ICCR will require IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL CEFR B2 certification for eligible foreign scholarship applicants from 2027-28, while offering a voluntary $50 online English course.
DHAKA, October 15: The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has made English proficiency certification mandatory for foreign students applying for the Suborno Jayanti Scholarship and the Lata Mangeshkar Dance and Music Scholarship from the 2027-28 academic year, according to new guidelines.
Under the requirements, applicants must have an overall IELTS band score of at least 6.0 or a TOEFL qualification at the CEFR B2 (Higher Intermediate) level or above to be eligible for the scholarships.
The requirement aims to ensure that international students can follow academic instructions and lectures in English at Indian educational institutions.
To help prospective applicants meet the standard, the ICCR has introduced a three-month online advanced English learning course in collaboration with Routes2Roots, an organisation that offers courses on Indian art and culture.
The course will cost $50 and cover advanced English for understanding academic lectures, along with basic conversational Hindi to help students manage everyday situations in India.
The online programme is scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026, with classes held three times a week over 12 weeks. Participants will attend a total of 36 classes, each lasting 90 minutes.
Two schedules are available: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12:30pm to 2:00pm Indian Standard Time, or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11:30pm to 1:00am Indian Standard Time.
Any foreign national with basic English reading, writing and speaking skills can enrol in the course.
However, participation in the Routes2Roots programme is voluntary. Applicants must independently fulfil the IELTS or TOEFL certification requirement to qualify for the scholarships, except for courses in Indian languages.
Interested candidates can register through the Routes2Roots website at https://ngo.routes2roots.com/language-registration/2026.
For further information, applicants can contact Gurpreet Kaur at gurpreetkaur@routes2roots.com.
The new requirement is expected to make English-language preparation an important part of the application process for international students seeking to pursue higher education in India under the two scholarship programmes.
