The Government of India, through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, is offering Sierra Leonean students a fully funded pathway to study in one of the world’s oldest and most expansive academic traditions. Under the AYUSH Scholarship Scheme for the academic year 2026–27, 104 scholarship slots have been made available globally, covering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes in fields that sit at the intersection of ancient knowledge and modern healthcare.
The announcement, made through the ICCR on behalf of the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, represents an opportunity that extends well beyond a tuition waiver. For Sierra Leonean students with an interest in traditional and holistic health systems, it is an invitation to study at institutions that have shaped the global conversation around wellness, medicine, and human wellbeing for centuries.
Applications must be submitted online through ICCR’s dedicated A2A Scholarship Portal at a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in. The deadline for the submission of online applications is 15th May 2026.
The acronym AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy five distinct disciplines that together form India’s vast ecosystem of traditional medicine and wellness. The Ministry of AYUSH under its International Fellowship Programme extends financial support to eligible foreign nationals for undertaking AYUSH degree courses in premier institutes in India, covering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, BSc in Yoga, and PhD programmes in Ayurveda and Unani.
The AYUSH Scholarship Scheme offers funded placements at recognised AYUSH institutions across India for students who want to pursue degree programmes in these traditional health systems, operating under the Ministry of AYUSH in coordination with ICCR. The growing global acceptance of these disciplines has driven increasing demand among international students, and universities such as the Banaras Hindu University, the National Institute of Ayurveda, and the All India Institute of Ayurveda are globally recognised for their expertise in AYUSH education, clinical training, and research.
For a country like Sierra Leone, where the intersection of traditional healing practices and formal healthcare systems remains a lived reality for millions of citizens, graduates trained in these disciplines carry knowledge with direct application at home.
The financial architecture of the AYUSH scholarship is comprehensive. The scholarship covers a monthly stipend based on the course level, accommodation support in line with ICCR norms, full tuition fee coverage, and return economy-class airfare at the beginning and completion of the programme.
For undergraduate students, the monthly stipend is 18,000 Indian Rupees. For postgraduate students, it is 20,000 Indian Rupees per month. For M.Phil and PhD students, the monthly stipend is 22,000 Indian Rupees. Tuition fees are paid directly to the university by ICCR, removing any need for the scholar to manage that transaction themselves.
The ICCR Scholarship Scheme is more than just financial aid it is a gateway to international academic exposure, cultural exchange and global networking, and high-quality education in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Sierra Leone is confirmed as an eligible country for this scheme. The scholarship is open to nationals of 54 countries on the African continent, with Sierra Leone explicitly listed among them.
The scheme is open to students seeking to pursue study at the undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD level in any of the AYUSH disciplines. Candidates who wish to apply for undergraduate courses in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy should have qualified in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at the advanced level. Candidates applying for BSc in Yoga require an advanced level qualification in any stream. Candidates seeking postgraduate courses in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy must have a relevant undergraduate degree recognised by the Central Council of Indian Medicine.
Applicants must note that their passport should have a minimum validity of two years as of 1st July 2026. A medical fitness certificate will be required after the offer of scholarship is received, and is not part of the initial application. Among the documents to prepare are academic certificates and transcripts, a recent passport-size photograph with a white background, and for PhD applicants, a research proposal and academic recommendation letters.
Applicants must apply under one eligible scheme only meaning a student cannot simultaneously apply for both the AYUSH Scheme and another ICCR scholarship track. The portal itself has been designed to guide applicants through the process comprehensively, containing details of all participating universities and institutes, courses offered, availability of hostels, and other relevant information to assist candidates in making informed decisions.
The AYUSH Scholarship Scheme sits within a broader architecture of India-Africa educational diplomacy that has deepened over the decades. ICCR administers various scholarship programmes annually and awards over 3,000 scholarships under 21 different schemes to foreign students from approximately 180 countries, with around 6,000 foreign scholars studying at various central and state universities and institutes at any given time. For Sierra Leone, engagement with this network opens not just individual academic doors but builds the kind of human capital and bilateral relationship that pays dividends long after a degree is conferred.
What makes the ICCR scholarship special beyond the financial package is what it represents India has one of the world’s richest academic and cultural traditions, and studying there as an ICCR scholar gives access to that tradition in a way that no amount of online learning can replicate.
Read Also: India Sends Off First Batch of Sierra Leonean Students on Scholarships
Sierra Leonean students interested in applying are urged not to delay. The deadline for submission of online applications is 15th May 2026, and all applications must be made exclusively through the A2A Scholarship Portal at a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in, where the full list of participating institutions, eligible courses, and application guidelines are available.
