The Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship for Indian women graduates pursuing higher education abroad, with a focus on postgraduate programmes related to women and children.
For 2026–27, the Trust offered a gift scholarship towards part of the tuition fee, worth approximately ₹3 lakh to ₹6 lakh, depending on interview performance. It is available for study at reputed institutions in the US, UK, or Europe.
Applicants must have their previous degree results in hand and have applied for admission for 2026–27. This page covers eligibility, scholarship amount, eligible fields, application process, deadlines, and selection criteria.
Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
The Trust has specific eligibility requirements for students applying for the scholarship. Applicants should check each condition before requesting the application form.
Academic Requirements
Applicants must:
Be Indian women graduates from a reputed university.
Have a consistent and remarkable academic record.
Have all their results in hand at the time of applying.
Have completed the relevant Bachelor's or Master's degree and received the final marksheets.
Students who are still waiting for their final results are not eligible to apply.
Nationality and Applicant Requirements
The scholarship is intended for Indian women graduates.
The Trust's 2026–27 announcement specifically states that applicants must be Indian women graduates from a reputed university.
The programme is designed to support higher education that can contribute to women's and children's welfare. The Trust's stated vision is for scholars to bring the knowledge and skills gained through international education back to India and contribute to the country's development.
Overseas Admission Requirements
Applicants must have:
Applied for admission to a reputed university or institution in the United States, UK or Europe; or
Preferably secured admission for the 2026–27 academic year.
The application request also requires candidates to provide the status of their admission, such as whether it is confirmed, conditional, or sought.
Students who have already commenced their studies abroad are not eligible to apply for the scholarship.
Work Experience Requirements
At least two years of relevant paid work experience is desired.
The Trust uses the word "desired", so this is different from stating that two years of work experience is an absolute mandatory eligibility condition. Applicants should therefore consider their relevant professional experience as part of their application, but the official announcement does not describe the two-year requirement as compulsory.
The main benefit of the scholarship is financial assistance towards the tuition fee of the selected overseas programme.
Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Scholarship Amount 2026
For the 2026–27 academic year, the Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust scholarship amount was approximately ₹3 lakh to ₹6 lakh.
Scholarship detail
2026–27 information
Scholarship type
Gift scholarship
Approximate amount
₹3 lakh–₹6 lakh
Purpose
Part of the tuition fee
Selection-linked factor
Performance in the interview
Study location
United States, UK or Europe
Study level
Higher education, with eligible programmes focused on specified areas
The amount is not a fixed ₹3 lakh or ₹6 lakh for every selected student. The Trust states that the approximate value ranges between these amounts and depends on the candidate's performance in the interview.
The scholarship is intended to cover part of the tuition fee, so applicants should not treat it as a full scholarship covering all overseas education and living expenses.
Courses Covered Under the Lady Meherbai D Tata Scholarship
For 2026–27, the Trust specified that the focus of the course must be on issues related to women and children.
Eligible Fields of Study
The 2026–27 announcement lists the following areas:
Child Health - Development and Nutrition
Counselling, with a focus on children, adolescents and women
Education - Teachers' Training Programme
Education and Welfare of Children with Special Needs
Speech and Language Pathology
Gender Studies
Health Policy and Health Education, including mental health and well-being of women, children and female youth
Healthcare Access for Women
Human Rights
Law relating to women and children's issues
Needs of Adolescents
Psychology, including cognitive, clinical, counselling, health, teaching, learning and social psychology
Public Health, including community health services, reproductive health and epidemiology
Urban Poor and Rural Community Development
Public and Social Policy related to children, adolescents and women
Social Work involving families, women, children and special or marginalised groups
The Trust specifically states that programmes that do not focus on the listed areas will not be accepted at the first stage of application.
Countries and Universities Covered
For the 2026–27 scholarship, applicants could apply for higher education at reputed universities or institutions in United States, UK or Europe.
