The Azim Premji Scholarship 2026 application deadline is August 31, 2026, making today the final day to apply for Round 1 of the 2026 cohort. The scholarship is for eligible girl students entering the first year of a recognised undergraduate degree or diploma programme and provides ₹30,000 per year for the duration of the programme, subject to the Foundation's terms. Applications are submitted through the official Azim Premji Foundation scholarship portal, and there is no application fee. 

Introduction

The Azim Premji Scholarship 2026 application window is closing today, August 31, 2026. The Azim Premji Foundation has invited eligible girl students to apply for its 2026-27 scholarship cohort, which provides financial support for higher education. The Round 1 application window opened on August 10 and officially runs through August 31.

The scholarship is aimed at supporting girl students who have completed Classes 10 and 12 as regular students from government schools or colleges in eligible states or Union Territories and who have taken admission as regular first-year students in a recognised undergraduate degree or diploma course.

Shortlisted students can receive ₹30,000 annually for the full duration of their first undergraduate degree or diploma, which can range from two to five years. The Foundation says the support can be used towards tuition fees or other out-of-pocket education expenses.

What Happened?

The Azim Premji Foundation opened applications for its 2026 scholarship cohort on August 10, 2026. The first application round is scheduled to close on August 31, 2026.

The Foundation has expanded the programme for the 2026-27 cohort by adding Andhra Pradesh and Delhi (NCT) to the list of eligible regions. The current eligibility list covers 20 states/UTs.

Students who meet the eligibility conditions and have not yet submitted their applications should complete the process through the official portal before the deadline.

Official Direct Link to Apply

Click here to apply through the official Azim Premji Foundation scholarship portal.

Applicants should use the official Foundation website and avoid third-party websites asking for payment. The Foundation specifically warns that it does not charge any fee at any stage of the scholarship application process.

Key Details of Azim Premji Scholarship 2026

The Foundation states that shortlisted students can receive up to ₹1.5 lakh, calculated at ₹30,000 per year for programmes lasting up to five years.

Azim Premji Scholarship 2026 Eligibility

The official application page states that applicants must meet specific academic and admission requirements.

Eligible applicants are girl students who:

• Passed both Class 10 and Class 12 as regular students from a government school or college in one of the eligible states or Union Territories.
• Have taken admission in the first year for the 2026-27 academic session.
• Are regular students of a recognised undergraduate degree or diploma programme.
• Are studying in a government institution or a credible and bona fide private college or university in India.
• Are pursuing a programme lasting two to five years.

The Foundation also clarifies that the scholarship is not awarded on the basis of merit. There is also no age limit, provided the applicant satisfies the other eligibility requirements.

Who Is Not Eligible?

According to the Foundation's published eligibility information, students are not eligible if they:

• Have secured admission to any programme at Azim Premji University for the 2026-27 academic year or earlier.
• Are or have previously been recipients of Wipro scholarships, including the Santoor scholarship.
• Are studying through distance learning rather than as regular first-year students.
• Are already in the second, third, fourth or fifth year of their undergraduate programme.

Eligible States and Union Territories

For the 2026-27 cohort, the Foundation lists the following eligible regions:

• Andhra Pradesh
• Arunachal Pradesh
• Assam
• Bihar
• Chhattisgarh
• Delhi (NCT)
• Jharkhand
• Karnataka
• Madhya Pradesh
• Manipur
• Meghalaya
• Mizoram
• Nagaland
• Odisha
• Puducherry
• Rajasthan
• Sikkim
• Telangana
• Tripura
• Uttar Pradesh
• Uttarakhand

The Foundation says Andhra Pradesh and Delhi were added for the 2026 cohort.

Documents Required

Applicants should prepare clear digital copies of the required documents before beginning the application.

The official Foundation page lists:

Passport Photograph

A recent colour, front-facing photograph is required. The Foundation says the photograph should be approximately 2x2 inches and taken within the last six months. Selfies, filtered photographs and images with objects or other people are not accepted.

Aadhaar Card

Applicants need a clear, coloured and unedited copy of the front side of their Aadhaar card showing the required personal details.

Bank Account Details

A clear copy of the first page of the applicant's bank passbook is required, showing the account holder's name, account number, IFSC and branch information.

The Foundation says an account statement covering the last month can be submitted in certain circumstances where a suitable passbook is unavailable. The savings account should be active and held with a scheduled commercial bank.

