Mbabane – The High Commission of India in Mbabane has announced 40 scholarships exclusively for Emaswati students under the India Africa Maitri Scholarship Scheme for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
According to a press release issued on 23 February 2026, the programme is administered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and will support studies ranging from undergraduate to PhD level at institutions in India.
Applications will be submitted online through the ICCR A2A Scholarship Portal, which opens on 27 February 2026. The deadline for submission is 15 April 2026, while universities will communicate admission decisions by 30 April 2026. Successful applicants must confirm acceptance by 15 May 2026.
“Applications from interested Emaswati students are invited online through ICCR’s A2A Scholarship Portal http://a2ascholarships.iccr.gov.in,” the statement reads.
Candidates must be between 18 and 40 years old for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, while PhD applicants may be up to 50 years old at the time of admission.
The scholarships do not cover medical and paramedical courses such as nursing, physiotherapy and anaesthesia, nor fashion, law or integrated programmes like BA LLB or combined science degrees.
For engineering degrees, applicants must have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics at Form IV and Form V level and must upload academic transcripts from Form III to Form V or equivalent.
Students may apply to up to five universities or institutes in order of preference. A 500 word essay in English is compulsory to assess language proficiency, although internationally recognised test scores such as TOEFL or IELTS may also be submitted. Universities may conduct online interviews where necessary.
The scheme includes return economy class airfares and other scholarship benefits, subject to approval by the High Commission.
“Scholarship is awarded only after the High Commission is satisfied that the student intending to study in India has no serious health issues, has not submitted incomplete or fraudulent documentation or any other such parameters, which may negate the objective of promoting goodwill through these scholarships,” the release states.
Rejected applicants will be notified directly by universities.
Students have been urged to research courses and eligibility requirements thoroughly on institutional websites before applying.
Officials also advised prospective applicants not to visit the High Commission without prior appointment, directing all enquiries to the official email address “inf.mbabane@mea.gov.in” provided in the announcement.
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