The announcement does not provide a fixed list of individual universities. Instead, it refers to reputed universities or institutions in these regions.
Study destination
Eligible under the 2026–27 announcement?
United States
Yes
United Kingdom
Yes
Europe
Yes
Other countries
No
Applicants proceeding to countries other than those mentioned above were specifically listed as not eligible.
How to Apply for the Lady Meherbai D Tata Scholarship in 2026?
The application process begins by requesting a link to the application form from the Trust. Candidates were required to provide details about their university choices, course, admission status, and current work or study.
Request the Application Form Link
Applicants had to email the Trust at igpedulmdtet@tatatrusts.org with the following information:
Name of the university or universities they planned to attend, in order of preference.
Name of the course, specialisation, and duration.
A brief explanation of why they chose the university.
Admission status for each course, such as confirmed, conditional, or sought.
A short description of what they were currently pursuing or doing.
Candidates also had to attach clear scanned copies of the admission letters they had received from colleges or universities. These had to be provided in PDF, Word, or Excel format, and Google or other external links were not accepted.
The Trust states that incomplete requests would not be considered and that sharing the application-form link would be at the discretion of the Trust office.
Complete the Application and Submit Documents
After receiving the application link, candidates had to complete the Microsoft application form and submit the required documents.
For the 2026–27 cycle, the important dates were:
Application stage
2026 date
Request application-form link opens
23 February 2026
Last date to request the link
30 March 2026, 6:00 pm
Last date to submit Microsoft application form
6 April 2026
Last date for required documents by email
14 April 2026
Last date for hard-copy documents
20 April 2026
The 2027–28 application dates have not been officially announced yet. Candidates planning to apply should check the Tata Trusts website regularly for the opening date, application-form deadline, and document-submission deadlines.
Documents Required for the Scholarship
The application process requires candidates to submit information and documents to support their application.
The 2026–27 announcement specifically asks applicants requesting the application link to provide:
Admission letter or letters received from the university or universities.
Details of the course and specialisation.
Course duration.
Admission status.
Information about the applicant's current work or study.
Other documents requested in the scholarship application and the section titled "Mandatory documents to be submitted 2026".
The Trust also specified separate submission routes and deadlines for documents sent by email and hard copies.
Applicants should follow the document list supplied with their application form rather than submitting documents based on unofficial checklists.
Lady Meherbai D Tata Scholarship Selection Process
The selection process includes scrutiny of applications followed by an interview for shortlisted candidates.
Application Review and Shortlisting
After receiving the applications and documents, the Trust scrutinises the forms and shortlists candidates for interviews.
The Trust states that only shortlisted candidates receive an email regarding the interview. For the 2026–27 cycle, these emails were expected by the end of June or early July 2026.
The final shortlisting and scholarship award are at the discretion of the Trustees.
Interview with the Board of Trustees
Shortlisted candidates are required to attend an interview with the Board of Trustees.
The interview may be conducted:
In person, or
Online.
For the 2026–27 cycle, the Trust scheduled interviews for a designated day in late June or early July 2026, with the details to be communicated to shortlisted candidates.
Final Selection and Scholarship Award
Selected candidates receive a gift scholarship towards part of the tuition fee.
For 2026–27, the approximate scholarship value was ₹3 lakh to ₹6 lakh, based on the candidate's performance in the interview.
Selected candidates also need to fulfil certain requirements with the Trust. The Trust states that these requirements are communicated after selection.
How to Check Lady Meherbai D Tata Scholarship Application Status?
There is no separate public status-tracking portal mentioned in the 2026–27 scholarship announcement.
Applicants can follow the communication process used by the Trust:
Check the email address used during the application process.
Look for communication from the Tata Trusts regarding shortlisting and interviews.
Check whether the Trust has requested any additional information or documents.
Contact the Trust using the official contact details provided in the scholarship announcement if clarification is required.
For the 2026–27 cycle, shortlisted candidates were to receive an email from the Trust office by the end of June or early July 2026.
