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Studying with scholarship at a foreign university is always a matter of pride and a reflection of students’ good academic achievement and dedication. South Asian University, New Delhi, India, a University established by SAARC Nations, offers different scholarship for its member nations students to enroll in master’s and PhD programs in different disciplines.
Since many of the students are not aware of this scholarship, they do not participate in the admission process as well. As long as the applicant meet the requirements for admission, candidates from Bangladesh and Pakistan are guaranteed at least 10% of the available seats.
In order to be admitted to M.A. programs, candidates must have completed at least 15 years of education under the 10+2+3 pattern, which entails 12 years of schooling plus a 3-year degree, or a 4-year degree following 10+2 (12 years of schooling).
For admission to M.Sc. programs, candidates must have completed at least 55% of their coursework, or an equivalent grade. The question tests the applicant’s subject knowledge at the undergraduate level and his/her general knowledge about South Asia and the world. Upon successful admission, the awardees will avail tuition fee waiver, hostel fee waiver, and a monthly stipend for living expenses.
Admission to PhD programs is available in two formats: through an entrance exam and by direct application. Certain candidates will be exempt from the Entrance Test through Direct Mode. They will be shortlisted based on their CVs/SOPs/Research proposals/Letters of Recommendation and will be called directly for interviews.
The eligible categories are the following: Those who have been already awarded National fellowships in different SAARC countries based on their respective National Entrance Tests.
Those who are funded by any Government agency to pursue PhD. Those who are salaried and can get a leave from their organization for the two-year residency period. The students admitted through the direct mode will be provided the hostel accommodation (as per the Hostel rules) and will be exempted from paying the tuition fee.
However, they will not be provided with any other financial support/fellowship/stipend. Through Entrance entrance test, the admission procedure for the PhD programme consists of an Entrance Test followed by an interview.
Students are required to score at least 50% marks in both the Entrance Test and the interview separately to be eligible for admission. The students admitted through the Entrance Test will be provided the hostel accommodation (as per the Hostel rules) and will be exempted from paying the tuition fee.
They will be entitled to the university stipend of INR 25,000 per month for a maximum period of five years provided they are not receiving any other financial support/fellowship/stipend for the purpose of pursuing the PhD programme.
Candidates from outside the SAARC area is not required to take an Entrance Test and will be admitted based on their previous performance. All such candidates must complete an online form and upload all supporting papers, which include educational records, identification evidence, and a color photograph. The application period typically runs from March to April on the academic calendar. Each application will be reviewed by the relevant faculty to assess the candidate's eligibility, and the decision of the University will be final in this respect.
This year along with other successful candidates from Bangladesh, both at master’s and PhD level, students from the Department of Sociology, East West University have secured merit positions with scholarships for admission to the MA in Sociology program through a competitive assessment for the academic year 2024-2026 at South Asian University, New Delhi, India. The students are Khaingnoe Ching (1st Merit Position), Abdullah Al Nahian (2nd Merit Position), Imtiaz Ahmed Siddik (3rd Merit Position), Jobeda Akter Rini (4th Merit Position), and Nur A Habiba Mukta (12th Merit Position).
To avail of this scholarship, students sit for a two-hour long entrance test and the question paper consists of 70 multiple-choice questions. In the meantime, all the awardees already completed the admission procedure and are about to fly to India to join the university in their respective programs.
The achievements validate the quality of the teaching and learning environment at EWU, reflecting the excellent guidance provided by faculty members and the support from the Department of Sociology and East West University authority for their continuous support and recognition of the importance of sociological knowledge in today's rapidly changing society.
The writer is the Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology, and Assistant Proctor, East West University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He can be reached at: [email protected].
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