One Sheet to Track Every Award

Students with two or three awards across several years find it easy to lose track. Keep a simple sheet, on paper or on your phone, listing each scheme, its portal, your application ID, renewal month, marks and attendance condition, and the date each payment arrived. Add the name of the college staff member who handles it. When a deadline or a payment problem comes up, everything you need is in one place.

Borrowing for the Remaining Years

Some students realise in the second or third year that scholarships and family savings will not cover the rest of the degree, especially for hostel and living costs in a city. An education loan can be taken mid-course for the remaining years, though lenders set their own rules.

Families with income up to ₹4.5 lakh should check the Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme, which pays the interest during the course and one year after on loans up to ₹10 lakh. For students at selected top institutions, PM Vidyalaxmi offers collateral-free loans with interest relief for families up to ₹8 lakh, with conditions about other benefits. Once repayment begins, the interest qualifies for a deduction under section 129 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, which carries forward the old Section 80E from 1 April 2026. Scholarship money itself is tax-free for the student.

Fraud Targets Undergraduates Too

College students are a favourite target for scholarship scams because they are active online. Common tricks include messages saying your renewal is “on hold” until you pay a fee, fake portals that copy the NSP design, and callers asking for the OTP to “update your bank details”. Some fake internship offers also ask for a “registration fee” and promise a stipend.

Your college and the official portal are the only genuine channels. No one from the government will ask for money or an OTP. If you are tricked, report it at once on the cybercrime helpline 1930 and inform your bank.

Staying Funded Till the Final Semester

An undergraduate scholarship is not a one-time prize but a yearly commitment. Renew on time, watch your marks and attendance, look for fresh chances in later years, and tap state and college support that many students ignore. Keep your bank account active and seeded, think carefully before changing course or college, and use a subsidised loan if a gap opens. With steady attention, the support you won in the first year can carry you all the way to your degree.

Undergraduate Scholarship Queries

I failed one subject this year. Will my scholarship stop?

It depends on the scheme. Many renew only if you are promoted with the required marks, and some do not pay for a repeated year. Clear the subject quickly and ask your college how your scheme treats pending papers.

Can I apply for a scholarship in my final year if I never applied before?

For category post-matric and many state schemes, yes. For merit schemes based on Class 12 results, usually not. Check each scheme’s rules on fresh applicants.

Does an internship stipend affect my scholarship?

Usually a short internship stipend does not count as family income, but some schemes bar students who hold paid employment. Read your scheme’s conditions and tell your college if unsure.