PM-USP Central Sector Scholarship Renewal: Apply on NSP by 31 October 2026
Students who are already receiving the PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS) should complete their renewal application for the 2026–27 academic year through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).
The current NSP student announcement says the renewal application deadline is 31 October 2026. Institute verification is scheduled up to 15 November 2026, followed by Level-2 verification up to 30 November 2026. Scholarships
National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
Who should apply for renewal?
This is a renewal process for existing PM-USP CSSS scholarship beneficiaries. If you received the scholarship in an earlier year and are continuing your eligible course, you should check your NSP account for the renewal application.
The PM-USP CSSS is administered by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. The scheme provides financial assistance to eligible meritorious students pursuing higher education. Education Government of India
The 2026–27 NSP announcement specifically refers to renewal applications for PM-USP CSSS. Students applying for the first time should check the live NSP scheme information rather than assuming that the renewal deadline also applies to fresh applications. Scholarships
Key dates for 2026–27
| Stage | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Renewal application by student | 31 October 2026 |
| Institute verification | 15 November 2026 |
| Level-2 verification | 30 November 2026 |
These dates are from the current announcement displayed on the NSP student portal. Scholarships
Important: an inconsistent date appears on some NSP pages
The NSP's general “All Scholarships” listing has also displayed an older 30 September 2026 student closing date for PM-USP CSSS, while the current student-facing announcement states 31 October 2026. Scholarships
Because the student announcement is currently showing 31 October, students should log in to their NSP account and complete the renewal as early as possible, rather than waiting until the deadline.
How much is the PM-USP scholarship?
The scheme's published rates provide:
- ₹12,000 per year for the first three years of eligible undergraduate study
- ₹20,000 per year for the fourth and fifth years where applicable, including the later years of certain professional/integrated courses
- ₹20,000 per year at the postgraduate level under the published rate structure. Education Government of India
The scholarship is transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the beneficiary's bank account. Education Government of India
Renewal is not the same as a fresh application
This is an important distinction.
If you are already a PM-USP CSSS beneficiary and are continuing your eligible course, use the Renewal route on NSP.
Do not treat the renewal application as a new scholarship application. Your previous scholarship record is linked to your NSP account.
The current NSP portal requires a One Time Registration (OTR) number for scholarship applications. OTR is a unique number intended to remain applicable throughout a student's academic career. Scholarships
Step-by-step: How to renew PM-USP CSSS on NSP
1. Complete your NSP OTR
Go to the National Scholarship Portal and make sure you have your 14-digit OTR number and login credentials.
NSP states that OTR is mandatory for scholarship applications and is used for both fresh and renewal applications. Scholarships
2. Log in to the Student section
Open NSP and select the student login/application section.
Use your OTR ID and password to access your scholarship application.
3. Select the renewal application
Look for the PM-USP – Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS) and select the renewal option if it is available for your account.
Check that your course, year of study and institution details are correct.
4. Update your academic details
Review the information relating to your current academic year.
Pay particular attention to:
- Current course and year
- Institution details
- Previous year's academic performance
- Bank account information
- Aadhaar/OTR details
- Contact information
If something is incorrect, resolve it through the appropriate NSP/institution process before final submission.
5. Keep your academic documents ready
For renewal, the key document generally relates to your previous year's academic performance/marks. The Ministry of Education's citizen charter identifies the previous-year marksheet for renewal, while income and other documents are associated with the applicable application requirements. Education Government of India
Keep a clear copy of your latest marksheet and any other document requested by the portal.
6. Check your bank account
Because the scholarship is paid through DBT, make sure the bank account details associated with your scholarship are correct.
NSP also provides a facility to check whether a bank account is Aadhaar-linked/seeding status and provides access to payment tracking through PFMS. Scholarships
7. Submit the application
Before clicking final submit, check every field carefully.
After submission:
- Save the application number/reference details.
- Download or print the submitted application if available.
- Check the application status regularly.
- Follow up with your institute if verification is pending.
What are the academic requirements for renewal?
The published scheme information has specified academic-performance and attendance requirements for renewal. For example, the CBSE's published citizen charter for CSSS states that renewal requires at least 50% marks in the annual examination and at least 75% attendance, subject to the applicable scheme conditions. CBSE
Students should nevertheless check the conditions shown against their own renewal application because scholarship rules and portal requirements can be updated.
What happens after you submit?
Your application does not immediately result in payment.
The application goes through verification stages.
For 2026–27, the current NSP announcement gives:
Student submission → Institute verification → Level-2 verification → Scholarship processing/payment
The current deadlines shown by NSP are:
31 October → 15 November → 30 November 2026. Scholarships
Therefore, simply submitting the application is not the final step. Check whether your institute has completed verification.
What if your application is defective?
Do not ignore a defective application status.
If NSP or the verifying authority marks an application defective, check the reason and make the required correction within the permitted period.
Keep checking the application status after submission rather than assuming that the scholarship will automatically renew.
What if the scholarship payment has not arrived?
NSP provides a facility to track scholarship disbursement through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). Scholarships
First check:
- Whether your NSP application has been verified.
- Whether it has been approved/processed.
- Whether your bank details are correct.
- Whether your Aadhaar-bank seeding status is correct.
- Whether PFMS shows a payment transaction.
Do not share your OTP, password or banking credentials with anyone claiming to process your scholarship.
Renewal checklist
Before the 31 October 2026 deadline, keep this checklist ready:
- Existing PM-USP CSSS scholarship beneficiary
- NSP OTR number available
- NSP login working
- Current course/year updated
- Previous-year marksheet available
- Bank account details checked
- Aadhaar-bank seeding checked where applicable
- Renewal application submitted
- Application/reference number saved
- Institute verification followed up
- Application status checked after submission
Don't wait until the last day
The current NSP student portal explicitly shows 31 October 2026 as the student deadline for PM-USP CSSS renewal. Scholarships
Since different NSP pages have displayed different dates for this scheme, students should rely on the live status shown in their NSP account and current portal announcements, and complete the renewal well before the closing date.
Bottom line: If you are an existing PM-USP CSSS scholarship beneficiary continuing your eligible higher-education course, log in to NSP, complete the renewal application, save your submission details and ensure your institute completes verification. The current student-facing NSP announcement gives 31 October 2026 as the renewal submission deadline. Scholarships