Central Sector Scheme Scholarship for College and University Students 2025-26: Apply on NSP by Oct 31

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students is open for online applications for academic year 2025-26 on the National Scholarship Portal. Note the deadline and act now if you are eligible — the last date to submit and get institutional verification is Oct 31, 2025. This article shows you step-by-step who should apply, what to upload, how to use NSP, and how to make sure verification happens on time.

This Central Sector Scholarship for College and University Students (often called CSSS) targets meritorious students from economically weaker families so you can continue higher education without severe financial strain. The scheme gives fixed scholarship amounts paid directly to students to help with tuition, books and living costs as you pursue undergraduate studies in colleges or universities recognised by the government.

Eligible applicants: Fresh entries and accepted renewals (2021–2024)

Who can apply right now on NSP:

• Fresh applicants for academic year 2025-26 — students admitted to eligible college/university courses for the first time.
• Renewal applicants who applied earlier and fall under accepted renewal years: 1st renewal (2024), 2nd renewal (2023), 3rd renewal (2022), 4th renewal (2021).

Make sure your previous application year matches the renewal year you select on NSP. Incorrect renewal year selection may cause delays or rejection.

Benefits and impact for students

CSSS 2025-26 helps you by:

• Reducing immediate financial barriers for tuition and study-related expenses.
• Encouraging continuing education for high-performing students from low-income households.
• Providing an officially recognised cash scholarship that can make a difference to your academic persistence and outcomes.

Eligibility checklist (what to confirm before applying)

Before you begin, confirm:

• Course type: Your programme must be an eligible regular undergraduate course in a recognised college or university.
• Merit/marks: Meet the minimum marks requirement as per official CSSS rules. Check NSP or Department of Higher Education notification for exact thresholds.
• Family economic criteria: Make sure your family income meets scheme limits. Exact income ceiling details are on the official notification on scholarships.gov.in and education.gov.in.
• NSP account status: For renewals, make sure you can access your previous NSP account; for fresh applicants, create a new account before filling the form.

Documents you’ll need for submission and verification

Prepare scanned copies (clear and readable) of the following for upload. Originals may be requested by your institution for verification.

• Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, or other government ID)
• Admission proof (college/university admission letter, fee receipt, or enrolment certificate)
• Income certificate or proof of family income issued by competent authority
• Mark sheets of the last qualifying exam (class 12 or previous year’s university marks for renewals)
• Bank passbook or cancelled cheque (to verify account name, IFSC and account number)
• Passport-size photograph and signature (as per NSP format)

Also Read – National Overseas Scholarship

How to apply and verify on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP)

All applications must be submitted only via National Scholarship Portal (NSP). Make sure institutional verification is completed before Oct 31, 2025. Below is a stepwise guide for both fresh and renewal applications and the institutional responsibilities you should know.

Step-by-step: Submitting a fresh application on NSP

1. Visit scholarships.gov.in and click Login/Register. Create an NSP student account if you don’t have one.
2. Choose the Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS) for 2025-26 from available schemes.
3. Fill personal details carefully: name, DOB, Aadhaar (if used), contact details, family income, and academic info. Make sure details match exactly what’s on your official documents.
4. Provide course and institute details: select your college/university from the NSP list and enter enrolment/registration details.
5. Upload scanned documents in the formats allowed (PDF/JPG). Keep file size within NSP limits; clear scans reduce the risk of rejection.
6. Re-check every field, preview the application, and submit. After you submit, note your application ID/acknowledgement for future reference.
7. Inform your institution’s Nodal Officer so they can verify your application on NSP before Oct 31, 2025.

Step-by-step: Submitting a renewal application

1. Login to NSP using your existing credentials. Go to ‘Student Dashboard’ and find your previous year’s Central Sector Scholarship entry.
2. Choose ‘Renewal’ for the correct renewal year (1st renewal 2024, 2nd renewal 2023, 3rd renewal 2022, 4th renewal 2021).
3. Update academic details: current year course registration, latest mark-sheets and any changes in bank or contact details.
4. Upload fresh documents where required and resubmit. Keep the previous application ID handy in case the portal asks for it.
5. Follow up with your institution for verification after submission.

Institutional verification: responsibilities of Nodal Officers

Nodal Officers play a very important role. Their responsibilities via institutional login include:

• Checking submitted applications and uploaded documents for authenticity.
• Raising defects if documents are missing or data mismatches occur, so students can correct and resubmit.
• Approving and verifying valid applications in NSP within the last date to prevent invalidation.
• Rejecting applications that do not meet eligibility or where serious discrepancies exist.

Contact your Nodal Officer early and give them a checklist of your documents to speed up verification.

Avoiding invalid applications: verification and originals

If your college or university doesn’t verify your application, it will be treated as invalid. To avoid that:

• Submit early, well before Oct 31, 2025 to allow time for institutional checks.
• Carry originals to the college when requested and get an institutional stamp/acknowledgement if possible.
• Make sure uploaded documents are clear, correctly named, and match the data entered in the form fields.

Common errors, troubleshooting and quick fixes on NSP

Frequently seen issues and how to fix them:

• Upload errors: Reduce file size, convert to an allowed format and retry. Use a scanner or a mobile scanning app for clear PDFs.
• Mismatch in data: Make sure name, DOB and Aadhaar exactly match uploaded documents. Correct spelling or number mistakes and resubmit if the portal allows.
• Login issues: Use NSP ‘Forgot Password’ or re-register with the same email/mobile if your account was inactive. Contact NSP support via the official portal.
• Verification delays: Remind your Nodal Officer by institutional email/phone and share your application ID.

Important Dates and Suggested Timeline (Apply and get verified by Oct 31, 2025)

Key deadline: Oct 31, 2025. Use this suggested timeline:

What	Suggested date/action
Collect documents and scan	Now — allow 3–7 days
Create/verify NSP account and start form	Within a week
Submit application on NSP	By mid-Oct 2025 (allow verification time)
Institutional verification completed	Before Oct 31, 2025
Keep acknowledgement & follow up	Immediately after submission

Quick application checklist (one-page action list)

Helpdesk, institutional contacts and where to find official guidance

Official sources you should use:

• National Scholarship Portal (apply and find FAQs/contact): https://scholarships.gov.in
• Ministry of Education / Department of Higher Education notifications and circulars: https://www.education.gov.in
• Your college/university Nodal Officer (institutional verification and local queries)

If you need technical help on NSP, use the ‘Contact’ or ‘Helpdesk’ sections on scholarships.gov.in. For policy clarifications, refer to Department of Higher Education notifications on education.gov.in.

Frequently asked questions students ask about CSSS 2025-26

Q: Who is eligible to apply?

A: Fresh students admitted in 2025-26 to eligible undergraduate programmes and renewal applicants from 2021–2024 as per renewal mapping.

Q: What happens if my application is not verified by my college?

A: Unverified applications are treated as invalid. Keep proof of submission and press your Nodal Officer to verify well before Oct 31, 2025.

Q: Can I correct an uploaded document?

A: Yes, if NSP allows corrections or if your Nodal Officer raises a defect. Upload the corrected document and resubmit promptly.

Q: When will I receive scholarship payment?

A: Payments follow verification and processing cycles. Dates vary; watch your NSP dashboard and institutional announcements.