Difference between Fellowship and Scholarship

If you dream to pursue a quality education in India or overseas, you might have already started planning the broad strokes: area of study, colleges to apply to and the potential cost. A degree or a research position from reputable universities is unbeatable in terms of exposure and experience.

The financial cost is the biggest bottleneck in achieving the dream of studying from renowned universities. Quality higher education is expensive. However, this fact shouldn’t discourage you from pursuing your dreams owing to the abundance of scholarships and fellowships available.

While a fellowship and a scholarship both aim to assist students or researchers, the devil is in the details, as they say. Understanding the distinction between a scholarship and a fellowship can make an appreciable difference in your planning, preparation and application.

Read on to discover the critical differences between a fellowship and a scholarship to help your application and financial planning.

1. Basis

The first critical fellowship and scholarship difference is related to the basis of granting.

You generally obtain a scholarship with a combination of merit and need. The merit part of a scholarship is there to ensure a fair selection procedure, as a university often only has a limited amount sanctioned for scholarships. Simply put, if you can demonstrate the need for financial assistance and satisfy the university’s criteria for merit, you have a fair chance to obtain a scholarship.

The basis of a fellowship is almost always merit and, precisely, academic merit in a given field. Obtaining a fellowship elevates your educational status and might come with a small financial grant to undertake specific research outlined in your application.

2. Coverage

Another major fellowship and scholarship difference pertains to the financial aspects of a student’s or a researcher’s life they cover.

You can expect your education, living, and travel expenses to be taken care of when you obtain a scholarship. When studying overseas, the cost of education or tuition is often the highest, followed by living and travel expenses. In most cases, the university entirely or partially waives off tuition as part of the scholarship. However, you must always read the fine print on the boundaries of any scholarship you plan to apply for.

A fellowship, on the other hand, typically only covers work or research related expenses. However, some prestigious fellowships, like the merit-based Fulbright-Nehru fellowship, also cover living, tuition and health insurance expenses.

3. Availability

The availability of a scholarship vs fellowship is different. You can obtain a scholarship from your school days to undergraduate studies in India and overseas. However, you can get a fellowship for your postgraduate studies to research a particular topic. Fellowships for undergraduate studies and below are rare.

4. Type

Another fellowship and scholarship difference is based on the types available of each

The types of scholarships commonly available are:

• Need-based scholarship: You can apply for a need-based scholarship when you have already been selected to study at a university and require more funds to meet educational and living expenses.
• Merit-based scholarship: You can obtain a merit-based scholarship by clearing a certain merit threshold (academic or extra-curricular) as decided by the school or university.
• Test-based scholarship: If you clear specific tests like GRE, NET, GATE, TOEFFEL, IELETS, etc., with stellar marks, you can apply for a test-based scholarship in certain universities in India and abroad.
• You can apply for the following types of fellowships to advance your research career:
• Doctoral or postdoctoral fellowships: If you’re applying for a doctoral position in India or overseas in a funded program, you can obtain a doctoral fellowship. Post-doctoral fellowships are available after the doctorate to conduct research.
• Medical fellowships: If you are a medical doctor who has completed their general medicine course and want to continue your studies in a specific field, you can apply for medical fellowships.

5. Provider

The government, schools, universities, and private trusts usually provide scholarships in India and overseas to help the students financially.

Conversely, universities, research institutions, and other government entities (like NASA in the USA or ISRO in India) provide fellowships to advance research in different fields.

6. Renewability

Renewability forms the next critical distinction in fellowship vs scholarship.

Once you obtain a scholarship, it is valid for a certain period. You can generally renew the scholarship after it expires for a certain time duration, as decided by the granting institution.

Conversely, if you obtain a fellowship, you cannot renew it after the expired validity period.

7. Eligibility criteria

The eligibility criteria for fellowship vs scholarship are different as the purpose of each is different.

To be eligible for a scholarship, you have to demonstrate need, as the primary aim of a scholarship is to provide financial help in education. Now, along with need, most granting institutions also decide on a merit criterion such as academic, sports-based, or extra-curricular merit.

A fellowship is strictly granted based on academic merit in a particular field. Hence, if you can demonstrate merit and competitiveness in the required field, such as research background, potential and research publications, you are eligible for a fellowship.

8. Benefits

Finally, let’s consider the different benefits of fellowship vs scholarship.

The primary benefit of a scholarship is the removal of financial constraints. Once you secure a scholarship, you can be sure of adequate financial help to complete your studies.

A fellowship’s primary benefit is the associated prestige and some financial help to advance research. A fellowship can elevate your status among your academic peers and open doors to elite academic jobs and perks.

Concluding thoughts

This brings us to the end of what is the difference between a scholarship and a fellowship. While the goal of a scholarship is to alleviate financial constraints in education, a fellowship rewards academic excellence in a particular field. The number of applicants to renowned universities is rising steadily, so scholarships and fellowships have become highly competitive and are not guaranteed. For a high-quality education experience, consider an education loan instead of dipping into your savings. Tata Capital’s tailor-made education loans will cover all your overseas education needs with the benefits of pre-admission sanction and easy fund disbursal.