The New School offers 15+ named scholarships, of which 10+ are accessible to Indian applicants across undergraduate, Master’s and PhD tracks. Merit review runs automatically during admissions, so no separate scholarship form is needed for the main institutional awards.
97% of admitted undergraduates receive some award, averaging USD 19,395 (INR 16.97 Lakhs) per year. At the Master’s level, over 90% of new full-time NSSR students receive merit awards worth roughly 40% of tuition.
- Standard UG tuition (2025-26): USD 61,208 (INR 53.56 Lakhs) per year, plus USD 27,514 (INR 24.07 Lakhs) for food and housing.
- UG tuition after average merit award: USD 41,813 (INR 36.59 Lakhs) net per year.
- PhD funding (Prize Fellowship): USD 25,000 (INR 21.88 Lakhs) stipend plus full tuition, four years.
- Next Fulbright-Nehru Master’s deadline: Tentative May 14, 2027 for the 2028-29 award year (annual cycle).
Currency Note: All INR conversions use the live rate of 1 USD = INR 87.50 as of August 2026. Merit awards renew annually if the recipient stays in good academic standing.
Table of Contents
The New School Scholarships for UG Students
| Scholarship | Award (USD) | Award (INR) | Eligibility | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The New School University Merit Scholarship | $5,000 to $25,000+ per year | INR 4.38 Lakhs to INR 21.88 Lakhs+ per year | All admitted UG applicants including Indians; academic strength | Automatic with UG admission; no separate form |
| Parsons Merit Scholarship (portfolio-based) | $5,000 to $25,000+ per year | INR 4.38 Lakhs to INR 21.88 Lakhs+ per year | All Parsons UG applicants; portfolio drives the award band | Automatic through the Parsons UG application |
| Named Endowed Scholarship Pool | Typically $1,000 to $5,000 per year as an add-on | INR 87,500 to INR 4.38 Lakhs per year | Selected UG applicants who match an individual endowment brief | Automatic during merit review |
The University Merit Scholarship is the workhorse award for Indian UG applicants. Every admitted undergraduate is reviewed automatically during admission, and 97% receive some level of funding.
For Parsons applicants, the portfolio is the single biggest lever on the size of the merit offer. A stronger portfolio moves the offer up within the same $5,000 to $25,000+ band.
The New School’s merit review considers four inputs:
- Academic transcript strength across Class 12 board and any completed college coursework
- Portfolio or audition where the program requires one, especially at Parsons, Mannes, Jazz and Drama
- Personal essay and letters of recommendation
- English proficiency scores from TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test
Reddit Insight: Indian design applicants at Parsons report a specific portfolio pattern. A 15 to 20 piece portfolio with visible process work, not only final renders, wins a higher award tier. That single change often shifts the offer from the USD 10,000 band into the USD 18,000 to USD 25,000 band.
Explore More: The New School Admission Requirements | The New School Overview
The New School Scholarships for PG / Master’s Students
| Scholarship | Award (USD) | Award (INR) | Eligibility | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSSR Merit Scholarship Award | Approximately 40% of tuition per year | ~INR 21.42 Lakhs per year against the USD 61,208 tuition base | All full-time Master’s applicants at The New School for Social Research; over 90% of new students receive one | Priority January 7, 2027 for the Fall 2027 intake |
| Parsons Graduate Merit Scholarship | Partial tuition, banded within $5,000 to $25,000+ per year | INR 4.38 Lakhs to INR 21.88 Lakhs+ per year | All Parsons Master’s applicants; portfolio and academic record | Automatic with graduate admission |
| Dean’s Fellowship | Partial tuition, varies by school | Varies | Master’s applicants across NSSR, Milano, Public Engagement, Lang | Priority January 7, 2027 for Fall 2027 |
| Teaching Assistantship | Tuition credit plus stipend; total value varies by role | Varies | Continuing Master’s and PhD students; requires assisting or teaching a UG course | Application through Office of Academic Affairs; priority March 1, 2027 |
The January 7, 2027 priority deadline is the single most decision-relevant date for Indian Master’s applicants. Submitting by that date puts the file in the running for the full merit tier.
Applications reviewed after January 7 still qualify for merit review, but the award pool shrinks quickly. NSSR is explicit that late applications receive lower average awards.