Conclusion
Lady Meherbai is a scholarship for Indian women students who are interested in pursuing an appropriate degree from abroad related to girls' studies or child care programs.
In terms of scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year, there is an amount of about ₹3 lakh to ₹6 lakh available towards part of the tuition fee. An eligible applicant must have good grades on his/her diploma papers along with an acceptance letter from any university in USA, UK, or European countries for admission purposes. Two or more 3 years' worth of job experience is required for this position.
This grant is an area that includes fields like public health, psychology, gender studies, education, social work, human rights, healthcare access for women, and others pertaining to women and children.
Who is eligible for the Lady Meherbai D Tata Scholarship?
The scholarship is intended for Indian women graduates from reputed universities who have a consistent and remarkable academic record. Applicants must have all their results in hand and must have applied for admission, or preferably secured admission, to a reputed university or institution in the United States, UK, or Europe.
What is the Lady Meherbai D Tata Scholarship amount?
The scholarship for the 2026-27 academic year is between ₹3 lakhs and ₹6 lakhs. This is an award for scholarships to cover some portion of student fees based upon their results during interviews.
Which courses are covered by the scholarship?
The scholarship covers programmes focused on issues related to women and children. Areas listed for 2026–27 include: Child health Counselling Education and teacher training Special-needs education Speech and language pathology Gender studies Mental health and health education Healthcare access for women Human rights Law relating to women and children Psychology Public health Public and social policy Social work Community development
Can I apply while waiting for my final university results?
No. Applicants must have received all final results for their qualifying bachelor's or master's degree before submitting the application. Candidates awaiting results are not eligible for the current selection cycle.
Can I apply without a confirmed university admission?
Yes, the 2026–27 announcement states that applicants could have applied for admission, although securing admission was preferred. Applicants were required to provide the status of their admission, including whether it was confirmed, conditional or still sought.
Is work experience required to apply?
The Trust states that graduates with at least two years of relevant paid work experience are desired. The announcement does not describe this as a compulsory requirement.
What is the last date to apply for the 2026 scholarship?
The application process had several deadlines. The last date to submit the Microsoft application form was 6 April 2026. Required documents had to reach the Trust by email by 14 April 2026, while hard copies were accepted until 20 April 2026. The 2026–27 scholarship programme is now closed.
How are applicants selected?
Applications are scrutinised and eligible candidates are shortlisted for an interview with the Board of Trustees. The interview can be conducted online or in person. The scholarship amount for selected candidates is based on their performance in the interview.
Does the scholarship cover the full cost of studying abroad?
No. The Trust describes the award as a gift scholarship towards part of the tuition fee component. For 2026–27, its approximate value was ₹3 lakh to ₹6 lakh. Therefore, applicants should plan separately for tuition fees not covered by the scholarship and other study-related expenses.
What is the scholarship by the Lady Meherbai Foundation D Tata Education Trust?
The scholarship by the Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust is a merit-based overseas education scholarship for Indian women graduates. It supports selected higher-education programmes focused on issues concerning women and children. The Trust provides a gift scholarship towards part of the tuition fee.
Is the Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Scholarship available for undergraduate courses?
No. The 2026–27 announcement specifically states that candidates pursuing undergraduate courses are not eligible to apply. The scholarship is intended for eligible higher education programmes abroad that meet the Trust's subject and other requirements.
How many women receive the Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Scholarship?
The Tata Trusts’ education-grants page states that up to 10 women benefit from the Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Scholarship each year. The scholarship provides financial support to selected Indian women graduates pursuing higher education abroad in eligible fields. The number of recipients is limited, so applicants should review the eligibility requirements carefully and submit a complete application within the announced application period.
upGrad Abroad Editorial Team |5025 articles published
We are a dedicated team of study-abroad experts, ensuring intensive research and comprehensive information in each of our blogs. With every piece written, we aim at simplifying the overseas education ...
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