If you completed a degree in Karnataka and heard that the prize money scholarship for degree students gives ₹25,000, the amount itself is real — but eligibility needs a closer look.
The Karnataka Social Welfare Department currently lists ₹25,000 for the Degree category and ₹35,000 separately for Professional Degree courses. Eligible SC students must have completed the applicable course in first class in their first attempt.
This guide focuses only on degree students: who may qualify, how courses such as BCA, BCom, BA and BSc fit into the scheme, what “first attempt” means and what to check before applying.
Prize Money Scholarship for Degree Students: Quick Answer
| Detail | Current verified information |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Post-Matric Prize Money |
| SC Department | Karnataka Social Welfare Department |
| Eligible category confirmed by SWD | Scheduled Caste |
| Degree amount | ₹25,000 |
| Professional Degree amount | ₹35,000 |
| Application mode | Online |
| Official SC portal | Karnataka Social Welfare Department Prize Money portal |
| 2026 last date | Not currently verified |
| Main condition | First class in first attempt |
The official Social Welfare Department information confirms the SC-side amount, category, academic condition and absence of an annual family-income limit.
What Is the Karnataka Prize Money Scholarship?
Prize Money is an incentive for eligible students who successfully complete specified qualifications. It should not be confused with the regular SSP Post-Matric Scholarship.
If you need the scheme-wide amounts for PUC, diploma, PG and professional courses too, read KarnatakaAcademic’s complete Karnataka Prize Money Scholarship guide.
For this page, we are looking specifically at the prize money scholarship for degree students.
How Much Prize Money Do Degree Students Get?
The currently published Social Welfare Department amount is:
| Qualification | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| PUC / Diploma | ₹20,000 |
| Degree | ₹25,000 |
| Master’s Degree | ₹30,000 |
| Professional Degree | ₹35,000 |
These amounts are published by the Karnataka Social Welfare Department.
So yes, the prize money scholarship ₹25,000 claim is supported for students placed under the department’s “Degree” category.
But ₹25,000 does not mean every undergraduate programme automatically gets ₹25,000. Professional degrees are classified separately at ₹35,000.
That distinction matters when selecting your qualification in the application.
Prize Money Scholarship Eligibility for Degree Students
For the SC Prize Money scheme, the key officially confirmed conditions are:
- the applicant belongs to the Scheduled Caste category;
- the student completed a post-matric course covered by the scheme;
- the course was passed in the first attempt;
- the result is first class;
- the qualification is correctly classified by the department.
The department also says there is no annual family-income limit for Post-Matric Prize Money.
Do not borrow the income limit from SSP and apply it here. They are different benefits.
The current official information I reviewed does not clearly establish one universal percentage applicable to every Karnataka university degree. Follow your university’s recognised first-class classification instead of assuming an unofficial percentage.
Are BCA, BCom, BSc, BA and BBA Students Eligible?
This is where students should be careful.
The official statewide Prize Money table says simply “Degree – ₹25,000.” It does not separately list BCA, BBA, BA, BCom or BSc by name.
So:
BA, BCom and BSc: These are standard undergraduate degrees, but the current statewide amount table does not individually name them.
BCA and BBA: Do not rely only on a blog saying “all UG degrees.” Check whether your exact qualification appears under the Degree category in the current Prize Money application system.
If the portal classification is unclear, confirm it with the concerned District Social Welfare/Tribal Welfare office before submitting.
What Does “First Attempt” Mean?
For the prize money scholarship first attempt condition, the simplest way to understand it is:
You should have completed the qualifying course without having to clear failed subjects through a later attempt.
The government wording specifically says first attempt in first class.
So if you failed a semester subject and later passed it through a supplementary or repeat examination, you should not assume you qualify based only on your final percentage.
The current public information does not clearly explain every university’s supplementary, improvement or revaluation situation.
If your result history is unusual, verify it with the department.
Prize Money Scholarship Documents Required
The current public Social Welfare Department information does not publish one clear, complete 2026 document checklist for every degree applicant.
Students should therefore follow the documents requested by the live application portal.
Academic records and caste verification are clearly central to the scheme because eligibility depends on your category, completed qualification, first attempt and first-class result.
Before applying, keep your degree marks records and caste-related details ready and make sure the personal information you enter matches your educational records.
If your name or DOB differs between records, read the Karnataka marks card correction guide before making unnecessary changes.
Do not upload or obtain an income certificate solely because a random scholarship article says Prize Money has an income limit. The SC scheme itself currently says there is no annual family-income limit.
