The Santoor Women's Scholarship is a corporate-funded award that pays for the undergraduate education of girls from low-income, government-school families in India. It is run by Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Group together with Wipro Cares, and has been running annually since February 2016.
Much of what circulates online about this scholarship is several years out of date. The award is no longer Rs 24,000, the state list has changed, and the old application form links no longer work. This guide sets out only what the official programme site and the administering portal currently state.
- The Santoor Women's Scholarship now pays Rs 30,000 per annum, replacing the older Rs 24,000 figure
- Fresh applications are open only to girls in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, and no longer to Telangana, Karnataka or Chhattisgarh
- Around 1,000 new scholars are selected each year
- As of 25 August 2026 the official site still shows the 2025-26 cycle, whose last date was 15 November 2025.
What Is the Santoor Women's Scholarship?
The Santoor Women's Scholarship is a merit-cum-means award run by Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Group with Wipro Cares. Launched in February 2016, it funds girls from low-income government-school backgrounds through a full-time undergraduate degree, and now supports about 1,000 new students every academic year.
The programme is a recurring annual scheme rather than a one-off grant. A student selected in her first year can continue to draw the scholarship for the rest of her degree, as long as she clears each year and meets the renewal conditions.
Across its first eight years the programme has supported roughly 8,000 young women. That scale matters because access to higher education for women in India is still uneven: the Ministry of Education's All India Survey on Higher Education for 2023-24, released on 8 July 2026, puts the female Gross Enrolment Ratio at 31.2, with female enrolment at 2.24 crore and a Gender Parity Index of 1.08.
| Santoor Scholarship 2026 Detail | Verified Information |
|---|---|
| Programme name | Santoor Women's Scholarship Programme |
| Run by | Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Group with Wipro Cares |
| Launched | February 2016 |
| Award amount | Rs 30,000 per annum until course completion |
| Scholars per year | About 1,000 girl students |
| Eligible states for fresh applications | Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra |
| Application mode | Online via Buddy4Study, linked from santoorscholarships.com |
| Latest confirmed last date | 15 November 2025, for the 2025-26 cycle |
How Much Is the Santoor Scholarship Award in 2026?
The official Santoor scholarship site states an award of Rs 30,000 per annum, paid until the student completes her course of study. This replaced the earlier Rs 24,000 figure quoted in older articles. Buddy4Study, the administering portal, lists the same fixed Rs 30,000 amount for each application year.
The money is meant for tuition fees and education-related incidental expenses. It is not restricted to a single stream, and the programme has supported women in professional as well as general degree courses.
If you see Rs 24,000 quoted anywhere, that figure belongs to the 2016-17 to roughly 2021-22 cycles and should not be used for planning today.
Who Is Eligible for the Santoor Scholarship?
Applicants must be women who passed Class 10 from a local government school and Class 12 from a government school or junior college in the qualifying year, and who are enrolled in the first year of a full-time undergraduate programme. Children of Wipro, Santoor or Buddy4Study employees cannot apply.
| Eligibility Rule 2026 | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Gender | Women only |
| Class 10 | Passed from a local government school |
| Class 12 | Passed from a government school or junior college in the qualifying academic year |
| Course | First year of a full-time undergraduate programme |
| Household | Economically disadvantaged; selection is means-based |
| Exclusions | Children of Wipro, Santoor or Buddy4Study employees |
For the 2025-26 cycle the qualifying year was Class 12 passed in 2024-25, with the undergraduate course starting in 2025-26. The same one-year-forward pattern is applied each cycle, so a student who took a gap year after Class 12 falls outside the criteria.
Government Scholarships for Indian StudentsRead →Which States Does the Santoor Scholarship Cover Now?
The scholarship is currently open only to girls in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Students already selected in Telangana, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh continue to receive support until they finish their undergraduate degree, but fresh applications from those three states are no longer invited under the present cycle.