Class 10 and Class 12 Marksheets

Applicants must submit clear copies of their Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets. The Foundation specifies that documents should not be blurred, edited, cropped or otherwise altered.

College Admission Proof

Students must also provide proof of admission to their college or university.

The Foundation accepts a Bonafide Certificate or tuition fee receipt containing relevant details such as the student's name, college, degree/course, year of study, course start date and academic year, along with the issuing authority's seal/signature.

The accepted document formats are PDF, PNG and JPG, with file sizes between 30 KB and 500 KB, according to the Foundation.

Background

The Azim Premji Scholarship is an initiative of the Azim Premji Foundation focused on reducing financial barriers to higher education for girls.

The programme began in 2024-25 across more than 100 districts in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. It expanded during 2025-26 to 18 states and one Union Territory, before Andhra Pradesh and Delhi were added for the 2026-27 cohort.

The Foundation says it had supported 1.95 lakh girls as of the information published on its scholarship page and has an ambition to eventually award scholarships to five lakh girls each year.

What the Azim Premji Foundation Said

The Foundation describes the scholarship as part of its commitment to improving equity and quality in education in India.

It says the programme is intended to help girls continue their college education by reducing financial barriers. The Foundation also states that the scholarship is not based on merit, caste, income or religion, subject to the programme's eligibility conditions.

For the current application cycle, the Foundation has clearly stated that Round 1 applications for the 2026 cohort run from August 10 to August 31, 2026.

Why This Matters

The August 31 deadline is important for eligible students who have not yet completed their application.

Because the application requires several documents—including Aadhaar, marksheets, bank details and college admission proof—students should not wait until the final minutes to begin the process.

Applicants should also carefully check every uploaded document. The Foundation has specific requirements regarding clarity, file formats and document size. Incorrect, unclear or altered documents can create problems during the application process.

Another important point is that applicants do not need to pay a registration fee. The Foundation explicitly warns applicants about impostors who may falsely demand money.

What Happens Next?

After the application window closes, applications will go through the Foundation's selection and verification process.

The scholarship page states that shortlisted applicants receive financial support, while the scholarship is subject to the Foundation's applicable conditions and renewal requirements.

The Foundation has also announced that renewal applications for the 2024 and 2025 cohorts for academic year 2026-27 will open from September 2026. This is separate from the new 2026 cohort application process.

Students who have already registered can use the official portal's login option to check their application status.

FAQs

1. What is the last date for Azim Premji Scholarship 2026?

The last date for Round 1 of the Azim Premji Scholarship 2026 cohort is August 31, 2026.

2. How much scholarship is provided?

Shortlisted students can receive ₹30,000 per year for the full duration of their eligible first undergraduate degree or diploma programme. The Foundation says the maximum support can reach ₹1.5 lakh for a five-year programme.

3. Who can apply for Azim Premji Scholarship 2026?

Eligible girl students must have passed Classes 10 and 12 as regular students from a government school or college in an eligible state/UT and must have entered the first year of a recognised undergraduate degree or diploma programme as regular students for 2026-27.

4. Is the Azim Premji Scholarship based on marks or merit?

No. The Foundation states that the scholarship is not merit-based, although applicants must satisfy the published eligibility requirements.

5. Is there an application fee?

No. The Azim Premji Foundation says there is no fee at any stage of the scholarship application process. Applicants should be cautious of anyone demanding payment.

6. Can second- or third-year college students apply?

No. The scholarship is intended for eligible students entering the first year of their first undergraduate degree or diploma programme.

7. Can students pursuing distance education apply?

No. The Foundation requires applicants to be regular first-year students in a recognised undergraduate degree or diploma programme.

8. Where is the official Azim Premji Scholarship 2026 application link?

The official application link is available through the Azim Premji Foundation's scholarship portal: scholarship.azimpremjifoundation.org.

Sources

The primary source for this article is the Azim Premji Foundation's official scholarship application and programme pages. Current deadline reporting was cross-checked against recent reports from The Times of India, Economic Times and Indian Express.

Official sources:

• Azim Premji Foundation – Scholarship Applications
• Azim Premji Foundation – Azim Premji Scholarship

Editorial note: The Foundation's application page clearly states that the current 2026 cohort application window is August 10–31, 2026. One FAQ line on the same official page contains an apparent academic-year typo (“2025–26”); this article follows the main eligibility section and the repeated FAQ language specifying 2026–27 for the current cohort.