Reliance Foundation Scholarships: Eligibility & How to Apply

The Reliance Foundation Scholarships are funded by Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Reliance group. For 2026-27 the Foundation announced 5,000 undergraduate awards of up to Rs 2 lakh each and 100 postgraduate awards of up to Rs 6 lakh each, for first-year students in full-time degree courses. As of 24 October 2026 the 2026-27 application window appears to have closed (a listing on Buddy4Study gives 5 October 2026 as the last date), so most readers should use this page to prepare for the next cycle.

Quick facts

What the scholarship is

Reliance Foundation has been running this programme since 2022-23. In December 2022 it said it would support 50,000 students over ten years. Its 2026-27 release says that more than 33,000 scholarships have been awarded so far. The undergraduate scholarship is described as merit-cum-means, which means that your marks, your aptitude and your family’s financial position all count. The postgraduate scholarship leans more towards academic excellence and aptitude, with a focus on future-ready fields such as engineering, technology, energy and life sciences.

Besides money, the Foundation mentions mentoring, leadership programmes, networking with industry experts and a community of scholars. We could not find a detailed description of how these benefits work in practice, so treat them as extras that are promised, not as guaranteed specifics.

Who runs the application

The sponsor is Reliance Foundation. Applications are taken through the Foundation’s own portal, and Buddy4Study, a scholarship platform, also hosts an application page that redirects to the Reliance page. The Buddy4Study pages we read say the same thing: you register, fill the form, choose an aptitude test date and take the online test. Always begin from the official Reliance Foundation website so that you land on the genuine form.

Eligibility for the undergraduate scholarship

• You must be a resident Indian citizen.
• You should have scored at least 60 per cent in the Class 12 board exam.
• You must be in the first year of a regular, full-time undergraduate degree, in any stream, in the year you apply.
• Annual household income should be below Rs 15 lakh. One news report adds that families earning under Rs 2.5 lakh get preference, but we could not confirm this on the Foundation’s own page.
• You must complete the mandatory online aptitude test. Without it, the application is not counted as complete.
• Second-year or later students, online, distance or hybrid students, students who joined after a diploma following Class 10, and students in two-year or six-year programmes are listed as not eligible.

Eligibility for the postgraduate scholarship

• You must be a resident Indian citizen entering the first year of a full-time postgraduate programme in an eligible discipline, such as computer science, artificial intelligence, electrical, electronics, mechanical or chemical engineering, materials science or life sciences.
• You need either a GATE score in the range 550 to 1,000, or an undergraduate CGPA of 7.5 or more (percentages are converted to CGPA).
• The complete list of eligible courses is published as a separate document by the organisers, so read that before applying.

How much money you get

The upper limits are Rs 2 lakh for undergraduates and Rs 6 lakh for postgraduates, spread across the duration of the course. The word to notice is ‘up to’. The pages we read do not publish a tier table or say how the final amount for each student is decided, and they do not say whether the money goes to the college or to your bank account. We could not verify these points.

How to apply

• Open the official scholarship portal given on reliancefoundation.org, or use the linked Buddy4Study page, and register with your details.
• Fill in the application form. Postgraduate applicants also complete an eligibility questionnaire.
• Choose a date for the online aptitude test. A practice test is reported to be available about a week before the real one.
• Take the aptitude test. Scores are sent to Reliance Foundation, and applicants are not told their scores.
• Submit PAN and bank details afterwards, when asked.

Documents to keep ready

• Passport-size photograph and permanent address proof
• Aadhaar card (listed as mandatory)
• Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets
• Bonafide student certificate from your college
• Family income proof from a recognised authority such as a Gram Panchayat, ward councillor, SDM, DM or tehsildar
• Disability certificate, if it applies to you
• For postgraduate: CV, undergraduate transcripts, GATE scorecard if applicable, a personal statement and statement of purpose, and two reference letters (one academic, one character)

How selection works

For undergraduates the Foundation names two parts: the aptitude assessment and an assessment of financial background. For postgraduates it speaks of academic merit, aptitude and other parameters, without listing them. There is no published detail on interviews, weightage or cut-offs in the sources we read, so we will not guess. Because the test is the common step, take the practice test seriously.

Dates and renewal

The 2026-27 cycle opened on 14 August 2026. The last date of 5 October 2026 comes from Buddy4Study and is not in the Foundation’s media release, so check the portal for any extension. Last checked October 2026. Keep an eye out around August next year, which is when this cycle began.

The sources describe the scholarship as running for the duration of the degree. They do not describe annual renewal conditions, such as minimum marks. If you win it, ask the Foundation in writing what is required each year.

Beware of scams

The Foundation says there is no fee at any stage of the application. Anyone who asks you for money to ‘confirm’ a seat, to push your name up the list or to ‘release’ the scholarship is not genuine. Do not share OTPs or bank passwords with anyone. Use only the reliancefoundation.org website and its linked portal. For doubts, the Foundation lists [email protected], and the Buddy4Study pages list [email protected] (undergraduate) and [email protected] (postgraduate).

What we could not verify

• The Foundation’s own scholarship portal and eligibility pages could not be opened directly in our research. Details come from its media release and from Buddy4Study.
• The exact closing date in the Foundation’s own words.
• Renewal rules, payment method and the basis of the final amount.
• Whether the next cycle will keep the same income and marks limits.

Final word

If you missed 2026-27, do not lose heart. Keep your Class 12 marksheet, income certificate and Aadhaar ready, practise reasoning and aptitude questions, and watch the official site from August. Treat every date and limit on this page as ‘last checked October 2026’ and confirm it on the portal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is the Reliance Foundation scholarship free to apply for?
Yes. The Foundation states that there is no fee at any stage of the application process.

How much can I get under the Reliance Foundation scholarship?
Up to Rs 2 lakh for undergraduates and up to Rs 6 lakh for postgraduates, paid over the course. The exact amount per student is not published in the sources we read.

Is the aptitude test compulsory?
Yes, for both levels the online aptitude test is mandatory, and an application is complete only after it.

Can second-year students apply?
No. The scheme is for first-year students of full-time courses.

Is the 2026-27 application still open?
It appears closed. Buddy4Study lists 5 October 2026 as the last date, so check the official portal for any extension or the next cycle.