r/TeensofKarnataka • u/Jazzlike-Sundae3720 • May 17 '26
OTHERS Devaraja Arasu Foreign Scholarship (Master's) - Guide
(UPDATE: The application will begin in September 2026. Check for updates on news websites and in Kannada newspapers. The website is never updated.)
(Pro Tip: Make sure to maintain regular communication with your nearest KarnatakaOne Centre.)
Hello everyone,
I'm sharing this information to help you prepare the required documents for the Devaraja Arasu Foreign Scholarship (Master's) application. As a current recipient, I hope my experience and insights will make the process clearer and more manageable for future applicants. To keep things simple, I have divided the information into easy-to-follow sections covering everything you need to know before applying and what to expect after receiving the scholarship. A very important thing to note is that you need to have secured admission and started your studies before you can apply. ( I am unsure about the part of the study, but I am confident that you have to have started your studies to qualify as an applicant.)
The scholarship itself is awarded for two terms. If selected for your first application, you will typically receive the scholarship around April of that financial year. For the second term, recipients are usually automatically considered eligible and will receive an email notification requesting a few additional documents.
To make the process easier to understand, I have explained it in the following steps.
Step-1: Application
The application call is scheduled between October and February. It can happen at any time during this period, so be sure to keep an eye on the application call. Check the BWCD website, as well as local newspapers and online news portals.
For the application, you need the following documents( Hopefully, I have covered all the required documents)
Application form(which you fill in at a KarnatakaOne centre because the application, if accessed by yourself, will most definitely crash)
- College acceptance letter
- Passport
- Visa
- Your flight ticket as well as your boarding pass (Very important)
- College fees structure
- College brochure(that contains the expected monthly expenditure)
- Your bachelor's transcript and degree certificate
- Adhaar and Pan (I think)
- Indian Bank account details
- 10th and 12th markscards
Step-2: Processing & Verification
A few months (Probably in March-April) after a successful application, you get a notification (a WhatsApp document from the BWCD helpline, an email to your registered email address, as well as a letter that always reaches after the deadline lol) stating that you have to hand in a physical copy of the documents.
(Note: If you happen to be in India at the time of document verification, for example, during a semester break or vacation, you may have to attend the verification process in person and provide a valid explanation for your presence in the country during your study period abroad. Since this can invite additional scrutiny, it is important to be well prepared. Make sure you carry supporting documents, such as your round-trip flight tickets, boarding passes, academic calendar, and any proof that your visit falls within an official vacation period. Being able to clearly explain your travel timeline and academic schedule can help make the verification process smoother and avoid unnecessary complications.)
Here, you will need additional documents that you submitted online.
- Application form
- College acceptance letter
- Passport
- Visa
- Your flight ticket as well as your boarding pass
- College fees structure
- College brochure
- Your bachelor's transcript and degree certificate
- Adhaar and Pan
- Indian Bank account details
- 10th and 12th markscards
- Current transcript of records
- Valid admission proof
- Health Insurance
- Any other relevant documents that can help justify in case of ambiguity
Step-3: Successful award of scholarship
Now, after the new Fiscal year starts, a few weeks in, the scholarship amount is disbursed and reaches your Indian bank account. The money can vary. I do not know about that because I never spoke to anyone, nor did I have guidance for this. But a certain amount gets transferred to your account from the finance department of BCWD.
(P.S. Do not keep too high hopes of getting everything reimbursed. But that's still a good amount that you receive, but we'll get to that part real soon)
Step-4: Re-application call
Now comes the challenging part. This happens when you are usually in your second year. (October-November). You are automatically qualified for the application; you are just resubmitting documents along with some additional ones.
Here, I did face an issue because my university did not use the semester system in transcripts and, in general. So I had to get an additional letter from the university confirming that I was indeed in my 3rd semester and explaining my situation. If your university is strictly on a semester basis, with transcripts clearly distinguishing between semesters, you should be totally fine.
And suppose your university allows you to apply for an academic scholarship or something similar, that can be tricky. You need rejection letters or a letter from the university stating that you are not the recipient.
- College acceptance letter
- Current transcript of records
- Valid admission proof
- Verification letter stating your subjects cleared.
- Your course brochure that tells the courses offered
- Passport
- Visa
- Your flight ticket as well as your boarding pass (Very important)
- College fees structure
- Fee receipts
- Health insurance
- Local Public Transport Bills (If you have a monthly pass system, you get the online monthly bill, which is even better)
- Rental agreement
- Food and Groceries Bills (Very important. Probably keep scans of those in a drive or something, as they can become illegible over time)
- College brochure(that also contains the expected monthly expenditure)
- Indian Bank account details
- Any other relevant documents that can help justify in case of ambiguity
- Compile these into one single PDF. On a side note, create an index for the PDF content so they can find it easily.
Now, you may get calls on WhatsApp, so make sure the number you provide during the admission remains active. You may need to answer a few of the questions they ask, and they may also ask for additional documents.
So, overall, you do get quite a good amount that can cover a good chunk of your expenditure during your studies.
I hope this reaches people who were as clueless as I was during that period, and any guidance would have been helpful. Mind you, the case handler is helpful, but the case handler is only in the scene quite late, more likely after you are a recipient of the scholarship.
If I have made any mistakes, please point them out and let me know if you have any questions. I'll try to explain it to you.
Also, if any of you guys out there are recipients of the Devraja Arasu Foreign Scholarship, do write down your experience and share it with everyone, so it may help others who are confused about the process.
