FAQs
01. Who is eligible to apply?
A candidate pursuing full-time Postgraduate / Ph.D. / Postdoctoral studies overseas are eligible to apply.
- The candidate should be
- An Indian citizen and
- be not older than 45 years as of 30th June 2024 and
- have graduated from a recognized Indian University and
- have scored at least 60% on average in the undergraduate and graduate studies and
- the course to which candidates are admitted must be recognized as a Graduate Program (post-graduate in Indian terminology), where the entry requirement is an undergraduate degree.
- Candidates qualifying as above – already pursuing their studies overseas may also apply provided they have at least one full academic year remaining to complete at the time of award (normally by July of any calendar year).
- Past J N Tata scholars who have fully repaid their existing loan scholarship amount are also eligible to apply.
02. Who is not eligible to apply?
- Candidates going overseas for seminars, conferences, training, workshops, paper presentation, undergraduate studies, and any post-graduate degree/diploma/certificate courses through Distance learning or online medium are not eligible to apply.
- Candidates planning to pursue postgraduate and undergraduate studies in India are not eligible to apply.
- Candidates who are planning to study for a diploma of at least one year duration, whose entry level requirement is higher secondary level are not eligible to apply.
03. How can I apply?
- Applications for the Loan Scholarships will be open from 11th January to 21st March 2024 on our website www.jntataendowment.org.
- Candidates have to create a login ID and password to be able to apply.
- Please note that
– you may create only one Login ID using your email ID.
– this is not a downloadable form. So you may directly complete the application form online in one visit or more than one visit but you must remember to save the draft before you exit each time.
– you are required to validate the application form before final submission after which candidates will not be able to make any changes.
04. Can I apply even if I do not have confirmed admission?
Yes, you can. However, you must update the application status with the Endowment once your admission is secured, by sending an email to jnte@tatatrusts.org quoting the reference number (which appears on the top left side of the application form).
05. How and when can I ascertain the status of my application?
Candidates will be informed about the status of their application on completion of each phase.
The program comprises 4 phases:-
Phase 1 – Application Submission
Phase 2 – Online Test
Phase 3 – Interview with Subject Expert
Phase 4 – Final Selection
06. Can I update my application form at a later stage?
Yes, you can update the application form by sending an email to jnte@tatatrusts.org quoting the reference number (which appears on the top left side of the application form).
07. What documents are required while submitting the application form?
The following documents are required:
- Candidate’s photo (500 * 500 pixels in jpeg format)
- Aadhar Card
- Passport (first & last page)
- Marksheet / Transcript/s for each academic qualification
Working professionals need to upload 3 additional documents (if any):-
- Work Experience certificate from the previous employer
- Appointment letter from the existing employer and
- Latest filed ITR/3 months’ pay slips.
08. What documents will be required from the candidate when shortlisted for the Online Test?
No documents will required to be submitted.
09. What documents will be sought from the candidate when notified of the selection for the interview?
- Letter of admission to the University
- Final year mark sheets and degree certificate
- Scorecards (GRE/GMAT/TOEFL/IELTS/PTE)
- Certificate of scholarships/ranking/prizes (if any)
- Certificates relating to extra-curricular achievements
- Research work/Project work (only one)
- Resume
- Cost of education
- Source of funds
10. What documents will be required from the candidate when notified of the final selection after the interview with the Subject Expert?
- Candidate’s PAN card
- Candidate’s cancelled cheque / latest bank statement
- Guarantor’s passport size photograph (500*500 pixels in jpeg format)
- Guarantor’s Aadhar card and PAN card
- Guarantor’s Income proof / latest filed ITR
11. Is there any interest charged on the loan scholarship?
The loan scholarship is offered at a simple interest of 2% per annum but Trustees may at their discretion grant any exemption or rebate in the payment of interest by any candidate.
12. What is the repayment schedule of the loan?
The loan is repayable in equal installments from the 3rd to the 7th year commencing from the date of disbursement of the loan scholarship.
13. What is the maximum loan scholarship amount a candidate can secure?
In the recent past, the loan scholarship amounts have ranged between Rs.1 lakh and Rs.10 lakhs, the latter being the maximum. However, not all candidates qualify for the maximum amount.
14. Does the Endowment provide any additional financial assistance besides the loan scholarship?
While the Endowment does not, a selected JNTE scholar who has accepted the loan scholarship is eligible for a criteria based travel grant and gift award from our allied Tata Trusts.
15. Does the Endowment ask for any collateral security?
We do not insist on any collateral but the candidate must have a guarantor who guarantees the repayment of the loan. This is mandatory and the guarantor’s liability is on par with that of the candidate.
16. Who can be a guarantor and what is the guarantor’s responsibility?
The guarantor should normally be a parent(s)/guardian of the candidate. In the case of a married person, the guarantor can also be a spouse or the parents-in-law. In case parent/s/spouse are unable to be a guarantor, a guardian or any relative (i.e. any member of the family such as brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, uncle, and aunt (both maternal and paternal) or any other relative may be the guarantor). A non-relative may act as a guarantor subject to the Endowment’s prior approval and after submitting the relevant documents.
17. Does the Endowment have any format for the Statement of Purpose (SoP)?
There is no set template for the SOP, it is expected that the content be written by the applicant and be free of plagiarism and biographical details. The narrative should not exceed 800 words.
The SOP should broadly cover the following points :
-
- Your interest in the chosen field of study in the context of your academic pursuits and achievement/research experience, work experience, and publications (as may be relevant)
- The choice of University and area of study and how these align to your short and long term academic and professional goals.
18. Does the Endowment need a letter of recommendation (LoR) and is there any specific format?
Yes, we need only one LoR which can be -issued by a Professor of the College or University where the candidate is studying OR the Employer, in case the candidate is / has been in employment. The LoR should be addressed to “The Trustees of the J. N. Tata Endowment” and submitted online by the recommender. The directions for candidates and recommenders are available along with the application form.
19. Is there a question bank available for candidates to take practice online test?
While a practice question bank is not available, upon a candidate being selected for giving an online test, the Endowment arranges for a mock test which a candidate can take and also provides comprehensive directions on how the same should be attempted.
20. When are the interviews held?
Generally, the interviews are held during the months of April to June, though they may extend to the first week of July if required.
21. To whom can a candidate address a query?
The Endowment can be contacted via Email: jnte@tatatrusts.org Tel: +91-22-6665 7681 / 7198 / 7774 from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays (Monday to Friday). Kindly note that we are closed on all bank and public holidays.