Haleon-Udaan Scholarship 2025-26: Rs. 2 Lakh for First-Year BDS Students, Eligibility, Application and Complete Guide

The Haleon-Udaan Scholarship Project 2025-26 is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scholarship by Haleon India, implemented through Buddy4Study, that provides Rs. 50,000 per year for up to 4 years to first-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students enrolled in government or government-aided dental colleges across India. The total scholarship value over the full BDS course duration is Rs. 2,00,000.

Haleon is the global consumer healthcare company behind brands like Sensodyne, Centrum, and Crocin. Through this scholarship, Haleon aims to reduce financial barriers for meritorious dental students from economically weaker backgrounds, specifically those with an annual family income below Rs. 8 lakh who have secured a government seat in a government or aided dental college.

The application deadline for the 2025-26 cycle was 15 March 2026. This guide covers the complete eligibility criteria, scholarship amount structure, application process, required documents, and selection methodology so that students can prepare for the next cycle when it opens.

Why This Scholarship Matters for BDS Students Specifically

Dental education in India, even at government colleges, involves expenses that go well beyond tuition. Students need to purchase dental instruments, materials, and equipment throughout their course. There are lab fees, clinical posting expenses, and the cost of textbooks and reference materials that are specific to dental studies. For students from families earning under Rs. 8 lakh per year, these accumulated costs can create serious financial pressure, especially over a 4-year programme.

What makes the Haleon-Udaan Scholarship particularly well-designed is its 4-year renewable structure. Unlike one-time scholarships that help only in the first year, this scholarship provides Rs. 50,000 annually for the entire BDS duration, subject to continuation requirements. This means the student has predictable financial support throughout their degree, not just at the start. Over four years, the Rs. 2,00,000 total can meaningfully offset the recurring costs of dental education.

The connection between Haleon and dental education is not accidental. As the maker of Sensodyne, one of the world’s most recognized dental care brands, Haleon has a direct interest in strengthening the dental healthcare ecosystem, and that starts with supporting the education of future dentists.

Scholarship Amount: The Four-Year Structure

Selected students receive Rs. 50,000 per year for up to 4 years. The total financial support over the full BDS course duration is Rs. 2,00,000. The scholarship amount is intended to support education-related expenses during the BDS programme, including but not limited to tuition fees, study materials, and academic costs.

The scholarship is renewable annually, meaning it is not a single one-time payment. However, continuation for subsequent years is subject to programme terms and requirements. While the specific continuation criteria have not been publicly detailed, it is reasonable to expect that students must maintain satisfactory academic performance and continue to meet the eligibility conditions to receive support in subsequent years.

The scholarship is disbursed to selected students as per programme rules, typically through the Buddy4Study platform infrastructure.

Eligibility Criteria: Every Condition Explained

The eligibility criteria are specific and every condition must be met simultaneously. Understanding each one prevents wasted effort on ineligible applications.

Course and Year of Study

The applicant must be a first-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) student enrolled in a college in India. This scholarship is exclusively for BDS students. No other course, whether MBBS, B.Pharm, or any other health science programme, is eligible. Additionally, only first-year students can apply. Students already in their second, third, or fourth year of BDS cannot apply for this scholarship.

Institution Type

The applicant must be studying in a government or government-aided dental college through a government seat. This is a dual condition. First, the college itself must be either a government dental college or a government-aided dental college. Second, the student must have secured admission through a government seat (typically through NEET counselling). Students who have a management quota seat or a private seat in even a government-aided college may not qualify if their seat is not classified as a government seat.

Private dental college students are not eligible under any circumstances, regardless of their academic merit or financial need.

Academic Performance

A minimum of 60% marks in the previous class or semester is mandatory. For a first-year BDS student, this typically means 60% or above in the Class 12 examination (or the qualifying examination used for admission).

Family Income

The annual family income from all sources must not exceed Rs. 8,00,000 (Rs. 8 lakh). Applicants will need to provide proof of income through an income certificate, EWS certificate, or Income Tax Return as applicable. This income ceiling ensures the scholarship reaches students from genuinely economically weaker backgrounds.

No Other Scholarship

Students who are already receiving any other scholarship are not eligible to apply. This is a common condition in CSR scholarships and is designed to ensure wider distribution of benefits. If you are currently receiving a state government scholarship, a national scholarship through NSP, or any other private scholarship, you cannot apply for the Haleon-Udaan Scholarship simultaneously.

