An average of 950 Tibetan students graduate from different Tibetan schools in India each year. The Department of Education provides scholarships to 150 - 200 students for further education in India every year. The Tibetan Children's Village school and Tibetan Home's Foundation school also provide scholarships for their wards.

Our latest statistic shows that since 1995 a total of around 2044 scholarships for further education in India and since 1982 a total of 413 scholarships abroad have been awarded through the Department of Education. As of 2004 there were approximately 330 students in India and 48 students abroad pursuing post school education on DoE scholarship.

How Scholarships are awarded?

1. Department of Education (DoE), Dharamsala

   All scholarships offered through the DOE are open for all Tibetan students from any institution while fulfilling certain qualifications. These are granted after the consideration, verification and collective decisions of two different committees.

   • First, the DOE Scholarship Committee, chaired by the Education Minister and comprised of secretary and section heads of DOE, handles scholarship awards for studies within India.

   • Second, the High Level Scholarship Committee (HLSC), chaired by the Prime Kalon (representative of the Kashag) and comprised of the Education Minister, the Education Secretary and five other departmental secretaries, deals with scholarship awards for further studies abroad. The previous community service and excellent academic background of an applicant are frequently the standards for consideration of both the committees.

   A. Domestic Scholarships

   The DOE also has detailed criteria for award of scholarships for further studies in India - the salient features of which are.(this is subject to change).

   1. Candidates who secure above 60% in class XII are eligible to apply for any of the reserved seats for Tibetan students in Indian Universities in subjects such as medicine, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and pharmacy. They are also eligible to apply for a scholarship in other professional and degree courses.

   2. Candidates who secure above 55% in class XII are eligible to apply for those reserve degree courses and professional courses where there is a shortage of human resources, such as in Pharmacy, Agriculture , Library science, tourism, and Printing Technology, . They are also eligible to apply for open degree courses in most disciplines except in Arts and Commerce.

   3. Candidates who have secured a minimum of 50% at class XII can apply for a scholarship for any reserved seats in diploma courses for Tibetan children, such as diplomas in printing technology, computer technology, chemical technology and diploma in pharmacy. Selected professional courses like Chartered Accountant, LLB, Bachelor in Education, General Nursing, TTC, secretarial course, and hotel management is also open for these candidates.

   4. The DOE also provides a limited number of class scholarships to study skill oriented vocational courses.

   5. The DOE awards 10 scholarships every year for research-oriented courses. It is devided equally into two categories namely Formal Research and Informal Research. Check yearly announcement for criteria.

   6. The DOE has also introduced 10 Songtsen Scholarship every year for under-priveledged students for their further studies in India.

   B. Annual overseas scholarships by the Department.

   1. Fulbright Scholarship:

   Fifteen candidates (10 degree and 5 non-degree) are sent to the U.S.A. for further studies. Click for Scholarship Rule and Regulation

   2. Berea College scholarship:

   Berea College awards 2 scholarship to Tibetan students every year. Tibetan students after graduating class XII who wish avail this scholarship may apply directly to Berea College. Check their website www.berea.edu/admissions/international.htm or e-mail to alina_strand@berea.edu for scholarship information.

   C. Non annual overseas scholarship by the Department.

   1. Richardson Foundation, UK awards a scholarship for undergraduate program every four year.

   2. Wasatch Academy of Utah, USA award scholarships to deserving Tibetan students graduating from Middle Schools for a four-year high school program.

   3. CEU Hungary awards a scholarship for master program .

   4. International People's College, Denmark award a four month scholarship to school administrators for interactive programs.

   5. Pestolozza Village, UK award a two-year scholarship for numerous programs.

   6. Mahindra United World College, Pune which is part of the world United Colleges network awards one scholarship to undertake two years International Baccalaureate course.

   7. University of San Francisco, USA awards a four-year scholarship for undergraduate course.

   8. Atlantic United World College, Wales awards one scholarship to Tibetan student to under go Baccalaurate Course.

   9. 3 scholarships to study Russian Language in Kalmykia Republic.

   D. Tibetan Homes Foundation, Mussoorie

   The award of scholarships for further studies are decided by a Scholarship Committee chaired by the General Secretary. Other members include the headmaster, the head of the sponsorship section, two senior teachers and the scholarship distribution officer.

   The THF has set certain criteria for the award of various scholarships:

   1. For further studies in colleges, a student should have secured a minimum of 55% in any of the three streams at class XII.

   2. For renewal of college scholarship, it is necessary for students in the Art groups to have a minimum of 45% in the last exams. For B.Com., B.Sc. and BA (honors), students need to have a minimum of 40% in the last exams.

   3. Students who have secured between 50 - 55% at the CBSE Class XII exams are considered for 2 years technical and vocational courses.

   4. Those who have got below 50% at the CBSE class XII exams are considered for 1-year skill oriented vocational courses.

   E. Tibetan Children's Village, Dharamsala

   The TCV Scholarship Policy Committee decides the scholarship award criteria and general scholarship policies. The Scholarship Program Officer implements the decisions of the Policy Committee.

   Current scholarship criteria for TCV wards are:

   1. Students securing 55% or more at class XII are eligible for a scholarship to study for a degree course.

   2. Students securing 50% at the graduation level can apply for a post graduate degree.

   3. Students securing above 40% at class XII are eligible for scholarships to vocational courses.

   4. Students securing 40% at class X have the option to go for +2 or to directly join a vocational course.

   5. Criteria for award of TCV Merit Scholarships open to all Tibetan students:

   6. Any student securing above 60% at class XII can apply for a scholarship for a degree course. Candidates are required to maintain a minimum of 60% for all college years in order for the merit scholarships to continue.

   Apart from these main categories, TCV awards post graduate scholarships on and off on a need basis and in future plans to adopt a more selective policy in the award of scholarships with the hope of diversifying the fields of further study. While school education provides the foundations, it is higher and professional education that actually builds the human resources of a nation. Therefore, from a policy angle, the importance of higher education cannot be over emphasized.