Ashoka University begins UG admission 2026; 500 merit, need-based scholarships announced

Ashoka University has opened the applications for its 2026 undergraduate programmes. The university is offering courses in Computer Science, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities with multiple rounds of admissions and scholarship opportunities.

Eligible candidates can submit their applications till May 31, 2026, through the institute's official website. As per the institute, admissions assessments for Indian residents will be conducted at 37 physical centres nationwide.

Non-residents of India will select the appropriate option online. “Special consideration will be given to applicants with physical disabilities, mobility/locomotor issues, and impairments,” the institute said.

Special merit scholarships for national aptitude test achievers

Ashoka University’s 2026 admissions cycle includes updates to scholarships and application processes. According to the official press release, the institute will offer 500 merit and need-based scholarships, including special merit scholarships, achievers’ merit scholarships and need-based scholarships.

Under the Special Merit Scholarships, Ashoka University will provide 100% tuition fee waivers to 50 students who have achieved top scores in national aptitude tests. This includes candidates excelling in JEE Mains, IISER Aptitude Test (IAT), CMI Entrance Examination, and the Indian National Olympiads (INO). Admitted students meeting these criteria will be eligible for the scholarships.

To be eligible for the special merit scholarships, candidates should have scored at least 98 percentile in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains, secured a rank within the top 2000 in the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) Aptitude Test (IAT), or achieved a top 100 rank in the Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) Entrance Examination.

Additionally, students who have qualified for the Training Camp stage of the Indian National Olympiads (INO) in subjects including Mathematics, Science, Astronomy, Linguistics, and Informatics are also eligible for the scholarship.

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Eligibility criteria for achievers’ merit scholarships

Up to 100% tuition fee waivers will also be awarded to 150 admitted students under the Achievers’ Merit Scholarships based on their overall performance in the Ashoka University admissions process and their school board examination results.

Candidates should have scored 98% or above in Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education/Indian School Certificate (ICSE/ISC) and demonstrate strong performance in the Ashoka admissions process to be eligible for this scholarship.

Need-Based assistance for scholarship recipients

All recipients of the Special Merit Scholarships and Achievers’ Merit Scholarships are also eligible for additional need-based assistance. Need-based scholarships of up to 100% tuition fee coverage will be provided to admitted students requiring financial support.

The assessment considers the family’s financial resources, including income, savings, investments, and education loans, to determine the student’s ability to pay and bridge the gap between the programme cost and their financial capacity.