Reddit Insight: Indian NSSR Master’s applicants report a clear timing pattern. Submitting on the January 7 priority date, not the February final deadline, separates the 40% tuition award from the lower 15% to 20% band. Late applicants typically land in the lower band.
India-Specific Scholarships at The New School
The New School does not currently list any India-exclusive named scholarship on its official financial aid pages. Indian applicants access three funding routes:
- The same automatic merit pool used for every admitted student, with no nationality restriction
- External Indian foundations that fund study at The New School once admission is confirmed
- US-India bilateral programs administered by USIEF for eligible fields
| Route | Funder | Award | Eligibility | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The New School University Merit Scholarship | The New School | USD 5,000 to $25,000+ per year (INR 4.38 to 21.88 Lakhs+) | Same automatic pool used for all applicants; no nationality restriction | Automatic with admission |
| Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship | USIEF (India-USA bilateral) | Full tuition, monthly living stipend, round-trip air travel, insurance | Indian citizens with 55%+ Bachelor’s, 3+ years full-time work experience, no prior US degree; eight approved fields only | Tentative May 14, 2027 for the 2028-29 cycle |
| Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarship | Inlaks Foundation, Mumbai | Up to USD 100,000 total (INR 87.50 Lakhs) covering tuition, living, one-way travel, visa and insurance | Indian citizens under 30 with 65% Bachelor’s (70% for sciences); humanities, social sciences, law, fine arts, architecture, pure sciences; admission already secured | Tentative March 31, 2027 for the 2027 cycle |
Inlaks and Fulbright-Nehru are the two highest-value India-side awards accepted at The New School. Both are field-restricted, so a matching program at Parsons, NSSR, Milano or the College of Performing Arts is a prerequisite.
Inlaks is explicitly incompatible with Engineering, Computer Science, MBA and Medicine. That rules out a small share of New School programs. The design, arts, social science and public policy tracks Indian applicants pick most are unaffected.
The New School PhD Scholarships
| Fellowship | Award (USD) | Award (INR) | Eligibility | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prize Fellowship | $25,000 per year stipend plus full tuition; four years | INR 21.88 Lakhs per year stipend plus full tuition | All PhD applicants at NSSR including Indians; automatic consideration | Priority December 15, 2026 for Fall 2027 |
| Harry Magdoff and Paul Sweezy Fellowship | $25,000 per year plus full tuition; four years | INR 21.88 Lakhs per year plus full tuition | PhD in Economics at NSSR; automatic consideration | Priority December 15, 2026 |
| Zolberg Melamid Fellowship | $25,000 per year plus tuition waiver; four years | INR 21.88 Lakhs per year plus tuition waiver | PhD applicants across NSSR; automatic consideration | Priority December 15, 2026 |
| Schwartz Center Fellowship | $25,000 per year plus partial tuition; three years | INR 21.88 Lakhs per year plus partial tuition | PhD in Economics at NSSR; automatic consideration | Priority December 15, 2026 |
| Mellon Doctoral Fellowship | $30,000 per year | INR 26.25 Lakhs per year | University-wide PhD candidates; separate application required | Tentative February 23, 2027 (annual cycle) |
| Dissertation Fellowship | $10,000 plus fees | INR 8.75 Lakhs plus fees | Advanced PhD candidates writing the dissertation | Tentative March 17, 2027 (annual cycle) |
The four incoming-cohort fellowships (Prize, Magdoff-Sweezy, Zolberg-Melamid, Schwartz) share the same December 15 priority date. All four evaluate international candidates automatically, with no separate scholarship application.
Indian PhD applicants get the strongest odds by submitting well before December 15 with a research statement that names a target faculty adviser.
Explore More: The New School Programs and Fees | The New School Rankings
External Government Scholarships for The New School Applicants
| Scholarship | Funder | Award | Eligibility | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship | USIEF (India-USA bilateral) | Tuition, stipend, air travel and insurance for six to nine months at a US host institution | Registered Indian PhD scholars with 55%+ Master’s; research affiliation at a US institution | Tentative July 15, 2027 for the 2028-29 cycle |
| Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowship | USIEF (India-USA bilateral) | Stipend, air travel, professional allowance and insurance for eight to 24 months | Indian citizens with a PhD awarded within the last four years | Tentative July 15, 2027 for the 2028-29 cycle |
| Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship | US Department of State via USIEF | One-year non-degree fellowship; full funding for tuition, stipend, travel and insurance | Mid-career Indian professionals with 5+ years experience in public service or policy fields | Tentative July 15, 2027 for the 2028-29 cycle |
| Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship | USIEF (India-USA bilateral) | Stipend, travel and research allowance for four to nine months | Indian faculty and professionals with a PhD or terminal degree | Tentative July 15, 2027 for the 2028-29 cycle |
Fulbright-Nehru Master’s covers only eight fields, including public health, urban planning, journalism and sustainable development. Design, fine arts and drama Master’s applicants are not eligible under this route.