This condition is worth thinking about carefully. If you are eligible for both this scholarship and another one, you need to decide which offers better value before applying. At Rs. 50,000 per year for 4 years (Rs. 2 lakh total), the Haleon-Udaan Scholarship may be more valuable than many one-time scholarships, but less than some government schemes that cover full tuition.

Employee Exclusion

Children of employees of Haleon and Buddy4Study are not eligible to apply. This is a standard CSR scholarship condition.

Documents Required

Having all documents ready before starting the application prevents incomplete submissions and last-minute issues. The documents needed are a recent passport-size photograph, a government-issued ID proof (Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Voter ID, or Driving Licence), BDS first-year admission proof (this can be an admission letter, bonafide certificate, institution ID card, or fee receipt), the previous class or semester marksheet showing at least 60% marks, family income proof (income certificate, EWS certificate, or Income Tax Return as applicable), bank account details or passbook of the student or parent/guardian, college fee receipt if available, and caste certificate if applicable.

All documents should be scanned clearly and uploaded in the prescribed format on the Buddy4Study platform. Unclear or incomplete documents can result in application rejection during the verification stage.

How to Apply

The application is submitted entirely online through the Buddy4Study platform. There is no offline or paper-based application route.

Visit the Buddy4Study website or the direct scholarship application page. If you are a new user, register using your email ID, mobile number, or Google account. If you already have a Buddy4Study account, log in with your existing credentials. Navigate to the Haleon-Udaan Scholarship Project 2025-26 application page. Fill in the online application form with your personal details, academic information, and family income details. Upload all the required supporting documents in the format specified. Review the complete application carefully before submission, as errors or missing information can lead to rejection. Accept the terms and conditions and submit the application.

After submission, you will receive a confirmation. Keep your application reference number and login details saved for tracking your application status.

Selection Process

The selection follows a multi-step process designed to verify both merit and financial need.

The first step is application review, where submitted applications are checked against the published eligibility conditions. Any application that fails to meet even one criterion is filtered out at this stage. The second step is shortlisting, where eligible students are evaluated based on academic performance, family income, and overall profile. The third step is document verification, where shortlisted applicants may be asked to provide additional documents or undergo verification of the documents already submitted. The fourth step is final selection, where the scholarship committee selects beneficiaries based on the complete screening and verification process. The final step is disbursement, where the scholarship amount is transferred to selected students as per programme rules.

The selection is expected to be merit-cum-means, meaning both academic performance and financial need are weighted. Students with higher marks and lower family income are likely to be prioritized.

Application Timeline

For the 2025-26 cycle, the application deadline was 15 March 2026. This deadline has passed. However, the scholarship has been offered in previous cycles as well, and if the pattern continues, the next cycle (2026-27) can be expected to open around late 2026 or early 2027 for first-year BDS students admitted in the upcoming academic session.

Students who will be entering BDS first year in the 2026-27 academic session should monitor the Buddy4Study platform and the ProjectSarthi scholarship section for updates when the new cycle is announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this scholarship only for BDS students?

Yes. Only first-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students are eligible. No other medical or health science course qualifies.

Can private dental college students apply?

No. Only students studying in government or government-aided dental colleges through a government seat are eligible.

Is the scholarship a one-time payment or renewable?

It is structured as Rs. 50,000 per year for up to 4 years, making the total benefit Rs. 2,00,000. Continuation in subsequent years is subject to programme terms and requirements.

Can I apply if I am already receiving another scholarship?

No. Students currently receiving any other scholarship are not eligible. You must choose one.

What is the family income limit?

Annual family income from all sources must not exceed Rs. 8,00,000.

What are the minimum marks required?

At least 60% in the previous class or semester.

Where do I apply?

Applications are submitted online through the Buddy4Study platform. The direct link is available on the Buddy4Study website under the Haleon-Udaan Scholarship Project page.

Has the 2025-26 deadline passed?

Yes. The deadline was 15 March 2026. Students entering BDS in the next academic session should watch for the 2026-27 cycle announcement.

Official Links and Contact

The scholarship is listed on the Buddy4Study platform at buddy4study.com/page/haleon-udaan-scholarship-project. For scholarship-related queries, contact Buddy4Study through their platform support. For information about Haleon India’s CSR initiatives, visit haleon.com.