This is the single most common error in older coverage of the scheme. The programme began in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2016, added Karnataka soon after, and later included Chhattisgarh. The current intake, however, is limited to Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
- Fresh applications accepted: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra
- Existing scholars still supported: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh
- Support for existing scholars continues until they complete their undergraduate degree
How Do You Apply for the Santoor Scholarship Online?
Applications are submitted online through the Buddy4Study portal linked from santoorscholarships.com. Register with an email account, open the Santoor Scholarship Programme page, complete the application form, upload the supporting documents and submit before the closing date. Downloadable English and Hindi application forms are also published on the official site.
- Open the official programme website at santoorscholarships.com.
- Follow the apply link, which takes you to the Santoor Scholarship Programme page on the Buddy4Study portal.
- Register or sign in using an email address you check regularly, since all communication goes there.
- Fill in personal, academic, family income and bank account details on the application form.
- Upload the required documents in the formats the portal specifies.
- Review the completed form and submit it before the published last date.
The official site also publishes downloadable application forms in English and Hindi for applicants who prefer to read the questions offline before filling the online form.
How to Get a Scholarship to Study AbroadRead →What Documents Are Required to Apply?
Buddy4Study lists a passport-size photograph, Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets, proof of college admission such as an admission letter or institution identity card, address proof like a utility bill, and identity proof. Bank account details in the applicant's own name are needed for the transfer.
- Passport-size photograph of the applicant
- Class 10 mark sheet
- Class 12 mark sheet
- Proof of admission to the undergraduate course, such as an admission letter or institution identity card
- Address proof, for example a utility bill or driving licence
- Identity proof, for example a PAN card or driving licence
- Bank account details in the applicant's own name for the direct benefit transfer
When Is the Santoor Scholarship Last Date?
The latest closing date confirmed on the official site is 15 November 2025 for the 2025-26 cycle. As of 25 August 2026 the site still shows that cycle, so no 2026-27 deadline has been published yet. Check the official site before assuming any date.
Dates from older cycles, such as 15 September 2018 or 15 August 2019, are frequently reproduced on aggregator pages and are no longer relevant. Treat only the date shown on santoorscholarships.com or the Buddy4Study programme page as current.
Government Education Loan for Study AbroadRead →How Are Santoor Scholarship Winners Selected and Paid?
Selection is means-based, prioritising girls from economically disadvantaged government-school families, and about 1,000 students are chosen each year. Shortlisted applicants are verified before the award is confirmed. The scholarship amount reaches selected scholars by direct benefit transfer into a bank account held in the student's own name.
Because the account must be in the student's own name, opening one before applying saves time later. Renewal in subsequent years depends on the scholar progressing through her course and reapplying as the programme requires.
Who Do You Contact for Santoor Scholarship Help?
The official site lists a helpline in three languages: +91 7337835166 for English, +91 7411654393 for Hindi, and +91 7411654395 or +91 7411654394 for Telugu. Queries can also be emailed to santoor.scholarship@buddy4study.com. Older articles quoting a Delhi landline number for this programme are out of date.
- English helpline: +91 7337835166
- Hindi helpline: +91 7411654393
- Telugu helpline: +91 7411654395 or +91 7411654394
- Email: santoor.scholarship@buddy4study.com
Which Other Scholarships Can Indian Girl Students Apply For?
If you fall outside the Santoor eligibility window, the National Scholarship Portal opened its 2026-27 season on 1 June 2026, with the PM-USP central sector scholarship closing for students on 31 October 2026. Maharashtra students can also use MahaDBT, which lists sixty scholarship schemes for college students.
The National Scholarship Portal, run under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, requires a One Time Registration number linked to Aadhaar before you can apply. From 2026-27 a student may hold one merit-based scholarship plus one or more welfare-based scholarships, subject to each scheme's rules.
Maharashtra applicants should also register on MahaDBT, the state's direct benefit transfer portal, which carries sixty scholarship schemes for college students alongside schemes for school students and other categories.