How to Apply for Prize Money Scholarship Online
For SC applicants, use the official Karnataka Social Welfare Department Prize Money portal.
The process broadly follows these steps:
- Open the official Prize Money portal.
- Choose the relevant post-matric application.
- Select the correct passing year/course option shown.
- Enter your personal and academic details carefully.
- Select your actual college, university and qualification.
- Complete the information requested by the current application.
- Recheck your registration number, name and result details.
- Submit the application.
- Save the acknowledgement/application number.
- Follow any verification or document-submission instruction displayed by the portal.
Never choose a different course merely because its Prize Money amount is higher.
Prize Money Scholarship Last Date 2026
As of August 28, 2026, I could not verify a current official closing date for degree/Post-Matric Prize Money from the public Social Welfare Department information reviewed for this article.
So this page will not invent a deadline.
Check the official Prize Money application portal regularly. Avoid depending on previous-year deadlines or dates shown in old YouTube videos.
How to Check Application Status
The Social Welfare Department Prize Money system provides application-related online services, including status tracking.
Start from the official Prize Money portal and use the available application-status facility.
Keep your acknowledgement/application details safely after submission. If your status does not change, that alone does not prove rejection.
Can SSP Scholarship Students Also Apply for Prize Money?
Prize Money and SSP are different schemes.
SSP Post-Matric Scholarship supports eligible students while studying and follows its own eligibility, income and departmental rules. Prize Money is an incentive linked to successful completion of the specified qualification.
The official Prize Money information reviewed does not clearly state a blanket rule saying that receiving SSP automatically disqualifies a student from Prize Money.
So do not assume you must choose one or the other.
For SSP-specific rules, use KarnatakaAcademic’s SSP Scholarship 2026 guide.
Common Problems Degree Students Face
College is not appearing: Do not select a similar-looking institution. Raise the issue with the concerned welfare office.
Aadhaar/name mismatch: Compare the spelling in your academic and identity records before changing anything.
Marks or CGPA confusion: Follow your university’s recognised conversion/classification rather than calculating an unofficial percentage yourself.
Supplementary history: Because the scheme requires first-attempt completion, confirm your eligibility before assuming your later pass qualifies.
Wrong course category: Degree and Professional Degree have different listed amounts. Select your actual qualification.
Status not changing: Keep your acknowledgement and contact the concerned department if verification remains unresolved.
For scholarship applications where an income certificate really is required, KarnatakaAcademic also has a separate Karnataka income certificate guide.
FAQs
Can degree students get Prize Money Scholarship in Karnataka?
Yes. The Karnataka Social Welfare Department currently lists Degree under Post-Matric Prize Money at ₹25,000 for eligible SC students meeting the first-attempt and first-class conditions.
Is the Prize Money Scholarship ₹25,000 for degree students?
Yes, ₹25,000 is the currently listed amount for the Degree category. Professional Degree is separately listed at ₹35,000.
Can BCA students apply?
The official statewide table does not separately name BCA. Check whether your BCA qualification is classified under Degree in the current portal before relying on ₹25,000.
Can BCom students apply?
BCom is a degree qualification, but the statewide Prize Money table does not individually list BCom. Confirm its current portal classification.
Can BA/BSc students apply?
The official amount table uses the broader term “Degree” rather than listing BA or BSc individually. Verify your course classification when applying.
Can general-category students apply?
Not under the Social Welfare Department SC Prize Money scheme discussed here. That scheme is specifically for Scheduled Caste students.
Can SSP Scholarship students apply?
Receiving SSP should not automatically be treated as disqualification. The current Prize Money information reviewed does not state a blanket prohibition, but students should follow current departmental rules.
Can supplementary students apply?
The scheme requires first-attempt completion. If you cleared a failed subject later through supplementary or repeat examination, do not assume eligibility; confirm with the department.
What is the Prize Money Scholarship last date 2026?
A current official post-matric closing date could not be verified as of August 28, 2026. Check the official portal for the latest announcement.
How can I check Prize Money Scholarship status?
Use the application-status facility available through the official Prize Money system and keep your acknowledgement/application details ready.
Conclusion
The prize money scholarship for degree students currently carries ₹25,000 under the Social Welfare Department’s Degree category, but course classification and first-attempt eligibility matter just as much as the amount.
Before applying, confirm that your exact degree appears correctly in the portal, check your attempt history and use only the official departmental system. If your course or result situation is unclear, verify it with the concerned welfare office rather than relying on an unofficial scholarship post.