Reddit Insight: Indian Fulbright-Nehru Master’s applicants report that the three-year full-time work-experience filter, not the academic score, is what rules most first-time applicants out. Applicants who apply with two years of work are typically advised to reapply after one more year of experience.
The New School Scholarships: Frequently Asked Questions
Ques. What is the maximum scholarship stack an Indian student can get at The New School?
Ans. An Indian Master’s applicant stacks the NSSR Merit Award (roughly 40% of tuition) with either the Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarship or the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship. Inlaks alone runs up to USD 100,000 total. A Fulbright-Nehru award alone covers full tuition, living costs, air travel and insurance. That brings the out-of-pocket cost close to zero for the eight eligible fields.
Ques. When should Indian applicants apply to maximise scholarship consideration?
Ans. Master’s applicants at NSSR should submit by the January 7, 2027 priority deadline for the Fall 2027 intake. PhD applicants should target December 15, 2026 for the same term. Undergraduate merit awards do not carry a separate deadline; the standard UG admission deadline decides eligibility.
Ques. Do Indian applicants need to fill out a separate scholarship application?
Ans. No separate form is required for the University Merit Scholarship, the Parsons Merit Scholarship, the Dean’s Fellowship or the four PhD Prize Fellowships. Automatic review is triggered by the admission application itself. External Indian awards like Inlaks and Fulbright-Nehru have their own separate applications on the funder website.
Ques. What academic threshold do Indian applicants need to be competitive for a merit award?
Ans. Indian UG applicants typically need a Class 12 aggregate of 85% or above to enter the top merit band. Master’s applicants need a Bachelor’s aggregate around 75% or above. For Parsons, portfolio quality outweighs the academic score at the same GPA level.
Ques. What does the Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship actually cover for a New School student?
Ans. The fellowship covers tuition and fees, a monthly living allowance, round-trip economy air travel from the fellow’s home city, and accident and sickness insurance. Dependents are not funded. USIEF states the grant may not cover every cost, so most fellows still budget for some personal expenses on top.
Ques. Do New School scholarships cover the cost of living in New York City?
Ans. The New School’s institutional awards target tuition, not living costs. Housing and food alone run USD 27,514 (INR 24.07 Lakhs) per year in NYC. Indian students bridge this gap three ways. Fulbright-Nehru or Inlaks awards cover living costs. On-campus work of up to 20 hours per week on F-1 status is the second route. Private loans co-signed in India are the third.
Scholarships offered
Chuan Ai Lu Engstrom Memorial Scholarship
- International Student Eligible: No
- Amount: $1,000
- Type: Merit-Based
- Level of Study: Bachelor
- Number of Scholarships: N/A
Jagdish Bhagwati Fellowship
- International Student Eligible: Yes
- Amount: Variable Amount
- Type: College-Specific
- Level of Study: Bachelor
- Number of Scholarships: N/A
Bharat Petroleum Scholarship
- International Student Eligible: Yes
- Amount: Variable Amount
- Type: Merit-Based
- Level of Study: Master
- Number of Scholarships: N/A
Comindware Scholarship
- International Student Eligible: Yes
- Amount: $4,000
- Type: Merit-Based
- Level of Study: Apprenticeship
- Number of Scholarships: N/A
Forktip Women’s- Innovation Scholarship
- International Student Eligible: Yes
- Amount: Variable Amount
- Type: College-Specific
- Level of Study: Bachelor
- Number of Scholarships: 10
FINCAD Women in Finance Scholarship
- International Student Eligible: Yes
- Amount: $20,000
- Type: Merit-Based
- Level of Study: Master
- Number of Scholarships: N/A
Reviews
1 Reviews Found
Scholarship
Dean?s BFA Scholarship $10,000/year based on my portfolio
I was attracted to the emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Parsons allows you to pursue multiple design fields before narrowing down to one which was essential for someone like me who was not sure what she wanted to pursue initially.
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